Read Online Careless Rapture by Dara Girard - Free Book Online Page B

heard the sudden sound of applause from inside the church. The
ceremony was over.
     
    ***
     
    Gold and silver ribbons draped the reception
hall. Classic beaded place-card frames sat on cream-colored brocade
tablecloths among frosted votive candles engraved with the couple’s
name. On each table sat a bouquet of “Black Beauty” roses
surrounded by pompom moss. It was a joyously festive event that
started with toasts, was followed with a scrumptious meal, and
ended with dancing. Jackie and Clay remained seated.
    Clay picked up an olive with his fingers.
Jackie slapped his hand as he popped it in his mouth. “Stop that.
Where are your manners?”
    “I’m supposed to be crude.”
    “Yes, I know, but people are staring.”
    Actually, only women were staring. She didn’t
blame them. Clay in a tux was a sight to behold. Only he could take
a civilized outfit and make it look almost primitive. Female eyes
were magnetically drawn to him. Particularly one pair. She’d been
doing so most of the evening. Jackie shifted her chair closer to
Clay. She saw the woman stand and for a moment wondered when she
would stop. She was at least five feet, ten inches of mostly legs
and a chest of enviable proportion.
    Jackie jumped to her feet. “Let’s dance.”
    He lifted his glass. “I wasn’t hired to
dance.”
    She tugged on his sleeve. “Clay, please.”
    He set his glass down and shrugged. “Fine.”
He stood and glanced around the room. “Where is he?”
    “I don’t know,” she said, heading toward the
dance floor.
    “There’s no use dancing if he doesn’t see us.
I thought you wanted to make him jealous.”
    “Right now I just want to dance.”
    He pulled her into a dancer’s embrace.
    She drew back, shocked by how quickly her
body responded to him. Heat flooded her cheeks.
    Clay looked at her, confused. “What’s
wrong?”
    “You shouldn’t hold me so close.”
    “Did I hurt you?”
    “No, I just think we should have some
distance.”
    He looked at her as though she were a little
strange.“Why?”
    “That’s just the way you’re supposed to
dance.”
    “How can we look like a couple if we dance
like we’re strangers? Just trust me on this.” He pulled her close.
She hoped he couldn’t feel her heart pounding. She had to focus on
something besides his arm around her waist, his lean physique, and
the woodsy scent of his cologne. She glanced around the room and
saw Legs. Jackie sent a triumphant look at the woman.
    “Her name is Iyana,” he said.
    “Who?”
    “The woman you’re glaring at. She gave me her
number.”
    Jackie looked up at him, shocked. “When was
that?”
    “Doesn’t matter.”
    She turned away and frowned. “You shouldn’t
have accepted.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because then you look as though you’re being
unfaithful to me.”
    “Would you like me to kiss you?”
    Jackie jerked her head back, surprised. “No!” Yes.
    Clay shrugged, resigned—he couldn’t win.
“You’re the one who suggested I could meet women.”
    “ After the reception, not during.” She
rolled her eyes. “Some date you are.”
    “She learned I was an investigator and
wondered if I could help her.”
    Jackie frowned, disgusted he could fall for
such a ploy. “That’s just a line.”
    “I know, but it can be interpreted in two
ways. We can flirt while still looking faithful.”
    “ Looking faithful?”
    He nodded. “Yes, her husband’s here.”
    “She’s married?”
    “Which is of course a turn off. I don’t like
married women. Their husbands get in the way. And then if the woman
has kids, being introduced as Mommy’s ‘special friend’ gets
tiresome.”
    Jackie stared at him, skeptical. “You’re
making this up.”
    “I was wondering when you’d catch on.”
    “Your sense of humor is as warped as
Cassie’s.”
    “I guess Eric is the only Henson with a sense
of humor.”
    “A birth defect.”
    “At least I succeeded with my goal.” He
smiled.
    She liked that expression. It seemed