Read The Fairest of Them All for Free Online Page A
Authors: Leanne Banks
need another shirt,” Sam yelled from upstairs. “Robbie drooled all over this one.”
“Coming,” Janet called, then she turned back to Russ and Carly. “Please forgive me, but—”
Another chorus of howls broke out.
“Could I check on the boys?” Carly asked. “I haven’t seen them in a long time.”
Relief and gratitude crossed Janet’s face. “Oh, would you please? I know they’ll settle down soon. Just make sure you put on a smock so they don’t ruin that lovely dress.”
The doorbell rang.
“And Russ, would you please get that? I’ll be down in just a minute. Help yourself to the bar and the appetizers in the parlor.” Janet disappeared up the stairs.
Carly and Russ looked at each other and laughed.
“I, uh, guess I’ll see you later,” Carly said, wishing he would touch her, wishing she could touch him. He’d seemed so remote since they’d left her apartment.
The doorbell rang again, and Russ nodded.
Carly went up the stairs.
“Don’t stay too long,” Russ called after her in a low voice that stopped her midstep. “I might have to come get you.”
There was something faintly predatory in his tone. It sent a shiver up her spine and brought a warmth to her skin. She wondered what it would be like to have Russ Bradford get her .
After fifteen minutes of patting Ronnie and jiggling Robbie, the twins miraculously fell asleep.
When she made her way into the dining room, Janet and Sam greeted her with welcoming smiles. “You must be a miracle worker,” Sam said. “I’d been rocking those boys for a half hour.”
“They were just tired,” Carly said. She’d felt like curling up in that rocking chair herself. Last night, she’d stayed up a good part of the night stuffing envelopes with her new brochures.
“Wine?” Russ came to her side and offered her a glass.
He casually wrapped an arm around her waist, and she leaned closer to him. “Thanks,” she murmured. She stole a glance at him and noticed his gaze rested on her bare shoulder. A tiny thrill raced through her, and she gave in to the urge to tease him the way he did her.
“Hungry, Russ?” Carly asked in a low, seductive voice.
His gaze shot up to her eyes, probing and hot. “Very,” he growled and tightened his hold on her.
This tarnishing business may not be so difficult after all, Carly thought.
After the meal, the other guests left while Russ and Sam discussed Beulah County’s upcoming carnival. Janet showed Carly pictures of the twins’ christening. For the first time in a long time, Carly felt a twinge of longing over the idea of having a family. Janet and Sam seemed so happy.
Carly wrinkled her brow, remembering her grueling accelerated college program that had left no time for a social life. After that, she’d inherited Matilda’s Dream and immersed herself in making it a thriving enterprise.
Glancing at Russ, she wondered if she was missing out on something important. Of course, everybody knew Russ would never settle down. She would have to remember that. While he might be a good choice for tarnishing a woman’s reputation, he’d be horrible at marriage.
Russ looked up just then, and held her gaze. That lazy smile slowly eased up the comers of his mouth. With his eyes still on her, he said to Sam, “I think it’s time for us to go. Thanks for having us, Sam.”
After complimenting Janet on the meal, Carly and Russ stepped into the humid night. Clouds covered the moon in streaks of dark blue, muting the light. Crickets chirped in the lawn.
Russ guided her down the walk with a firm, warm hand on her waist. Coupled with the wine, his nearness made her pleasantly dizzy.
“I really like them,” Carly said.
“Yeah,” Russ agreed, then chuckled. “Janet looked a little frazzled when we got there.”
“She had to work hard to put on that welcoming smile.”
“The earring was what I noticed,” Russ said and chuckled again. “She was wearing only one.”
His low. deep voice so close to
“Coming,” Janet called, then she turned back to Russ and Carly. “Please forgive me, but—”
Another chorus of howls broke out.
“Could I check on the boys?” Carly asked. “I haven’t seen them in a long time.”
Relief and gratitude crossed Janet’s face. “Oh, would you please? I know they’ll settle down soon. Just make sure you put on a smock so they don’t ruin that lovely dress.”
The doorbell rang.
“And Russ, would you please get that? I’ll be down in just a minute. Help yourself to the bar and the appetizers in the parlor.” Janet disappeared up the stairs.
Carly and Russ looked at each other and laughed.
“I, uh, guess I’ll see you later,” Carly said, wishing he would touch her, wishing she could touch him. He’d seemed so remote since they’d left her apartment.
The doorbell rang again, and Russ nodded.
Carly went up the stairs.
“Don’t stay too long,” Russ called after her in a low voice that stopped her midstep. “I might have to come get you.”
There was something faintly predatory in his tone. It sent a shiver up her spine and brought a warmth to her skin. She wondered what it would be like to have Russ Bradford get her .
After fifteen minutes of patting Ronnie and jiggling Robbie, the twins miraculously fell asleep.
When she made her way into the dining room, Janet and Sam greeted her with welcoming smiles. “You must be a miracle worker,” Sam said. “I’d been rocking those boys for a half hour.”
“They were just tired,” Carly said. She’d felt like curling up in that rocking chair herself. Last night, she’d stayed up a good part of the night stuffing envelopes with her new brochures.
“Wine?” Russ came to her side and offered her a glass.
He casually wrapped an arm around her waist, and she leaned closer to him. “Thanks,” she murmured. She stole a glance at him and noticed his gaze rested on her bare shoulder. A tiny thrill raced through her, and she gave in to the urge to tease him the way he did her.
“Hungry, Russ?” Carly asked in a low, seductive voice.
His gaze shot up to her eyes, probing and hot. “Very,” he growled and tightened his hold on her.
This tarnishing business may not be so difficult after all, Carly thought.
After the meal, the other guests left while Russ and Sam discussed Beulah County’s upcoming carnival. Janet showed Carly pictures of the twins’ christening. For the first time in a long time, Carly felt a twinge of longing over the idea of having a family. Janet and Sam seemed so happy.
Carly wrinkled her brow, remembering her grueling accelerated college program that had left no time for a social life. After that, she’d inherited Matilda’s Dream and immersed herself in making it a thriving enterprise.
Glancing at Russ, she wondered if she was missing out on something important. Of course, everybody knew Russ would never settle down. She would have to remember that. While he might be a good choice for tarnishing a woman’s reputation, he’d be horrible at marriage.
Russ looked up just then, and held her gaze. That lazy smile slowly eased up the comers of his mouth. With his eyes still on her, he said to Sam, “I think it’s time for us to go. Thanks for having us, Sam.”
After complimenting Janet on the meal, Carly and Russ stepped into the humid night. Clouds covered the moon in streaks of dark blue, muting the light. Crickets chirped in the lawn.
Russ guided her down the walk with a firm, warm hand on her waist. Coupled with the wine, his nearness made her pleasantly dizzy.
“I really like them,” Carly said.
“Yeah,” Russ agreed, then chuckled. “Janet looked a little frazzled when we got there.”
“She had to work hard to put on that welcoming smile.”
“The earring was what I noticed,” Russ said and chuckled again. “She was wearing only one.”
His low. deep voice so close to