Love Songs Read Online Free

“it’s precisely my power that caused the breach to begin with.”
    “Then it’s that much less excusable!”
    To her dismay Alex smiled, enjoying her unease. The warmth of his gaze melted her resentment, even against her will. “You really have nothing to worry about, Alanna. That’s all I know—your name and your reason for being here. And there was no breach of confidence by any doctor; Sylvia spilled the last, as well. Anything further, I guess I’ll have to ferret out of you. Believe it or not, this hospital is closemouthed.”
    “That remains to be seen,” Alanna commented wryly. Looking away, she caught the glint of the overhead light as it cast its tawny highlight on the fine hairs on the back of his hand. It was an image she thrust from her mind as being far too sensual, far too appealing. Grasping for an escape, she brightened. “Tell me … what can you learn from surface information? Since you don’t know me, whatever makes you think you’d want me as a wife?”
    “For starters,” he began without hesitation, “I know that you’re part of the IAT study—that was what Sylvia told me. It says a lot.”
    “Such as…?”
    “Such as that you’re a working woman—a businesswoman—at the executive level.” At her look of surprise, he explained. “The IAT study—this phase, at least—deals with a very specific group. Executives. Under pressure. Between the ages of thirty and forty-five. I’d say,” his gaze raked her form with astounding thoroughness, pausing longer on her lips before returning to the anticipation in her eyes, “that you are at the bare bottom of that scale.”
    “You’re right. I just turned thirty-one.”
    “And that says a lot more.”
    “My age?”
    “The fact that you offer it so freely. Some women are very sensitive—”
    “I’m not some women.”
    “Which tells me even more. You’re a nonconformist. You’re self-confident, intelligent to have gotten where you are, and at least moderately aggressive.”
    “Moderately?” she asked, amused by his evaluation.
    “Actually, with regard to the factor of aggression you’re still an unknown factor. You may be very aggressive in the office; in … ah … other fields you may not have been put to the test yet.” The dark gleam which flickered in his eye spoke clearly of the fields he had in mind. Alanna’s reaction was instant.
    “Do you really think that you’ll be the one to test me?”
    “Perhaps.”
    “Don’t hold your breath,” she warned softly. “I’ve fought my way from the bottom up, parrying similar threats all too often. Fighting you would be no different than fighting those others who’ve tried before you.”
    Even as the words hit the air she wondered at their truth. From that first visual exchange in the elevator she had sensed something different in this man. A fight with him would push her to her limits, of that she was certain. Would it come to that? Despite his claims and her renunciation of them, would she be seeing him again?
    “And that’s another thing I like about you,” he went on, totally ignoring her declaration. “You’ve got spunk. That’s good.”
    “You’re nuts! Do you know that?”
    He chuckled. “I’ve been told so on occasion—but I’ve usually gone on to prove myself totally sane. Are you interested in putting me to the test?”
    “What test—proving you sane?” When he shook his head with deliberate slowness she amended her guess, once again with disbelief. “Marrying you?”
    “Ummm.” His gaze began to move over her face in a visual caress that was utterly sensual. Beginning with her flaxen-sheened hair, pulled sedately back, his eye-touch stroked the creamy richness of her skin, the delicate symmetry of her nose, the sudden vulnerability of her lips. Awareness coursed through her in echoing ripples.
    “I told you,” she argued defensively, her stiff tone belying the helpless cocoa of her eyes, “that I’m not the marrying type. Marriage has