Read Online Third Time's the Bride! by Merline Lovelace - Free Book Online
Authors: Merline Lovelace
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high-powered security expert wouldn’t—or couldn’t—share any details concerning his short-notice visit, but he was anxious to maximize his time in the capital.
“My people have reviewed the operating procedures your security team sent us,” he told Brian. “They have several recommendations, but before I put my stamp on them I’d like to conduct a walk-through of your headquarters. And, when I can work it in, I’ll do the same at your fabrication and test facilities in Texas.”
“Actually,” Brian said as Kate sailed in from the kitchen with a tray of appetizers that put his taste buds on instant alert, “I wanted to show Travis his new office and give him a feel for our corporate operation before he has to fly down to Florida. Since both of your schedules are so tight, we could do it tomorrow.”
“Works for me,” Joe said.
“Same here,” Travis confirmed.
“Okay. Let’s meet in the EAS lobby at ten. I’ll notify security and have badges ready for you.”
“Enough business, guys.” Kate hoisted the tray of appetizers on a flattened palm and waved it under their noses as bait. “Time to mix and mingle. You, too,” she called to the two women on the condo’s minuscule balcony.
Dawn and Callie had been enjoying the narrow, pie-slice view of the Washington Monument in the distance. They’d also been conducting a rapid recap of events since they’d departed Rome. Callie admitted she’d been dragging her feet about sending out résumés. She was still a little burned out, she confessed, and not in any great rush to rejoin the working masses. Dawn in turn shared details about her growing rapport with Tommy.
Callie listened in her usual quiet way and didn’t raise the subject of Dawn’s relations with the Ellises again until after dinner. The meal was made memorable by Travis’s spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to replicate mushroom and scallop tagliatelle. Kate had tried it in Venice, he explained, presenting the heaping platter down with a grand flourish. Unfortunately, his scallops came out rubbery and the marinara sauce ran like water. The conversation was so lively, however, and the Chianti so rich and full-bodied that no one cared.
Only later, when the three friends grabbed a few moments of girl time in Kate’s bedroom, did Callie probe a little deeper. She and Kate plopped down hip to hip on the bed while Dawn detoured to the bathroom.
“You mentioned how tight you and Tommy have become,” Callie said when their friend emerged. “What’s going on with you and Brian?”
Dawn hit the taps to wash her hands. “Nothing.”
“Yeah, right,” Kate snorted over the water’s gush. “I watched the two of you at dinner. He’s hot for you, girl.”
“Maybe. A little.” Dawn’s ready laughter bubbled up. “Okay, a bunch. I’m pretty hot for him, too.”
“Uh-oh,” Kate muttered.
Callie’s response was more measured. “What are we talking about here? A few nights of wild sex? Or something more complicated?”
Dawn dried her hands and replaced the fringed towel on its hanger. Joining the other two on the bed, she answered honestly. “I don’t know. I’ve dived into the deep end before with disastrous results. But this feels...different.”
“Different how?”
Lips pursed, Dawn tried to sort through her confused feelings about Brian Ellis. “He’s so good with Tommy. And so considerate of others. Unlike a certain fiancé I could name,” she added darkly.
“That bastard,” Kate huffed. “I hope he drowns in his own bile.”
Dawn nodded but didn’t jump on the familiar bandwagon. “The thing is...” she said slowly. “I think I could fall for Brian. Fall hard.”
Her friends exchanged quick glances. Dawn intercepted their grim looks and held up both palms.
“Hey! No need to call out the National Guard. I said I think I could fall for him. I’m not there yet.”
* * *
She was close, though. Extremely close.
She acknowledged as much during the drive
“My people have reviewed the operating procedures your security team sent us,” he told Brian. “They have several recommendations, but before I put my stamp on them I’d like to conduct a walk-through of your headquarters. And, when I can work it in, I’ll do the same at your fabrication and test facilities in Texas.”
“Actually,” Brian said as Kate sailed in from the kitchen with a tray of appetizers that put his taste buds on instant alert, “I wanted to show Travis his new office and give him a feel for our corporate operation before he has to fly down to Florida. Since both of your schedules are so tight, we could do it tomorrow.”
“Works for me,” Joe said.
“Same here,” Travis confirmed.
“Okay. Let’s meet in the EAS lobby at ten. I’ll notify security and have badges ready for you.”
“Enough business, guys.” Kate hoisted the tray of appetizers on a flattened palm and waved it under their noses as bait. “Time to mix and mingle. You, too,” she called to the two women on the condo’s minuscule balcony.
Dawn and Callie had been enjoying the narrow, pie-slice view of the Washington Monument in the distance. They’d also been conducting a rapid recap of events since they’d departed Rome. Callie admitted she’d been dragging her feet about sending out résumés. She was still a little burned out, she confessed, and not in any great rush to rejoin the working masses. Dawn in turn shared details about her growing rapport with Tommy.
Callie listened in her usual quiet way and didn’t raise the subject of Dawn’s relations with the Ellises again until after dinner. The meal was made memorable by Travis’s spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to replicate mushroom and scallop tagliatelle. Kate had tried it in Venice, he explained, presenting the heaping platter down with a grand flourish. Unfortunately, his scallops came out rubbery and the marinara sauce ran like water. The conversation was so lively, however, and the Chianti so rich and full-bodied that no one cared.
Only later, when the three friends grabbed a few moments of girl time in Kate’s bedroom, did Callie probe a little deeper. She and Kate plopped down hip to hip on the bed while Dawn detoured to the bathroom.
“You mentioned how tight you and Tommy have become,” Callie said when their friend emerged. “What’s going on with you and Brian?”
Dawn hit the taps to wash her hands. “Nothing.”
“Yeah, right,” Kate snorted over the water’s gush. “I watched the two of you at dinner. He’s hot for you, girl.”
“Maybe. A little.” Dawn’s ready laughter bubbled up. “Okay, a bunch. I’m pretty hot for him, too.”
“Uh-oh,” Kate muttered.
Callie’s response was more measured. “What are we talking about here? A few nights of wild sex? Or something more complicated?”
Dawn dried her hands and replaced the fringed towel on its hanger. Joining the other two on the bed, she answered honestly. “I don’t know. I’ve dived into the deep end before with disastrous results. But this feels...different.”
“Different how?”
Lips pursed, Dawn tried to sort through her confused feelings about Brian Ellis. “He’s so good with Tommy. And so considerate of others. Unlike a certain fiancé I could name,” she added darkly.
“That bastard,” Kate huffed. “I hope he drowns in his own bile.”
Dawn nodded but didn’t jump on the familiar bandwagon. “The thing is...” she said slowly. “I think I could fall for Brian. Fall hard.”
Her friends exchanged quick glances. Dawn intercepted their grim looks and held up both palms.
“Hey! No need to call out the National Guard. I said I think I could fall for him. I’m not there yet.”
* * *
She was close, though. Extremely close.
She acknowledged as much during the drive
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