Reilly's Return Read Online Free Page B

know he’s wonderful with Nicholas, but he’s ill-equipped for breast feeding.”
    Jayne’s gaze zoomed in on Alaina’s face.
    Alaina looked both annoyed and sympathetic, a combination that was natural to her. She was much better at suppressing emotions than expressing them. “Sorry, pal. I’ve got a will to read at ten. Looks like your moon is in the wrong house.”
    Not only was her moon in the wrong house, Jayne thought dismally, her planets were all out of alignment as well. Her whole sense of self had been thrown off its axis. She searched frantically for some excuse to get her friends to stay even just a few minutes longer. “You … haven’t met Reilly yet.”
    They looked at her expectantly while her brain stalled out.
    “Ummm … a … Alaina, Faith, meet Pat Reilly.” She tried to step out of the way, but Reilly held her firmly in place. She shot a glance over her shoulder. His face was unreadable, a polite mask. His hold told her to stay put.
    “Reilly is an … um …” Lord, how did she describe her relationship with Reilly? They weren’t precisely old friends, and
acquaintance
seemed woefully thin. He was the man she had been wildly attracted to while she’d been married to one of the most wonderful, kind, understanding men on the face of the planet. Somehow, shecouldn’t quite bring herself to say that. The burden of guilt was still too heavy for her to confess her sins, even to her best friends. Besides, it would have been a tacky thing to say.
    “Reilly is an … actor.”
    Faith gave her a politely puzzled look.
    Alaina wasn’t so kind. “Oh really? Gee, I thought he looked familiar.”
    Jayne winced. Crimeny, who wouldn’t recognize Pat Reilly? The man was a superstar. Not only was he one of the hottest box office draws in the history of movies, his face was regularly plastered all over the tabloids—usually beside the face of some dazzling starlet. Less than a week had passed since
WE
magazine had decorated their cover with his handsome visage and proclaimed him to be the sexiest man on earth.
    Heaving a weary sigh, she pushed past her blunder. “Reilly, these are my friends, Faith Callan and Alaina Montgomery-Harrison.” Once again she tried to step aside and once again Reilly’s hands bore down on her shoulders. She shot him a glare, but it bounced off his smile.
    He nodded pleasantly to Jayne’s friends, his jewel-tone eyes sparkling wickedly. “It was a pleasure meetin’ you, ladies.”
    Jayne gasped at his blatant disregard for manners. “Reilly!”
    Alaina fought back a grin as she backed toward the exit. “Our cue to leave, Faith. Mr. Reilly, I trust we’ll be seeing more of you?”
    “Count on it,” Reilly said, shooting her a conspiratorial wink.
    He took note of the measuring gleam in Alaina’s eyes. She was sizing him up to decide whether or not she could trust him with her friend. For the moment she was deciding in his favor; she continued moving toward the door. Faith Callan didn’t seem nearly so sure. Her brown eyes were full of worry as she glanced from him to Jayne to Alaina, but she said nothing and continued shuffling reluctantly toward the exit.
    It pleased him to know Jayne had such good friends. He had the fanciful feeling they had looked after her in the year he’d stayed away.
    “Good-bye,” Jayne called forlornly, her stomach sinking.
    “G’day!” Reilly called cheerfully.
    “Are you going to let go of me now?” Jayne asked as the door closed behind her friends.
    “I guess I will,” he said, but instead of letting her go he drew her back a step toward him. “Iwas only trying to protect your delicate feminine sensibilities, you know.”
    “How so?”
    “Well, I didn’t figure you’d want your girlfriends to see just how happy I am to see you again.” Pulling her back another inch, he wrapped his brawny arms around her waist and eased his hips forward.
    “Oh, my goodness!” Jayne said with a gasp. Her eyes rounded like twin full