Read Anna Marie Sorenson's Secret Affair for Free Online Page B

time she turned her head and saw the car in front of her was stopped at the red light. She slammed on her breaks and the car screeched to a halt, stopping just inches from the other car.
    “You…you want me to invite you to my place for a drink?” she asked, unable to hide
    some of her horror. She was alarmed all over again, this time at the prospect of being alone with this man in her small condo.
    “I don’t much feel like having a drink in a public place, right now. Do you have any drinks at home?”
    “Yes, I think I do. Wine, mostly. No beers, though.”
    “Wine will do. After a couple of drinks, I’ll get a taxi to the hotel.”
    The car behind them honked his horn. Dallas turned his head and watched the driver
    waving his hands at them, then turned his attention back to Anna Marie.
    Flustered, she shifted the gear to reverse without realizing it. She pressed on the petal and screeched to a halt again when it went backwards, earning another irritated honk. Clumsily, her face bright red with mortification, she shifted in gear and screeched forward again.
    “You have nothing to worry about, Ms. Sorenson. I can be a perfect gentleman,” Dallas said. “My brother will vouch for me.”
    “It…it’s not that,” Anna Marie said, trying to concentrate on her driving.
    “I could really use some relaxation. You must admit that dinner at your sister’s was not altogether relaxing. But, you, on the other hand, have a soothing quality.”
    She looked at him dubiously. She didn’t know how he could say her company was
    soothing, when her behavior since he entered her sister’s house was that of a nervous wreck. She felt, though, that she could hardly refuse hospitality to Dallas, as he was the brother of her sister’s husband.
    “Well, don’t expect too much. I don’t have a lot of practice in entertaining.” Especially men, she thought grimly.
    Five minutes later, she parked her car in her garage in front of her unit. She led Dallas through the door and into her kitchen. She turned on the lights and hung up her purse and keys.
    Dallas took his cap off and threw it on the table, thrust his hands in his trouser pockets and looked around the small kitchen. It was a very tidy kitchen, all in white with blue trimming Secret Affair 30
    and granite pattern Corion countertop. By the way the clean dishcloths hung neatly and there was no clutter on any of the surfaces, it was clear that Anna Marie used the kitchen very seldom.
    She watched him examine her place. Good God, what now, she thought. What in the hell was she supposed to do with a Navy SEAL walking around in her kitchen, a big bruiser of a man. He reminded her of a jungle cat that had just been caught and was pacing in its cage waiting for a chance to attack its captor in a savage bid for freedom. She couldn’t imagine her idea of entertainment was anywhere near what he considered fun and relaxation.
    She began to look around, searching. Would he prefer white or red wine? If she had red wine, where would she have put it? Actually, she couldn’t remember the last time she bought red wine other than tonight for her sister’s dinner. She opened the refrigerator and dug around a bit, and came across a bottle of Chardonnay that was about a quarter of a bottle full. She tried to remember how old it was, and, with her head still in the cooler, pulled the cork and smelled the wine.
    “Uh, do you like Chardonnay? I only have enough for one glass.” She held the bottle out to him. “If you would rather have something else, I can quickly go to the store.”
    “No, that won’t be necessary. And I’ll pass on the wine.”
    “I’m afraid that’s all the liquor I have.”
    “Coffee sounds good.”
    “You want coffee?”
    “Sure.”
    “But, I thought you wanted something to drink, to relax.”
    Dallas turned from his examination of the kitchen and settled his startling green eyes on her. They were unflinching as he said, “I wanted to be with you.”
    Anna