Read In McGillivray's Bed for Free Online Page B

wildly.
    McGillivray grinned wickedly over his shoulder. “Gotcha,” he mouthed.
    She wanted to kill him.
    â€œA woman who isn’t afraid of sharks shouldn’t let a little spider or two bother her,” he said. “I’ll fix us something to eat.” The door banged shut behind him.
    There were no spiders. There were no snakes. She was alone. And suddenly every bit of the adrenaline that had been fueling her since Roland’s astonishing announcement vanished.
    Her breath came in quick thready gasps. Her heart beat in a crazy staccato rhythm. Her vision darkened, and the room seemed to spin.
    â€œOh, help!” She groped for something to hang on to and grabbed the towel rack—right off the wall.
    The door burst open.
    â€œFor God’s sake!” McGillivray kicked the towel rack aside and crouched beside her on the floor. “What the hell happened?”
    â€œN-nothing. I…n-nothing.” She tried to get up, but found herself shoved down again and held fast.
    â€œDid you faint?”
    â€œOf course not!” But her brain was still spinning and her legs felt like mush. Even so, she squirmed against his hold.
    â€œStay still,” McGillivray commanded and thrust her head unceremoniously between her knees. “Take deep breaths—and don’t faint again!”
    â€œI didn’t faint! ” she said again for all the good it did her.
    As if it were a matter of choice, anyway, she thought grimly, sucking in oxygen, doing her best not to make a liar out of herself, while a firm hand pressed against the back of her neck.
    â€œBreathe, damn it.”
    â€œI’m trying—” gulp, gulp “—to.”
    â€œThen stop talking. Breathe deeper. Big breaths.”
    God, he was bossy! “I’m all right,” she protested. “I just…tripped.”
    â€œYeah, right. Breathe.”
    She did. And the blood thrummed in her ears and her heart slammed against the wall of her chest. But gradually her heart slowed, her vision returned. McGillivray’s callused hand, though, held her head firmly down.
    She shifted. “I’m all right now,” she insisted, and pushed back against his hand.
    He eased the pressure a bit. “Take it easy.” He watched her warily as she straightened up, as if expecting her to go headfirst onto the floor again.
    Determined not to, she took another deep breath and sat up straight. The quilt fell away from her shoulders.
    McGillivray’s breath hissed through his teeth. Reaching over, he jerked the quilt back up and wrapped it tightly around her again.
    Surprised, Syd looked up at him.
    He glared back at her. “What?”
    â€œNothing. I just…you seem…” She was babbling, butshe couldn’t help it. “I didn’t think—” But it did make sense of things.
    â€œYou didn’t think what?” he demanded.
    â€œThat you were gay.”
    â€œWhat?” He jerked as if she’d shot him. “What the hell do you mean, I’m gay?” McGillivray’s voice was a roar.
    â€œWell, you keep covering me up!” Syd shouted back at him. “As if the sight offends you! I know I’m no raving beauty—” God knew Roland had been quite capable of resisting her “—but I’m passably attractive. At least, no one else has ever been at such pains not to have to look at me.”
    He snorted and scrambled to his feet, as if putting as much distance between them as he could. “And that makes me gay?”
    â€œI just thought… You said Lisa wasn’t your girlfriend. You were very…adamant about it. And you said your sister thought she was trying to, um, save you from yourself.”
    It all made sense as far as Syd could see. “I don’t mind if you are,” she told him.
    â€œIs that supposed to be comforting?”
    â€œWell, I—”
    He straightened up, wincing a little as he did so,