Arranging Love by Nina Pierce Read Free Book Online Page A

lines creasing the edges of her mouth and eyes. “Daddy’s sick, Meghan. We all do our best, but I think having Doc McCarty there is helping Mum with the whole situation. I, for one, am grateful for all he’s done.” She shut the cooler door. “Ayden and I are planning on having everyone over for Sunday dinner, and I extended an invitation to Doc.”
    “I don’t think we should encourage their relationship.”
    “Relationship? What the hell, Meghan?” Deirdre pulled off her glove and wiggled the diamond ring on her finger in front of Meghan’s nose. “Did you happen to forget what it means to be committed?” Deirdre and Ayden had only been engaged for a month, but Meghan had never seen her sister happier.
    “Whatever. I wasn’t implying anything.” Embarrassment heated Meghan’s cheeks. “I’m not saying Mum would ever cheat.”
    “I should hope not.” Deirdre crossed her arms over her heart, the volume of her voice rising with each word. “Some relationships aren’t meant to last, but a forty-year marriage doesn’t get knocked off-kilter because of an illness.”
    “Forget I said anything.” Infidelity was a sore subject with Deirdre.
    Deirdre shook a hand at the cooler. “Is there anything else you need from there?”
    “Not that you need to get.”
    “Fine.”
    “Fine.”
    Deirdre stalked to the door. “I’m plowing in town all day. I’ll swing by around noon to put the arrangements back in.”
    “Don’t bother. I can do it.”
    “Oh, screw you, Meghan.”
    And with that, Deirdre stalked out of the shop. What the hell was that all about?
    * * * *
    Peter sat at his desk in his office, staring at nothing. Fridays were slow, anyway, but since no one had expected his return until next week, his work load was practically nonexistent. He should be grateful. All the traveling had backed up his projects, and with the lull he should be focused on playing catch-up. But between Crystal and his fiancée, he couldn’t wrap his head around work.
    He and Meghan had tiptoed through their morning, neither of them mentioning his little request. His gift hadn’t been on the kitchen counter when he’d come down after his shower, and he had no idea what she’d done with it. At this point, he wasn’t even sure he cared. Obviously, Meghan didn’t find the whole bondage idea a turn-on.
    The thought of her strapped to his bed, her body opened and at his mercy, excited him like nothing ever had. But she’d turned her nose up in disgust at the first mention of his fantasy. Was his little obsession truly warped? Peter had had his own doubts, but when Meghan nearly gagged at the idea, he decided it wasn’t something normal couples delved into. He blew out a long breath. What the hell was the matter with him? Traipsing into that little BDSM party in Boston had added fuel to a simmering fire. Now his desire to dominate trickled into all his thoughts, until even working without obsessing was becoming a problem.
    He should be satisfied with what he had. Meghan was enough. Why had he opened his life to temptation? The whole Internet search for Crystal had introduced him to new and exciting forms of sexual gratification, but he didn’t want it if he couldn’t share it with Meghan—did he? He was beginning to wonder if his fiancée would accept that part of him. Would Crystal and everything she represented always be on the outer fringes of his life?
    Crystal .
    He stood and walked around his desk to shut the door. His secretary was at an early lunch for another half hour. He’d been battling his inner demons since arriving at work this morning, trying to forget about that woman. He shouldn’t want to find Crystal. Peter thought he’d closed the door on that part of his life when he’d run from the hotel suite last night. Then, all he’d wanted was the safety of Meghan’s love. But reality had hit and sent him fleeing to the Internet in the early hours this morning. Meghan had very nearly caught him surfing