Read Hideaway for Free Online

challenges and had proven himself a winner. People in the world of business and finance recognized his face and many more knew his name. The mayor of West Palm Beach had given him a key to the city on behalf of the contributions ColeDiz had made to its citizens.
    He had been told that he had it all: the family name, his family’s fortune and the pick of any eligible woman for a wife.
    He had it all and he had nothing. The name, money, clothes and the fame were merely window dressing because under the facade was a man who would give it all up for love.
    It had taken Martin a long time to realize what had been missing in his life. He dated and respected women, offering them generous gifts for their birthdays or special holidays. But datingthem had become a diversion. They filled up the empty blocks of time when he wasn’t working on a ColeDiz deal.
    Staring at Parris, he wondered if she too would be just a diversion, someone to pass the time with.
    Sliding back the screen, he stepped out onto the balcony.
    Parris closed the magazine. It was several seconds before she realized she was not alone. Martin stood, silently, watching her.
    She stared mutely, her heart pounding. Even if she had been able to speak she still would’ve been momentarily speechless.
    It was the first time she’d seen him dressed in a suit, and the expert cut of a navy blue, maroon pinstripe garment fit every line of his graceful body. The collar to his stark white shirt gleamed against his brown throat. He would look exquisite dressed completely in white, she thought. A solid maroon silk tie, matching pocket square, understated gold monogrammed cuff links and black leather wingtips completed his winning fashionable business attire.
    “Good evening, Parris.”
    She inclined her head slightly, trying to slow down her heart as he walked over to her and took a rattan love seat with cushions matching the one on the chaise.
    He examined her face, noting that some of the swelling had gone down and what had been deep purple bruises were changing to a yellowing-green. Luis had assured him her jaw would heal without scarring.
    “Mrs. Johnson says that you won’t eat.”
    Did Mrs. Johnson tell you that I couldn’t eat after I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror for the first time? Did she?
Parris raged silently.
    Martin saw her expression change. “Did something happen to make you not eat?” he asked perceptively.
    Parris stared at him. She was amazed that he seemed able to read her thoughts. She nodded.
    “What happened?”
    Reaching for the pen and pad, she wrote down how she saw her face in the mirror and how she became sick.
    Martin shifted from the love seat to sit at her feet on the chaise. He tried to ignore the length and smoothness of her long legs stretched out beside him. He tried not thinking of what lay beneath the cotton of the T-shirt concealing her nakedness from him.
    He read what she had written, shaking his head. “No, Parris, you’re not ugly. You’re healing nicely. You’ll be as beautiful as before.” Closing her eyes, she nodded vigorously that she was.
    Grasping her wrists gently, he pulled her to him and she lay half-on and half-off his lap. The heat from her bottom burned his thighs through the silk of her bikini underpants and the lightweight wool of his trousers. His body responded instantly.
    “Parris. Parris, look at me.” She opened her eyes and he smiled down at her, the heat from his body and the smell of his cologne intoxicating her.
    “You are beautiful,” he stated in a reverent tone. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. I can say that because I’ve traveled all over the world and I’ve seen many, many beautiful women.
    “Why do you think I followed you? Did you really think you could flirt with me then walk away?”
    Her breasts rose and fell until the cotton fabric of the T-shirt as heat suffused her battered face. The pompous, arrogant idiot.
Flirt with you? Did you actually