Michael's Discovery - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,34
no fun,” he accused.
His words, clearly spoken in jest, hit a raw nerve. “So I’ve been told,” she said, unable to keep the old hurt out of her voice.
Her response clearly startled him. His gaze narrowed. “What idiot said a thing like that?”
“The last man I dated.”
Something in his expression turned dark and dangerous. “He hurt you, didn’t he?”
“Well, it’s never pleasant being told that one is a bore,” she said, trying to make light of it.
It wasn’t that Phil Cavanaugh had devastated her. She hadn’t cared enough about him for his opinion to matter that much, but she had been shaken. It had made her question if that was why no relationship she’d been in had lasted more than a few months. Had Phil been speaking the truth? Was that the conclusion her other dates had eventually reached?
“Why would he say such a thing?” Michael prodded.
“Look, just forget about it,” she said. “It’s not important. I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
“You mentioned it because even though I was joking, I apparently struck a nerve. Now, tell me,” he ordered, “what gave this jerk the idea that you weren’t much fun? Was there some specific incident, or was he just insulting you on general principle?”
Kelly had never examined that awful exchange from that exact perspective before. She considered Michael’s question thoughtfully. It hadn’t been an out-of-the-blue comment on her personality at all. Phil had made the accusation when she’d refused to join him at a nightclub for swinging singles, who enjoyed sharing their partners. She’d been stunned that he’d asked in the first place. He’d professed to be shocked by her refusal. Obviously they hadn’t known each other at all. For months afterward she’d struggled to figure out why he’d ever thought she would go along with such an idea. She’d refused every invitation, terrified that the man who asked had the same low impression of her morals that Phil had had.
Suddenly she felt Michael’s hand cover hers.
“Kelly, what happened?” he asked, regarding her with concern. “I really want to know.”
And oddly enough, she found that she wanted to tell him, but how to explain it so that she didn’t feel even dirtier than she had that night? “He made a rather insulting suggestion about how we could spend an evening and I turned him down,” she said finally, skirting the specifics.
“Some men don’t take rejection well,” he noted.
Her lips twitched slightly. If only it were that simple. “As I recall, not five minutes ago you made the same comment when I turned your invitation down.”
“Yes, but I was joking and you knew it.” He studied her intently. “You did know it, didn’t you?”
“Honestly, yes, but that didn’t stop me from having an instant of déjà vu.”
“I’m sorry. Not that I don’t think running away to the Caribbean with you to be an excellent idea, but I was only trying to buy myself some time.” He lifted his wrist, looked at his watch, and a triumphant grin spread across his face. “Which I have successfully done.”
Kelly glanced at the clock on the dashboard and realized it was indeed after six-thirty. All thoughts of the slimy Phil Cavanaugh fled. She scowled at Michael. “You rat!”
“At least acknowledge that I’m a clever rat,” he teased.
“Not a chance. I intend to tell everyone who’ll listen that we’re late because you’re not only sneaky, but you’re also a total chicken.”
He regarded her with mock ferocity. “You wouldn’t dare,” he said direly.
“Watch me.”
He didn’t say another word as she started the car and drove the short distance to Ryan’s Place, but as soon as she’d parked and come around the car to help him into his wheelchair, he snagged her hand and pulled her closer.
“I know one way to stop you,” he said, amusement threading through his voice.
“Oh? How?”
“Like this.” He gave a firm tug that had her tumbling into his lap. His mouth covered hers in a kiss that robbed her of breath and definitely cut off both thoughts and speech. Her pulse was scrambling by the time he released her.
She stood up shakily, cleared her throat and regarded him through dazed eyes. “You won’t do that, though,” she said, her voice unsteady.
“I won’t?”
“No,” she said with confidence. “It would stir up too many questions.”
He laughed. “Do you honestly think I’m afraid of a few questions? Especially when the trade-off is a chance to kiss you thoroughly? Sweetheart, remember that I’ve been trained to withstand the worst kind of torture without breaking.”
Kelly didn’t like the