Read Heather Graham for Free Online

Colby,” she murmured to the mirror. “We’re both after something. We’ll just have to see who succeeds.”
    As if in answer, there was a single, sharp rap on her door. “Ms. Martin? It’s Flynn.”
    Brittany stared at her reflection a moment longer. Again, that annoying flush of color stained her cheeks. Her heart thundered. She couldn’t panic …
    “Ms. Martin? Are you ready?”
    She forced herself to smile; the color faded. Brittany spun gracefully in the silk and threw open the door.
    “Mr. Colby, I’m so sorry to keep you waiting!”
    He was dressed for dinner. So often things were casual at Costa del Sol. Not Flynn Colby, not this evening. His dinner jacket was white; his trousers and vest were mahogany brown. He was clean shaven and his scent was not that of aftershave, but rather of clean male flesh, and it was somehow all the more alluring. He smiled, and the whiteness of his teeth contrasted sharply with the depth of his tan and Brittany was reminded again that this was a man known for his natural allure. It was a nice smile: friendly, open. His manner was not alarming or threatening. His appeal alone was both.
    “You look absolutely wonderful,” he told her.
    “Thank you,” Brittany said. She smiled. “And thanks to you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the loan of the gown—”
    “It’s not a loan. It’s a gift. A ‘welcome to my casa .’”
    She allowed herself to smile. “I can’t accept it as a gift, Mr. Colby. I would love to accept it as a loan.”
    He shrugged. “As you wish. A loan then.”
    “An elegant loan,” Brittany murmured.
    “Ah, but what man who fishes a mermaid from the sea could offer anything less than the elegance she deserves?”
    Brittany laughed, tilting her chin upward in challenge. She had to; without her shoes, she stood at five four. He was almost a foot taller than that. “Mr. Colby,” she told him lightly—but with calm certainty, “you’re very smooth.”
    He laughed in return. “Flynn—please. And not really. I merely call it as I see it. I did fish you from the sea, and by circumstance, you’re my guest. There is a bit of fantasy to it. Please don’t begrudge my whim of the dress—it is perfect. Shall we go to dinner?”
    Brittany grimaced and looked down at her feet. “I’d love to go to dinner—if you don’t mind stockinged feet.”
    His smile fell. “Shoes! I remembered everything except shoes.”
    Yes, he had remembered everything. Definitely in the intimate apparel line. And it seemed that he had made the selections himself. Brittany kept her smile intact. “Please, don’t worry. I appreciate the fact that you’ve been able to help me at all. From the way my day began …”
    She gave a very convincing little shudder. It wasn’t difficult. Maybe because he was near.
    “Ah, yes, your brush with El Drago,” Flynn said somberly. “I suppose we both must be thankful that you’re here at all …” He set a comforting arm about her shoulders. “I’ll have to do my best to set that awful incident from your mind. Come on—I’ll fix us drinks. I’m sure Donald can scrape up something in the shoe department, and then we’ll have dinner and hopefully I’ll convince you that it was all just a nightmare … nothing more than a fabrication of the mind.”
    Brittany gazed up at him uneasily as he escorted her along the eastern corridor. He was staring straight ahead, no longer smiling, but giving no indication that his words were anything other than sincere. He must have sensed her eyes on him; he gazed down to her, and once again smiled. There was only moonlight and an occasional torch in the corridor; she saw a strange cast to his eyes, a sparkle. His features seemed more gaunt; sharper. And his smile seemed just a little bit …
    “What size?”
    “Pardon me?”
    “Your shoes—they must be very small. Five, six?”
    “Ah, yes, a size five and a half. But Mr. Colby—”
    “Flynn. You are a guest, and I tend to think