Read Online Taboo (A Classic Romance) by Mallory Rush - Free Book Online
Authors: Mallory Rush
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frankly terrified to see him again—terrified and hopelessly eager, because she had never missed anyone in her life the way she had missed Grant that week.
Shamefully, she had to admit she had been craving the newfound sensations he created as well. Even a touch of his hand or a secret message in his eyes would be heaven.
She cursed when the car's chrome door handle slipped in her grip, her hands were sweating so bad. No sooner had her feet touched the ground than Trish rushed out the front door.
"Cammie! My favorite sister!"
Cammie found herself wrapped in Trish's usual enthusiastic greeting. Her vivacious personality was reflected in her bright purple, red, and yellow sundress. She wore it with more a model's ease than that of a young widow who taught home ec. With her long dark hair and wholesome good looks, Trish could have passed for Grant's twin instead of his older sister. But since she and Cammie shared the same birthday, the family always said they were the twins—just long lost, since Cammie was delivered late.
"What do you mean, your favorite sister?" Cammie said. "I'm your only sister!" Hard as it was, she managed the lighthearted comeback she always gave in their little ritual.
"Let me look at you," Trish said, holding Cammie at arm's length. Looking her up and down, Trish shook her head with a small look of disapproval. "What in tarnation has happened to make you lose so much weight? You look ten pounds lighter than the last time I saw you. Ten pounds in two months? Must be man trouble."
Oh, Lord! Cammie thought. If she only knew.
"Make it more like six pounds," she said. "But at least I can fit back into that skirt that was getting too tight." She didn't add it had only taken one week to lose the weight. "And it's more like work trouble than man trouble." Liar, liar, pants on fire, her conscience taunted.
"Problems on the job?" Trish asked.
"Not exactly. Just a lot of stress and long hours. Goes with the position."
"Hmmm." Trish gave her an "if you say so" look. "We'll talk later, after you've had a chance to be mobbed by the natives."
"Where's Audrey?" Cammie asked, not willing to commit to a heart-to-heart. "Usually she's the first one out the door to tackle me."
"She's with Grant. He finished that project he's been working on. You know, Audrey's Fine Line. At least, that's what he's dubbed it. He promised Audrey that if he sold the design, he'd make sure it was part of the deal that her name was on the packaging. That man..."
Trish's doe-brown eyes sparkled with pride and deep affection. "I don't know what we'd do without him. Ever since I lost Mark, he's been the closest thing to a father figure Audrey could have. I tell you, whoever lands him is going to be one lucky lady. Too bad he's our brother, huh, Cammie?"
"Umm... yeah. Too bad."
Cammie shifted uncomfortably. Her answer had come out strained and unintentionally abrupt. She hadn't even gone into the house yet, and she already felt like Chinese water torture would be a pleasure compared to this.
"Guess we'd better go in," Cammie said brightly. Her insides twisted as Trish's brow wrinkled in puzzlement at her odd behavior. "Otherwise, they'll come looking for us."
She hooked her arm through Trish's and headed them toward the house, filling the strange gap in their conversation with some overly animated chatter. Cammie could hear the higher pitch of her own voice, the nervous agitation goading her on when she would have given anything to run back to her car and escape to the blessed silence of her home.
"Look what the cat dragged in, everybody!" Trish shouted as soon as they neared the kitchen, where the bustle of activity and delicious smells mingled in familiar welcome.
Cammie's heart was running so fast and her lungs were squeezing so tight, she prayed she didn't pass out before she could paste on a fake smile and an equally fake attitude of exuberance.
"The Guest of Honor has officially arrived," Edward's voice boomed above the
Shamefully, she had to admit she had been craving the newfound sensations he created as well. Even a touch of his hand or a secret message in his eyes would be heaven.
She cursed when the car's chrome door handle slipped in her grip, her hands were sweating so bad. No sooner had her feet touched the ground than Trish rushed out the front door.
"Cammie! My favorite sister!"
Cammie found herself wrapped in Trish's usual enthusiastic greeting. Her vivacious personality was reflected in her bright purple, red, and yellow sundress. She wore it with more a model's ease than that of a young widow who taught home ec. With her long dark hair and wholesome good looks, Trish could have passed for Grant's twin instead of his older sister. But since she and Cammie shared the same birthday, the family always said they were the twins—just long lost, since Cammie was delivered late.
"What do you mean, your favorite sister?" Cammie said. "I'm your only sister!" Hard as it was, she managed the lighthearted comeback she always gave in their little ritual.
"Let me look at you," Trish said, holding Cammie at arm's length. Looking her up and down, Trish shook her head with a small look of disapproval. "What in tarnation has happened to make you lose so much weight? You look ten pounds lighter than the last time I saw you. Ten pounds in two months? Must be man trouble."
Oh, Lord! Cammie thought. If she only knew.
"Make it more like six pounds," she said. "But at least I can fit back into that skirt that was getting too tight." She didn't add it had only taken one week to lose the weight. "And it's more like work trouble than man trouble." Liar, liar, pants on fire, her conscience taunted.
"Problems on the job?" Trish asked.
"Not exactly. Just a lot of stress and long hours. Goes with the position."
"Hmmm." Trish gave her an "if you say so" look. "We'll talk later, after you've had a chance to be mobbed by the natives."
"Where's Audrey?" Cammie asked, not willing to commit to a heart-to-heart. "Usually she's the first one out the door to tackle me."
"She's with Grant. He finished that project he's been working on. You know, Audrey's Fine Line. At least, that's what he's dubbed it. He promised Audrey that if he sold the design, he'd make sure it was part of the deal that her name was on the packaging. That man..."
Trish's doe-brown eyes sparkled with pride and deep affection. "I don't know what we'd do without him. Ever since I lost Mark, he's been the closest thing to a father figure Audrey could have. I tell you, whoever lands him is going to be one lucky lady. Too bad he's our brother, huh, Cammie?"
"Umm... yeah. Too bad."
Cammie shifted uncomfortably. Her answer had come out strained and unintentionally abrupt. She hadn't even gone into the house yet, and she already felt like Chinese water torture would be a pleasure compared to this.
"Guess we'd better go in," Cammie said brightly. Her insides twisted as Trish's brow wrinkled in puzzlement at her odd behavior. "Otherwise, they'll come looking for us."
She hooked her arm through Trish's and headed them toward the house, filling the strange gap in their conversation with some overly animated chatter. Cammie could hear the higher pitch of her own voice, the nervous agitation goading her on when she would have given anything to run back to her car and escape to the blessed silence of her home.
"Look what the cat dragged in, everybody!" Trish shouted as soon as they neared the kitchen, where the bustle of activity and delicious smells mingled in familiar welcome.
Cammie's heart was running so fast and her lungs were squeezing so tight, she prayed she didn't pass out before she could paste on a fake smile and an equally fake attitude of exuberance.
"The Guest of Honor has officially arrived," Edward's voice boomed above the
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