Read Angel Be Good for Free Online Page B

do anything for the good things in
life." He looked at her with loathing, then redirected his gaze to
Nat.
    "Watch out. She'll suck you dry, then turn
on you when a better meal ticket comes along." David stalked out,
not bothering to close the door behind him.
    Nat braced himself, aware that young Nat
still hadn't gotten it yet. Still hadn't taken in the fact that
Constance was everything her husband called her and more. Still was
giving Constance the benefit of the doubt. He'd wanted to believe
in her.
    "I love you, Constance. You know that."
    She shot him a brilliant smile, a smile of
victory. "I love you, too. Can you believe that guy? First he
deserts me, then he's angry because I didn't wait at home for him
like a good little wifey."
    "Why didn't you tell me you were married?"
He strode forward and closed the door.
    "Would you have gone out with me if I
had?"
    Young Nat shook his head. "No."
    Constance shrugged, as if that explained
everything. "Why don't you put your jacket down and we'll talk,"
she suggested with a seductive tone, her clipped accent carefully
back in place.
    Nat did as she asked and she joined him on
the sofa, sitting close enough for her leg to lean heavily into his
own, close enough for her fragrance to fill his senses.
    Nat hadn't been distracted. "Why didn't you
tell me later, after we became involved?"
    Picking up her wine glass, she swirled the
liquid around before answering. "I didn't think you'd ever know.
It's not as if we moved in the same circles. And if darling David
hadn't come around tonight, you never would have known. Why open up
something that would only complicate things?"
    "Would you have left him if we hadn't
met?"
    "Probably not." She sipped her wine. "I'll
be honest with you, Nat. If you hadn't asked me to marry you, I
wouldn't have had the papers served."
    "I thought you love me?"
    "I do. I was fond of David, but I felt dead
inside until I met you. At least with him, I had some security,
some social standing."
    It was finally coming clear. Nat could see
it in the hardened expression on young Nat's face. He was finally
beginning to get it. What a sucker he'd been. Even with all she'd
said, he'd so wanted to believe in her, to believe in love. By her
very honesty, Constance removed herself from the status of gold
digger and entered the big leagues, quite capable of playing with
the big boys. What did it matter if she was marrying money, as long
as she was honest that it appealed to her? Constance was as smooth
as the most expensive silk. She had her act down pat.
    "What if I'd been poor? What then?"
    She crooked her arm on his shoulder,
tendrils of hair brushing his face. "What do you want me to say?
That I'd have left him anyway? Run off with you, been barefoot and
poor? If that's what you want, then okay. I'd have done it
anyway."
    "I don't want to hear what you think I want,
I want the truth."
    "I'm not sure I know the truth. Poverty
never was a consideration." She leaned forward to refill both their
glasses. "I know how I feel about you, though. I love you. I love
all of you—I'm struggling to be completely honest with you and
myself, Nat—that includes the money because it's part of you."
    Her response had been like a kick in the
teeth. She couldn't separate him from the money. Nat was irate.
Angry with her, but even more so with himself for buying her
act.
    She waved her hand. "I love being with you.
I love how I feel when I'm around you. I love your kisses and the
way you make love to me. I love it when you pick me up in a limo
instead of a car. I love the way other women look at me with envy
in their eyes. I'm someone because I'm with you." She looked
directly in his eyes. "Isn't that enough?"
    He had to hand it to her, she was good. But
Nat was a fast study. If a woman wanted to use him, then by golly,
he'd use her first. He hid his expression behind slightly closed
lids. Yes, he'd finally learned his lesson about women. Self
interest was what it was all about. And hell