Distracted Read Online Free Page B

one of his
canvasses.
    He frowned as he concentrated, then glanced back and
forth from the painting to several photographs he had clipped to
the corner. A tackle box filled with paint tubes sat on a tall
table next to his hip. He had pulled out the tackle box tray and
was using it as a palette. The table top also served as a palette
with layers of dried oil paint stacked one on top of another like
an artistic archaeological dig. He had a brush behind one ear and
was chewing on another. He didn’t move for several minutes,
studying the scene before him. He didn’t notice Erin, her footsteps
muffled by the carpet.
    He glanced first over his shoulder at the sun now
sinking into the Pamlico Sound then back at his canvas before he
spied her. She didn’t move.
    “The light’s wrong now.” He put his brushes in a
bottle of linseed oil and the tray on a table behind him, then
sauntered towards her. “How ya feeling?”
    “Fine. I think I should find a hotel on the island
and freshen up.”
    “Thought you were going to stay here?”
    Erin backed up as he came towards the door. “I think
you and I need a bit of privacy and maybe a fresh start.” Even as
the words came out, she realized they did not sound convincing.
    “Nah, no worries. I’ve already put your suitcase in
your room. It’s at the end of the hall,” he said, taking her arm
and escorting her to the opposite side of the house. He opened a
door and Erin was dazzled by the view from the large windows. The
room seemed to float in light as the mirrored closets on the far
wall reflected the blues and browns of the wetlands. Centered in
the middle of the room was a king-sized bed covered with a
champagne silk spread. Minimally decorated, there was no other
furniture in the room other than mahogany floating shelves attached
to the walls. He moved to one of the mirrored doors and opened
it.
    “See? Your own bathroom.” He emphasized the word
“own” and his smile was overly bright.
    Erin cringed. She was embarrassed but it was the
memory of his wet, tanned, muscled body that flushed her cheek, not
his gentle teasing.
    “I unpacked for you,” he added, stepping towards the
built-in dresser and opening the top drawer. He pulled out a lacy
bra and swung it around his index finger.
    She gasped. He had retrieved her suitcase out of the
SUV while she slept and put her clothes away? She blushed
furiously. He dropped her bra, closed the drawer and changed the
subject.
    “Hungry?”
    “Yes,” she replied, disarmed by the simple
question.
    “I don’t have much in the way of vittles here so
we’ll go out. I suppose you’ll want to take a shower? You might
want to lock the door. You know, to keep out intruders.”
    He stifled a laugh, backed out of her room, and
closed the door.
    Functioning on auto pilot, Erin stepped into the
bathroom. It was exactly like the one she had barged into earlier,
except this room had her toiletries on the counter, her shampoo and
conditioner in the shower. She opened the mirrored medicine cabinet
and found her toothbrush, her floss and even her birth control
pills.
    She stepped out of the bathroom and into the closet
area. Pulling open drawers she found her lingerie, her stockings,
shorts and shirts. Her dresses hung on satin-padded hangers. He had
left out her red La Rok, a short-waisted cocktail dress with a
cut-away back and short tulle skirt. He had even arranged her
silver Stuart Weitzmore slingback sandals, with their corsage
straps and four-inch heel, beside the dress. So, he had even
decided what she should wear tonight.
    Erin sat on the bed and fumed at the invasion of her
privacy. She thought about calling Patricia. Instead, she went back
into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
    “It’s on,” she growled.
    Soon Erin was sleek and polished. The skirt of her
strapless red dress flared high above her knees in baby-doll
fashion. Her high heels made her legs appear long. They were a bit
sunburned from her morning on the deck