The Older Man by Laurey Bright Read Free Book Online Page A

going against what they felt was in your best interests?”
    Of course she wouldn’t. She would always value their advice, no matter how old she was. But she had to make her own decisions in the long run. She said crossly, “I wish you’d stop trying to be a Dutch uncle, and go with your feelings for once.”
    “If I did that — “
    “Yes?” she said hopefully.
    “Never mind.” He sounded rather grim. “Believe me, you’d be shocked rigid.”
    She gave a gurgle of laughter. “Do you really think so?”
    “Yes, my provocative little virgin, I do.”
    Looking into his eyes, Rennie caught her breath. “H-how do you know I’m a virgin?” she asked, refusing to move her gaze from his.
    “You are,” he said, daring her to lie. “Aren’t you?”
    Rennie shrugged. “It’s no disgrace.”
    “No, it isn’t. And don’t believe anyone who tells you any different.”
    Rennie folded her hands in her lap and looked resigned. “Are you about to give me another lecture?”
    “No. I’m about to tip you out of this car and say goodnight.”
    “Why?” she demanded as he reached across and opened the door for her. “You said you liked me. You can at least give me a good reason.”
    “I just did.”
    “Because you’re twice my age? What does that matter? No one thinks anything of it any more. Well, hardly…”
    “All right,” Grant said, his face close to hers. “Because I’m not in the habit of seducing teenagers. Clear enough for you? Now, shoo!” He gave her a peck on the lips and a meaningful little shove.
    Rennie sighed, climbed out onto the pavement and said, “I’m not a cat!” She heard him laughing before he closed the door and drove away.
    For a few days she half-hoped he would relent and contact her. But it seemed he wasn’t going to change his mind. Regretfully, she tried to put the episode behind her. When she found herself daydreaming about his firm mouth searching hers and his hands touching her skin, when she recalled the delicious tingling of her body, the hot melting in her bones, she told herself that she had never felt like this before merely because she had never been kissed by a man of his experience. It had meant nothing to him but a brief, pleasant incident. He had probably shared equally intimate moments with dozens of other women.
    Including his wife. She wondered what his ex-wife was like, and why the marriage had gone wrong.
    Then her father said casually at the dinner table one night, “Oh, I ran into Grant Morrison today, Rennie. Celeste’s friend. He was asking after you.”
    “Was he?” She looked up eagerly, her cheeks flushing, and Shane cast her a curious, interested glance.
    “Mm.” Her father was poking at the casserole on his plate.
    “What did he say?” Rennie asked.
    “What’s this green stuff?” Frank asked his wife suspiciously. He turned a blank expression to Rennie. “Say?”
    “It’s zucchini,” Marian told him.
    Frank grunted. “He said, ‘How’s Rennie?’ Is that a fancy name for marrow?”
    Rennie demanded, “Is that all?” as her mother answered, “Baby marrows.”
    “Just as tasteless. All what?”
    “They’re good for you,” Marian said. “Full of vitamins.”
    “Is that all he said?”
    “What else should he say?” Frank asked his daughter, pushing the zucchini aside. “He hardly knows you, after all. Does he?”
    “No, no,” Rennie agreed hastily. “I’m just surprised he remembered me at all, really.”
    She caught her brother’s eyes. Shane’s expression was frankly disbelieving, and mischievous. He opened his mouth, and closed it quickly when she gave him a murderous glare.
    Marian said a few days later, “Ethan phoned. He and Celeste have returned from their honeymoon, and they’ve asked us all to come round to Celeste’s house for drinks on Saturday night, before they take off for Sheerwind.”
    “Just us?” Rennie asked, looking up from the book she was reading.
    “I’ve no idea,” her mother said.