Nights in White Satin: A Loveswept Classic Romance Read Online Free

disposed of it to a fence—if he hadn’t already. She wouldn’t think that, she decided. She hadn’t gone through allthis for nothing. She wanted it to count. And she needed her heritage back if she wanted to help her mother. But she was out in the middle of the countryside with no resources available and no time. And worse, no plan!
    Except …
    She turned around and stared at the small makeup case she had clutched all the way over on the plane. The first glimmers of an idea formed in her head. Fishing a small key out of her purse, she opened the case and dug deep under the “necessities.” Her heart beat a little faster when her fingers closed around a velvety soft pouch. She lifted it out and walked over to the bed. Her head spun lightly as she undid the string and spread the glittering necklace on the comforter. The green stones winked like the real thing in the copy of the Daneforth necklace. Twenty-three emeralds set in an intricate design with pearls, or in this case, faux stone with faux pearls. But even a jeweler would be hard-pressed to tell the difference.
    Then she spread a second necklace out on the bed. This one sparkled with true carbon life. Her father had once said diamonds should be worn in the sun to bring out their luster. Seeing the stones sparkle in the natural light, she agreed with him. She didn’t know why she had brought the diamond necklace; it was nearly as precious as the emerald one. But when she had gotten the paste copy out, there it had been, almost calling her. She stuffed it back into its bag, cursing her foolishness.
    She held the copy, feeling the weight of it, seeing the sparkle of it … and knowing it wasn’treal. She hoped Lettice got through to Moscow and got some answers. Otherwise, this entire trip would have been for nothing, and she would have to go home without the necklace.
    And, an impish voice inside her whispered, without getting to know Rick Kitteridge.
    Jill told the voice to be quiet. She refused to be distracted, and Lettice’s grandson was the sexiest, most appealing distraction she’d ever seen. She’d simply have to be coolly polite when she was with him, and forget about him when she wasn’t. And she would get her legacy back, by hook or by crook.
    She wasn’t going home without it.

Two

    “Her husband was Mr. Supermacho,” Lettice said as she and Rick strolled along the path through his garden. “He expected her to jump whenever he snapped his fingers. Completely unsuitable, I thought at the time.…”
    “Mmmm,” Rick murmured noncommittally, though he was listening intently to his grandmother ramble on. As they waited for Jill to come down for breakfast, his tour of the back garden had turned into a monologue that he was internally driven to hear. Daisy, his favorite border collie, swept silently around his feet like a shadow, as she did whenever he was outside in her domain.
    “Jill isn’t some paper doll.” Lettice paused. “And then there were all those affairs—”
    “Jill had affairs!” Rick exclaimed, rounding on his grandmother. With a yip, Daisy jumped out of the way. He reached out absently to pet the dog’s head in reassurance.
    “Of course not, silly. I’m talking about Brett, her ex-husband.” Lettice frowned. “Well, she could have affairs. She’s a grown woman, after all, anda lovely one.… What is this delightful stalky plant with the purple flowers? It looks like a violet.”
    Rick blinked, coming out of a kaleidoscope of emotions at the thought of Jill, eyes half-closed in smoky invitation, as a man leaned his head down to kiss her. The problem was, he wasn’t the man. She had been under his roofless than twenty-four hours—and he’d spent less than an hour in her company—yet he was completely fascinated with her. It was as if his grandmother knew it, too, and was throwing out these tidbits, carrot-and-donkey style. It was working, dammit. He wanted to hear more. What the hell was wrong with him?
    “Rick.