No Red Roses: A Loveswept Classic Romance (Santa Flores) Read Online Free

hell you will!” Tamara cried. She whirled away from him, her breasts heaving with fury. She glared back at him over her shoulder, her head lifted proudly. “I’m not going to occupyyour bed or any portion of your life, Rex Brody! How do you have the nerve to come marching in here trying to intimidate Aunt Elizabeth, and then expect me to jump into bed with you!”
    Her fury had no visible effect on Brody’s cool demeanor. In fact, there was a glint of admiration mixed with amusement in his eyes. “I gather you’re going to keep me in suspense for a while before you succumb to my fatal fascination,” he said outrageously. “Well, I’ve never been known for my patience, but you just may be worth waiting for, Tamara Ledford.”
    “If you don’t get out of here …” she stated threateningly, turning back to face him.
    “Oh, I’m leaving,” he said casually, strolling toward the door. He looked over his shoulder and winked mischievously. “I’ve got to get back to Bettencourt’s to change for the party. I’ll see you there, babe.”
    “Oh no you won’t!” Tamara said. There was no way she was going to tolerate an evening of Rex Brody and Celia Bettencourt.
    He paused at the door, all laughter banished from his face. “Yes, I will,” he said, a steelydetermination firming his lips. “Don’t even think about missing it, Tamara. I want you there tonight, and I make a habit of getting what I want. I’ve let the matter of your great-aunt’s little criminal sideline slide for the moment, but don’t think I’ve forgotten it. I assure you I’ll remember it much more vividly and with considerably more activity if you’re not at that party.”
    Before she could answer, Brody turned and walked out the door.

T WO
    T HE B ETTENCOURT MANSION was ablaze with lights as Marc Hellman turned his car into the long, curving driveway and drove carefully to the pillared front entrance. They were met by a white-jacketed servant, who smilingly helped Tamara from the dark blue Buick before taking Marc’s car keys and tossing them to another servant so he could park the car.
    Marc cupped Tamara’s elbow protectively as they mounted the steps, and he bent his dark head to murmur quietly in her ear, “You’re sure you want to go through with this? We could still send in a message with a servant. Walter surelywouldn’t expect you to attend if he knew you were ill.”
    Tamara smiled reassuringly. “No, really, I’ll be perfectly fine, Marc,” she said. “It was just a headache. I’m much better now.”
    Marc Hellman shook his head, his thin, clever face concerned. “I’m not at all sure of that. You were shaking and practically in tears when I picked you up, and even now you’re still quite flushed.”
    “Don’t be silly, Marc, I’m perfectly well now,” she said crossly, wishing he would stop fussing.
    At times Marc’s almost avuncular protectiveness could be quite annoying.
    But a twinge of guilt pricked her at the worried frown on his face. He had arrived a scant five minutes after Brody had departed, and a plea of illness had been the first excuse she could think of to account for her obvious distress. Throughout dinner at Somerset’s leading hotel, Marc had been extremely solicitous, even though she’d made every effort to appear normal.
    She would dearly have loved to take Marc’s suggestion that they miss the party, but she hada shrewd idea that the silken threat Brody had made before he’d left the house wasn’t a bluff. For Aunt Elizabeth’s sake she couldn’t run the risk of his anger being directed at her, despite the indignation she felt. She’d just have to make another attempt to convince him Aunt Elizabeth had never had any intention of accepting compensation for her services, and that this whole misunderstanding was utterly ridiculous.
    She preceded Marc quickly through the front door, leaving her cloak with the servant in attendance in the front entrance hall, and moved swiftly to the