Mr. Insatiable Read Online Free Page A

from a few places along the table. “Speech time.”
    “Okay.” Kit sighed. “Game on.” He got to his feet and tapped on his glass to get everyone’s attention.
    Enya sat back in her seat, prepared to enjoy herself. Kit was an accomplished public speaker, and she’d heard him speak confidently at several formal functions, captivating everyone within a few sentences. This evening he didn’t disappoint, and by the time he finished relaying the anecdotes he’d dredged up from Tristan’s past, she had tears rolling down her face and a stitch in her side.
    He let his audience quiet down before saying, “I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but that’s enough embarrassing stories about Tristan.” He smiled as someone cheered for more, making everyone laugh. “We’re here tonight to celebrate the marriage of two of my best friends. I’ve known Tristan and his family for eleven years now, and we became best mates the first day he started school. We’ve both known Lisette the same length of time, and I’m thrilled the two of them are getting married. It’s always good when a relationship is founded on a great friendship.”
    He cleared his throat, looking down at his glass for a moment, and Enya stared at her plate, hoping her cheeks weren’t going scarlet.
    After a few seconds, he carried on. “As you know, Tris and I own Catherine’s Wheel , and we’ll be putting on a display for you shortly. Before that, I’d like to read you a poem I’ve written for this occasion. It’s called Fireworks. ”
    A poem? Enya looked up at him, surprised. He winked at her before turning to the bride and groom, reciting it from memory.
    “They kiss in the garden, surrounded by flowers
    Dahlias burst in orange and pink showers
    He holds her face, strokes her hair for hours.”
    Cheers echoed around the hall. He smiled and held up a hand as he continued, posing like a Shakespearean actor.
    “Scarlet peonies explode in bright pairs
    He caresses her cheek, wipes away her tears
    Her wedding ring glitters with crimson stars.”
    Lisette blinked away tears, and Kit reached out and held her hand as he read the third verse.
    “Fish meander through the flickering shallows
    Chrysanthemums sparkle in greens and yellows
    Pale blue embers descend from the willows.”
    By now, everyone was listening and the place had fallen quiet. His voice was low, almost mesmerizing.
    “The diadem of stars frames her pale face
    The spider spins fragile gold like lace
    Time rains silver, dazzling their embrace.”
    He kissed Lisette’s hand before lifting his glass to the happy couple, and everyone toasted them, cheering after they’d sipped their champagne. She’d listened to him and Tristan talk about fireworks since she was ten, and knew enough about them to recognize the effects in the poem like ‘wedding ring’ and ‘time rains.’ She thought she knew everything about him, but she didn’t know he wrote poetry.
    But then there were things about her he was unaware of, she reminded herself. No two people could know each other completely. It intrigued her, though. What else was there about him she didn’t know?
    He held up his hand to still the clapping. “And if you’re not keen on that, perhaps you’ll prefer the following joke by Tommy Cooper. Police arrested two kids yesterday. One had eaten battery acid, the other had eaten some fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.” There were roars of laughter and he bowed and sat down.
    “Smooth,” Enya said.
    He winked at her and sipped his wine. “I have many hidden talents.”
    “Mm.” She thought about the way he’d kissed her.
    He met her gaze, the look in his eyes hot and amused. “Stop it.”
    “What?”
    “You know perfectly well what.”
    She went to protest, but Tristan stood up to speak, and she bit her lip. She only half concentrated on her brother’s speech while her flustered mind played on what had happened up on the balcony. Kit had kissed her. And