Free Microsoft Word - Rogers, Rosemary - The Crowd Pleasers by kps

again. That she was wise to him and all his tricks. Actor!

    There were spots of color in her cheeks that even the dim lighting in the hotel hallway couldn't hide, and her dark blue eyes looked almost black with rage as she snatched her hand away from his. Watching her, Webb Carnahan had to admit that he had given her more than enough reason for her anger. Little Annie had surprising depths to her character, and she had done a magnificent job of handling that scene back there when he and Caro had gone at each other's throats. It wasn't often that he found himself at a loss in dealing with a woman, and not for a damned long time had one so intrigued him. She was a quicksilver contradiction, not falling into any pattern he could recognize, and he felt a quick sense of regret that he would lose her before he had really found her.
    They were standing out there in the hallway looking at each other warily, almost like strangers. Webb found himself wanting to touch her, to pull her closely against him, but his reason told him not to try. So he regarded her somberly, hands thrust into the pockets of his faded denim jacket, waiting for her to make the first move this time.
    She made a short, angry motion of her head that tossed the shining silver silk of her hair back over her shoulders, one hand going up to smooth it. So she was nervous too. He noted it with a kind of pleasure, wondering why he continued to hold back.
    "Would you mind calling me a taxi, please?" Her voice sounded distant and almost disembodied. "I think I would like to go back home now."
    He made an angry, shrugging motion of his shoulders. "Sure. But they don't have phones in the hallways up here, so I'll have to make the call from my room."
    "I think I'd rather go downstairs, thank you. You don't have to come with me-I can find my way perfectly well." She started to walk past him, and he let his self-control drop, grabbing her by the arms. The door behind them opened just then, freezing them both, and letting out light and noise and the smell of cigarette smoke.
    Two people, a man and a woman, came out, letting the door close behind them.
    Tactfully, they kept walking past Anne and Webb, the man clearing his throat before he said, "Goodnight, Mrs. Hyatt."
    "Good-night." Anne felt her voice clog in a throat tight with unshed tears of rage and humiliation. And a sense of loss. Why did she have to feel that? Why didn't she pull away from Webb and ask Mr. and Mrs. Nordstrom if they'd mind giving her a ride back home?
    "Mrs. Hyatt?" Now his voice was ugly with sarcasm. "Where are your rings, Mrs.
    Hyatt, ma'am? Or did you get bored and come looking for some fun and games?"
    His grip hurt her, and she started to struggle against it. "You haven't any right to presume to judge me! And anyway I'm-I'm separated from my husband. We're getting a divorce."
    "Yeah? And who's the lucky guy? The lucky other guy; I guess I should say." He laughed, a short, unpleasant sound. "You know, for a while you really had me fooled, Mrs. Hyatt. Little innocent Annie. But I should have guessed from the fact that you and Caro are such friends, shouldn't I?"

    "I don't have to answer that! It's nothing to do with you. WiII you let go of me?"
    She struggled impotently against him while his hands slid down to her wrists, imprisoning them painfully behind her back. They were playing a scene of their own now, both of them lost to control.
    "The hell I will! And I don't think you want me to, do you, baby? You didn't try too hard to fight me off before, did you? And I never did care for spending a night alone."
    "Don't, Webb-s-don't!" But it was no use. Anne felt her own weakness as his mouth came down to capture hers-hard, punishing, hurting. She felt her teeth cut her lip and tasted the bitter-salty taste of blood before her mouth opened blindly under his. Like a spark igniting a forest fire, the flame burst out of hounds and took hold of them both.
    "Damn you for a witch, Anne-damn you!" She thought