Carolina Isle by Jude Deveraux Read Free Book Online

be able to do it.”
    When he kissed her hand, Sara felt her knees turning to jelly. Worse, she felt herself sliding down into the seat. She’d daydreamed about this man for so long that it would seem natural to have a little make-out session in the car. Besides, she was supposed to be Ariel, so she and David were an item, weren’t they?
    But then an expression flickered across his eyes and it so reminded her of R.J. that she sat upright and snatched her hand out of his grasp. “David, really!” she said, imitating Ariel. “You’re not going to start
that
again, are you?”
    Instantly, his expression changed and he satback in his seat. He blinked at her a few times, then smiled. “You
are
a good actress, aren’t you? For a minute there, I thought you were Ariel.”
    Sara did some blinking of her own because she’d just discovered that what the self-help books told you was true: Men treated you as you allowed them to treat you. When he knew she was Sara, a girl whose father was from the wrong side of the tracks, and she was melting at his touch, he was smirking at her in that way that R.J. smirked at women. But when she became Ariel, aka the Queen of the World, he sat up straight and minded his manners.
    â€œI think that from now on, even in private, we should play our proper roles,” Sara said, realizing for the first time that if she ever had a chance of winning this fabulous man, she was going to have to keep him from knowing that she wanted him. Mindful of that revelation, she put her hand on the car door handle. David stopped her.
    â€œYou know that Miss Pommy will be waiting up for you, don’t you?”
    â€œAriel’s mother? Tonight? But it must be—”
    â€œAfter two A.M. Yes, I know, but she’ll be there. You’ll just have to stand your ground.” He lookedher up and down. “She’s going to hate what you have on. Can you brazen it out?”
    Sara opened her mouth to say that of course she could, but then her whole body turned the yellow of a coward. “Are Ariel’s suitcases in the back?”
    â€œHalf of them are. I should have taken the pickup, but Miss Pommy hates it when I drive the truck. ‘So common,’ she says.”
    As they got out of the car, Sara wanted to ask if he wore faded denims and a blue shirt when he drove the truck, but that would show the common side of her. “What do you think Ariel would wear on a plane?” she asked.
    â€œSomething expensive,” he said as he hauled a suitcase out of the trunk, closed the lid silently, then disappeared into the tall shrubbery at the side of the driveway. She followed him and saw an arbor covered with some dense vine. There was a seat on one side. “So this is where you and Ariel sneak away to be alone?”
    David snorted. “I spend whole days alone with Ariel in her bedroom, but nothing ever happens.”
    Sara couldn’t tell if he was angry or if that’s the way he wanted it to be. He pulled his keys outof his pocket, then turned on a tiny flashlight to look at the numbers on Ariel’s suitcase. She had to work to not show her surprise that he knew the combination to her lock.
    He put the case on the bench, opened it, then rummaged inside and drew out two pieces of clothing. He handed Sara slacks and a fine-gauge, short-sleeve pink sweater.
    As she started to change, she said, “Don’t look.” She sounded insincere even to herself.
    Politely, he turned his back to her. She couldn’t help thinking that if it had been R.J., he would have folded his arms over his chest and told her to proceed—while he watched. But then, R.J. was a mad sex fiend who came on to anything female.
    In seconds, Sara had put on the clothes, which fit perfectly. She could feel the fine texture, and the cost of them, even in the dark. “You can turn around now,” she said.
    Turning, David looked at her. There