Last Night's Kiss Read Online Free

Bailey.
    “Oh,” he said, clearly surprised at this revelation. “Where?”
    “I don’t know yet. Liam tells me there are several properties in the area I can rent for a few months.”
    Bailey glanced over his shoulder at Liam. He was talking to Wes Gilchrist, the owner of a local dry cleaning business, whose image Liam nearly obliterated. He nodded as if thinking of something, but decided not to say it.
    “Bailey,” someone called. “Good to see you.”
    A man no taller than Rosa approached them. He had gleaming white teeth, and was near to Bailey’s age. His hair was equal parts black and white.
    “Well, Sam, when did you get back?” Bailey smiled and the two men pumped each other’s hand. Rosa didn’t know how long their separation had been.
    “Moments ago,” he said. “Came straight here.”
    “Sam Stone, meet Rosa Clayton, our guest of honor. Sam consults for a company in Seattle and spends a lot of time in airplanes.”
    Sam looked at her, his smile as big as the sky. Saying hello, he shook her hand as if she were a one-arm bandit.
    “Vida’s done nothing but talk about your visit for a month,” he said. “Glad you made it.”
    “Thank you.” She looked from one man to the other knowing they wanted to reacquaint themselves. “Excuse me, I’ll put this away.” She indicated the bud vase she was still holding.
    With a nod she left them, going to the kitchen and placing the flower on top of the refrigerator. She took a moment to breathe. The kitchen was momentarily empty. The caterers were seeing to the tables of food in the other room.
    Rosa raised her arms above her head and stretched. The kinks in her back and neck eased. The kitchen door swung inward and she turned. Adam Osborne faced her. His presence surprised her as did the current of electricity that bolted through her when she saw him. Rosa wanted to say something, but could think of nothing. Falling back on her manners, she asked, “Can I get you something?”
    She regretted the words the moment she saw his eyes sweep her form from tip to toe.
    “Water, juice,” she offered, her tone letting him know she was not part of the available menu.
    “Water will do,” he said.
    Turning to the refrigerator, she pulled the door open and took out two bottles of water. Her throat suddenly felt parched and dry. Handing him one bottle, she twisted the top from the other and drank thirstily. Adam held his, but didn’t drink.
    “Feeling a little overwhelmed?” he asked.
    She shook her head, but she was lying and she knew he could tell.
    “You know it’s strange to think that someone so used to being stared at and admired could have crowd phobia.”
    “I’m not afraid of the crowd.”
    “What is it, then?”
    Rosa wasn’t sure she wanted to tell her secret to this man. Yet she heard her own voice saying it. “I’m tired of being stared at only because of what I look like.”
    “You think that’s how they view you?” He took a step toward her. Rosa held her ground.
    She nodded. “How do you think they view you? Your legion of fans? Do you think they look past your face and into an intelligent mind?” She doubted it. The man had a raw sexuality that radiated from him. Any woman in his realm couldn’t resist it, except her. She’d seen this kind of man before. She had brothers with the same attributes, an aura that drew women. And Rosa wasn’t about to let the superficial outer layer of a man sway her. Yet she admitted to herself that her blood pressure had gone up a notch or two when she saw him standing in the doorway.
    “I can’t control what people think.”
    In lieu of speaking, she nodded. It was a good answer. One she’d adopted herself. It didn’t mean she didn’t want to show off her brain, but her face and body preceded her and men mostly didn’t listen when what they were seeing took precedence. Vida told her she’d constructed an invisible wall around her feelings and she wouldn’t let anyone get close to her. Rosa