Free The Stranger: The Heroes of Heyday (Harlequin Superromance No. 1266) by Kathleen O`Brien

“Don’t be mad.”
    â€œOf course I’m not mad,” he said quickly. He would have hated to think of himself as an overcontrolling male. “It’s just that, if you weren’t really sick, I wish you had come with me. I was the only man there without a date. It was pretty uncomfortable.”
    She took the sketch pad out of his hands and folded the top cover over. Her stomach tightened as she saw he really was upset. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
    He hadn’t leaned back yet. He was watching her with a strange expression on his face. That look made her stomach tighten into such a small ball she felt a little nauseated.
    â€œMindy, I need you to tell me the truth about something,” he said. “The honest truth, okay?”
    She couldn’t speak, so she nodded. But in her mind she crossed her fingers. She’d tell the truth, if she could. If it wasn’t too dangerous.
    â€œDo you really think you’re going to like being a politician’s wife? Do you think all the parties and dinners and fund-raisers and stuff are going to be too much for you?”
    For one ecstatic second, she actually thought he was offering to give it all up. To become just sweet, comfortable Freddy—a businessman, maybe, or a tax attorney. To abandon the dream of being Mr. Frederick Earnshaw, up-and-coming politician, future governor, or senator…. or maybe, though no one ever dared to say such audacious things, something even more glittering and powerful.
    But then reality kicked in, and she understood what he was really asking.
    He needed a partner, a second star to glitter faithfully beside him, or perhaps just a little behind. He needed energy and creativity and enthusiasm for this life. Could she be that partner, or had he fallen in love with the wrong woman? Had he put this beautiful diamond ring on the wrong finger?
    Had he chosen a girl who would be nervous and tongue-tied, or, even worse, hiding at home with a headache?
    Fear shot through her. “Of course it’s not too much for me,” she said, forcing herself to sound surprisedand slightly amused. “I just had a headache, honey, that’s all. And you know, I think you were right about the doctor. I was wondering if it might be eye strain. I might need glasses.” She saw him knit his brow. “I mean, contacts. I might need to get contacts.”
    He grinned, and she saw that he had allowed her playful tone to push the unwelcome doubts away. He loved her, she knew that. He was probably just as unnerved by the thought of real trouble in their relationship as she was.
    She tilted her head and gave him a teasing smile. “In fact. I think I’m hopelessly nearsighted. I can hardly even see you right now. Maybe you’d better come a little closer….”
    She reached out and tugged on his bow tie, which unraveled under her fingers into a black silken ribbon. His breath came faster. He tilted toward her.
    â€œI’d better not risk getting too close,” he said, his whisper thick and playful. “If you ever get a look at what a homely dude I am, you might fall right out of love with me.”
    She laughed, because of course he was the most handsome man alive. He was gentle and good and so sexy she was already melting, just because he had smiled at her.
    â€œAll right, then,” she said. “Just to be on the safe side, I’ll shut my eyes.”
    She tilted her head back, exposing her throat. He loved to kiss her there first, and work his way down her body. He usually didn’t kiss her on the lips untilthey were already making love, and she was on the edge, gasping for breath. Then he’d kiss her hard, catching those little cries between his teeth.
    It was all so thrilling, so perfect. And so different from the only other experience she’d ever had.
    She had thought joining the Heyday Eight would be wicked and fun, kind of rebellious and sexy and cool.