Read Sunny Chandler's Return for Free Online

second to the baby one, was that you...uh...never mind.”
    “Come on, give.”
    “Nope, I gotta be going.”
    He made as if to rise. Sunny caught his arm. “Tell me, damn you. You brought this up.”
    His gaze moved slowly over her troubled face, taking in the messy ponytail on the top of her head and the curling tendrils that sweat had glued to her neck. It finally settled on her mouth. “Are you frigid, Sunny?”
    Her hand fell from his arm. She stared up at him in mute incredulity. “Just because I wouldn’t marry Don, they think I’m frigid?”
    He frowned and gave a dismissive shrug. “People talk. They make up things and twist them until the wild stories fit their own purposes.” He peered at her closely. “Of course, there’s usually some basis for speculation.”
    “There’s absolutely no basis for this speculation.”
    “George says you went through boyfriends like Kleenex.”
    “George is prone to exaggerate.”
    “Didn’t you have a string of broken hearts to your credit?”
    “I had my fair share of dates.”
    “Boys talk.”
    “Meaning?”
    “According to George, no one ever claimed to... you know. You never...”
    Sunny was fuming. “Went all the way?”
    He flashed a fleeting, though dazzling, smile. “Quaint phrase, but that about sums it up, yes. From what I hear, you left the boys of Latham Green hot and bothered. You’d only go so far, then zip.” He laughed at his own play on words. “I didn’t mean that literally.”
    “Disgusting.” Despite the heat, she shivered.
    “Some unflattering names are pinned on girls who tease.” His blue gaze moved over her. “Personally I don’t believe it about you. But you’ve got to admit they have a good case. You’re still single. You don’t have any boyfriends.”
    “I have boyfriends!”
    “How many?”
    Sunny was immobilized when the realization struck her. She shot him a baleful look from beneath her brows, then gradually raised her head. Her golden eyes were smoldering. “You’re making all this up, aren’t you? Aren’t you?” She surged to her feet. “You bastard.” She aimed a kick at his shin, but he dodged it. “Get off my pier.”
    He sprang to his feet, reached for her and missed. “Just calm down.”
    “Calm down? Calm down!” She was so furious her voice squeaked. “I’m going to kill you. I have a gun in the cabin,” she warned, pointing in that direction. “I’ll shoot you if you don’t get into that boat—”
    “I only wanted to know who my competition was.”
    “You don’t have any competition because you aren’t even in the running.”
    “From my point of view it looks like you’re leading me a merry chase.”
    “Tell it to the devil when you see him.”
    “Now, Sunny, is that nice? I wasn’t making it
all
up. There
was
gossip about a baby and an abortion and all the rest.” He lowered his head until his lips were moving only inches above hers. “I only added the part about you being frigid to see how you’d react.” Smiling, he placed his hands on her shoulders. “You shot that theory all to hell. You’re as hot as a firecracker.”
    “You’ll never know, Mr. Beaumont.”
    “Don’t be too sure. I want to win that wager. I like a glass of whiskey in the evening, especially when it’s mixed with just enough water to make it the color of your eyes.”
    “Let go of me.”
    “I like the way it goes down.” He pulled her closer. “Smooth and warm. I like when it hits my belly and spreads its heat.”
    Sunny’s knees weren’t making any guarantees that they could support her should he let go. On the contrary, they threatened to unhinge at any moment. Her senses were reeling. It was true that she had men friends who took her out to dinner and to the movies, a few of whom she would invite in for drinks and some harmless necking.
    But never in her life had she met a man who turned her inside out just by what he said and the suggestive way he said it. The men she went out with were