A Matter of Trust Read Online Free PDF Page A

We’ll eat in the dining room. Sorry, we’re
going to be informal this morning, if that’s all right. Carrie,
you’re welcome to join us for breakfast.” Alice didn’t look over at
Carrie as she poured coffee into another mug. “Ben, coffee?”
    “Please,” he said.
    She handed him a mug. “Cream and sugar’s
right there. Help yourself.” She gestured to the flowered blue
sugar and cream holders beside her.
    Carrie didn’t move, holding her plate
stiffly. Ben didn’t hesitate to step up beside her and pour cream
into his mug. He was so close she could feel his heat. Mr. Idaho
Bachelor himself was standing there in her father’s kitchen. She
figured he probably stared at his face in the mirror a couple dozen
times a day, in love with himself. Yes, of course. He was a
handsome, arrogant jerk. Maybe he expected her to just fall over
and smile sweetly at him. Fat chance that would ever happen! He was
probably a conceited prick, thinking he was entitled to everything
he had.
    “Excuse me,” he said, jolting her from her
thoughts. Her face burned again.
    “Yes, can I help you with something?” she
snapped. She didn’t miss the hiss behind her from Alice.
    Ben just smiled. Of course he had a perfect
set of teeth, probably all capped. Were those dimples, too? She
wondered if she was staring. He lifted his finger to her face, and
she thought he was going to touch her, so she pulled back. “What do
you think you’re doing?”
    He reached behind her and held out a napkin.
“You have some cinnamon on your face,” he said, and he winked as
she snatched the napkin, mortified. Then he stepped away and
started talking to Alice and her dad as if she didn’t exist. Alice
rolled her eyes and shook her head at Carrie before giving all of
her attention to Ben.

Chapter Five
    He was sitting across from her at a solid
oak dining table for twelve, which took up most of the space in the
separate dining room. There were windows at each end so they could
look out at the paradise around them. The view was spectacular, in
a refreshing kind of way, completely opposite the pixie—which was
what Ben had taken to calling Carrie, at least mentally.
    Her hair was so blond that it was almost
white. He couldn’t tell how long it was, as she’d pinned it up in a
messy bun, fastening it with one of those big clips. She had on a
light blue sweater that hugged what curves she had, though she
wasn’t stacked at all, not like the women he dated. In fact, she
didn’t seem to have much going on there at all. She probably never
bothered wearing a bra. She was thin, too, and short—but it was her
eyes that stopped him. The unusual blue was almost cerulean. He
wanted another look because he was sure one was lighter than the
other. It could have been a trick of the light, though, as she kept
flushing a brilliant red and then looking away. She was nervous
around him, and he told himself he should take some enjoyment from
her discomfort.
    Jack took a seat beside his daughter,
setting his full plate down: scrambled eggs, sausages, a muffin,
and a cinnamon bun. Alice set her plate down by Ben, and Ben wiped
his mouth with his napkin as he stood and pulled her chair out for
her.
    “Oh, thank you, Ben. Quite the gentleman,
you are.”
    Ben helped her slide her chair in and then
sat back down, taking in these folks. What a coincidence that
Carrie happened to be Jack and Alice’s daughter. Ben was
ninety-nine percent sure now that Jack had told Carrie he was
coming. Whether he had been behind that greeting committee, as
well, Ben didn’t know, but right now wasn’t the time or place to
ask. Those were manners his mom had drilled into him: When you were
a guest, you minded what you said. Not to say he was going to
ignore what had happened. Hell, no! He planned on having a word
with Jack after the meeting. Carrie…there was something about her
that was trouble.
    “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
Carrie said, setting her fork down with a