Read Sense of Rumor (Mount Faith Series: Book 6) for Free Online Page A

suggestively and then laughed when he grimaced. "I like Cathy because she is a genuinely nice person. Last Christmas, when I stayed with my uncle, I spent a lot of time with her."
    Joy turned the topic to other neutral things while Alric studied Arnella. He drank in her features; he didn't care if his mother saw how intently he was doing it.
    Without her heavy mascara on, he could see that she had natural eyelashes that were so thick that they looked like they were clumped together. They shielded big brown eyes that were the deepest brown, almost black. She had a straight little nose and a generous mouth, which was brushed with the faintest pink. Her skin was light and blemish free, except for a birthmark on her lower right shoulder. He remembered seeing it at the pool party.
    Why he remembered that in such stark detail after all this time was a strike against him, he berated himself. He preferred higher standards in a woman, and Arnella was obviously free with her favors and didn't care who knew it. He still gritted his teeth when he thought of that guy, David, with his hand on her buttock, cupping it in an intimate way. He had seen him around campus this summer. He had been doing summer classes. They were all in the same faculty of science. He had been tempted, several times, to ask them where they had disappeared to with Arnella but had decided against doing so.
    "I have to go now." Arnella stood up after they had sung happy birthday to Joy and had a slice of cake. She got another slice to take with her on her journey as well. "Thank you so much for lunch. You may have saved my life."
    "So, who are you going to stay with at Mount Faith?" Alric asked, standing as Arnella made to leave.
    Arnella shrugged. "I have no idea. I could stay with my brother or my uncle or my cousin Micah. His house is finished and it looks gorgeous; he has room. I saw it in December. He is the most laid back of my cousins—should be fun to stay with him."
    Alric wanted to prolong his conversation with her, and he didn't know why. They had reached the front of the house, and the question that was eating away at him like termites in wood popped out involuntarily. "So how was it with three guys? Is it something you do regularly?"
    Arnella stopped abruptly and spun around to him. "I don't want to talk about that ever. You hear me? Stop bringing it up! What's it to you anyway?"
    "I have never met a more morally bankrupt person in my life," Alric said simply, "you are like fire, dangerous and beautiful. You can't help but stare at it but you know you should keep far from it because you can get burnt."
    Arnella hissed her teeth. "Then don't get burnt, Alric. Tracy is a lovely rich girl who is not morally bankrupt. Be fascinated with her. She likes you."
    She walked to her car and got in jerkily. She had to slam the door twice for it to close. She hung her head outside the front window, and said, "See you around," then drove away.
    Alric stood in the driveway inhaling her car's exhaust fumes and wishing that his fascination with her wasn't burning brighter than ever.

    Chapter Four
     
    Arnella paced outside the president's building for what felt like hours. She had finally arrived at Mount Faith, but she didn't want to face her uncle. He was particularly stern with her because in December, when she spent the Christmas with them, he had strongly encouraged her to come up to Mount Faith for school.
    After Kylie's wedding, she had sneaked out of the house and went back to Santa Cruz without telling him goodbye. She just could not take the constant nagging about her lifestyle, but now she was desperate.
    She glanced at her watch; it was three o' clock. If she didn't stop the pacing, she would make herself hungry. She slowed down, took a deep breath, and walked into the building. Better face the music now while she still had the strength.
    The receptionist looked up at her enquiringly when she leaned on the desk.
    "Is Doctor Bancroft in?" she asked, hoping