Lethal Affair Read Online Free Page A

avoiding
me. What's going on? And don't think you can wiggle out of this.
You're a captive audience in that tub you know.”
    “ Yeah, and I'm turning into
a giant prune. Hand me that towel, will you?”
    Hands on hips, Jolene didn't
budge.
    Kylie slunk back under the water and
coaxed open the hot water tap with her toes. “Fine. It's like this:
Drew asked me to marry him and I've needed a little time to
assimilate.”
    Stunned, Jolene plopped back onto the
toilet seat. Her eyes lit up and she leaned forward to grasp
Kylie's hand. “Where's the ring?” Without waiting for an answer she
threw her hands in the air. “Six months and I get a lousy smile,
three months and you get a proposal? Where's the
justice?”
    “ It wasn't exactly a
proposal. He just let it slip that it's his intention. To marry me.
Apparently it's the reason why he's been holding me at arms length.
He wants this to be different than other more ordinary
relationships that involve lazy afternoons and hot sweaty nights
tumbling in bed. Go figure.”
    “ Marriage involves exactly
that and hopefully more. Doesn't he want to try you on for
size?”
    “ He wants to wait until
after we get hitched. Says it will mean more, be more of a
commitment that way. Wants to base our marriage on compatibility
rather than sex. And guess what? Apparently he did his homework
before dating me for a second time and came to the conclusion that
I was the kind of woman he was looking for.”
    “ Gullible?”
    “ Good stock of Scandinavian
descent for one.”
    “ Oh, like when you grade
sheep or cattle.”
    Kylie frowned. “I know it sounds
ludicrous but I'm taking Drew's ideals into serious
consideration.”
    Jolene shrugged. “In all the three
years we've known each other I've never seen you so willing to
stoop to this kind of harassment.”
    “ Harassment?”
    “ You heard me. He's
convincing you to bow down to whatever he wants without a single
concern as to your wishes. How can you marry someone you've never
slept with? What if he turns out to be a rotten lay? Hard to commit
to that.”
    A snippy retort about old fashioned
values formed on Kylie's lips but then died as she brought to mind
how Drew's parents hadn't fared well in their forced marriage. They
hadn't had a chance to get to know one another or to choose their
life long mate. According to Drew it had been disastrous for his
mother. Was Drew subconsciously following in their footsteps?
“You're right, I need to rethink this. Maybe there's something else
he's not telling me.” She paused. “I know you Googled him. Anything
I should know?”
    “ As far as the internet's
concerned he's squeaky clean. Uses the social networks for business
only and his company web site touts him as a boy wonder.” Jolene
paused, her gaze solemn. “Do you love him?”
    Kylie hesitated. And the fact that she
did spoke volumes. “Jury's still out. I've never been in love other
than a high school crush. How do you know? I mean, for
certain.”
    Jolene patted Kylie's ring-less hand.
“You just know. The fact that you don't worries me. Don't rush into
anything. Promise?”
    “ Promise.”
     
    * * * *
     

CHAPTER THREE
     
     
    “ Do you love
her?”
    Drew hesitated. “Of course I do. Why
else would I want to marry her?”
    Olivia Hammond, Drew's mother, took
note of the slight hesitation but didn't push. They were seated in
the sun room of her opulent home having afternoon tea. “Well then,
this calls for a celebration.” She rang a discreet buzzer on the
side of her chair and Ligaya, her live-in Philippine housekeeper,
magically appeared. “Please bring us some brandy for our tea,”
Olivia stated.
    “ That's not necessary, Mom.
I have to get back to work. I just stopped by for a quick chat.” He
refused to fret over his mother's increasing alcohol intake. How
she anesthetized herself wasn't his concern. Not now that he had
his own life away from this mausoleum of a house. And what had gone
on and might still be