Six White Horses by Janet Dailey Read Free Book Online Page B

me, you would leave this room and give me privacy to get dressed."
    An uncaring shrug moved the shoulders in front of her. "You may be right. I'll try to remember that the next time something like this occurs."
    Patty breathed in sharply in anger, ready to issue a cutting retort, only to have her breath stolen as he pulled the edges of the towel from her fingers. His movements were swift and sure. Before she could recover from her surprise, the towel was firmly in place. The tingling warmth in the breast he had accidentally touched sent hot flames of embarrassment up her neck.
    "You're all cinched up again," Morgan laughed sensuously. "Do you feel better?"
    "I won't feel better or safe until you're out of my sight!" she retorted.
    The grooves remained around his mouth as his gaze narrowed on her face. The hand that had been negligently hooked in his waistband moved to capture her chin.
    "I'd hate to have you find out you're wrong about thinking that way," he murmured.
    Her fingers closed over the steel sinews in his wrist, trying to push his hand away from her chin. Then the firm pressure of his mouth was against hers, lingering and warm. Patty halted her useless efforts to push his hand away and worked on the strong chin and powerful jaw.
    "Well, well, well, what's going on here?" The curious, laughing question of her grandfather relaxed Morgan's hold and Patty wrenched her face away.
    There was nothing hurried or guilty in Morgan's actions as he turned toward her grandfather. "You should have come in sooner. A minute ago, Patty was in danger of losing her towel."
    "Will you tell him to get out of my bedroom?" Her voice shook with frustration, anger and humiliation.
    "That sounds like her grandmother's rolling-pin voice," Everett King chuckled. "You'd better retreat while you're still in one piece, Morgan."
    Before leaving, Morgan ran a finger across a crimson cheek, pushing the tip of her slightly tilted nose, then pulling it quickly away so her hand slashed impotently through thin air.
    "Get some clothes on," he said, issuing a mock order. "Girls shouldn't run around like that in front of men. It can give them ideas."  
    "Get out of here, Morgan Kincaid!" Patty threatened, her powerless temper bringing her close to tears. "Get out of here before I scream the walls down!"
    He met her glaring gaze and winked, "It's all right, Skinny. I'm going right now, but you really don't have to put on an act for your grandfather's benefit."
    She stared at his retreating broad back in speechless fury. How dared he insinuate to her grandfather's listening ears that she had enjoyed his kisses? Nothing could have been further from the truth and he knew it! With an angry exhalation of breath, Patty slammed the door, stomping to the small closet to yank out some clothes to wear.
    As she dressed, she heard their quiet voices filtering into her room from the opposite end of the trailer. With her clothes on and the towel removed from her wet hair, the voices faded, the outside door opened and closed three times. Once the snarls were combed out of her hair, Patty walked to the door, listened silently and heard nothing. Morgan was gone.
    Or so she thought until she walked into the hallway and saw the ebony blackness of his hair against the ivory curtains at the window behind the couch. The roughly carved face was turned toward her, knowing blue eyes holding her frozen look. When his gaze released her to lazily sweep over her denim jeans and checked blouse, Patty pivoted back toward her bedroom, determined not to endure his insufferable presence another second.
    "Patty, come in here," her grandfather called out loudly.
    "What for?" Her hand remained poised on the doorknob to her room, and she did not turn around to meet the laughing glitter that she knew would be in Morgan's eyes.
    "Do you remember where I put your résumé? I've looked everywhere and can't find it." The shifting of papers muffled his reply.  
    "It's in the folder with those