Dangerous Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page A

tensing for a fight. But
that′s not what I wanted.
    ‶ There′s some serious
anger going on between them, only I can′t tell where it′s
directed,″ I said. ‶ I hope you don′t mind, but I don′t want
to spend a lot of time with either of them.″
    ‶ I′m sorry.″
    I pushed away from the door and sat on the edge
of the hard bed, kicking my shoes off. ‶ Don′t keep
apologizing.″ It came out sounding a lot sharper than I′d meant.
She glanced away, her eyes filling with tears.
    ‶ I′m sorry, Maggs. Please
don′t cry. There′s so much emotion spilling out of every corner of
this place, it makes me feel sick.″
    She wiped a hand across her eyes. ‶ It
doesn′t take a psychic to know we′re not really wanted here.″
    I winced at her use of the ‵ p′
word.
    ‶ Hey—″ I pulled her close. ‶ I
want you. I think you′re the prettiest, most desirable, nicest person
here.″
    She blinked back tears as mirth brightened her
eyes. ‶ You′re
only saying that because it′s true.″
    I pulled back. Her funny, little-girl smile
made me laugh. ‶ No
more apologies. We′ll make the best of it. We′ll go home, and next
weekend we′ll go on vacation in my loft. I′ll cook you wonderful
dinners—″ Her eyes rolled at that boast. ‶ —and pamper you, and
we′ll take long showers together in my fully functional bathroom.”
    Her smile broadened. I kissed the tip of her
nose and rose from the bed, peeled off my shirt, and headed for the bathroom.
    ‶ It′s not fair,″ she
called. ‶ You′ve
got a shortcut to knowing if you should trust or even like people.″
    ‶ I can′t read everybody. I
can′t always read you. I can′t read Richard at all. Just sometimes
I know some things about some people. Unfortunately, I seem to know a lot of
things about a lot of the people here.″
    She padded to the bathroom door, watching me as
I finished undressing. ‶ If you know so much, tell me just one thing about
one person.″
    I turned to the mirror over the sink. ‶ No.″
    ‶ Why not?″
    ‶ It′ll not only change the
way you think about that person, but the way you act toward him or her, too.
And you can′t do that. You have to give people their privacy.″
    ‶ Why?″
    ‶ Because it′s just good
manners.″ I wasn′t getting through to her. I squirted toothpaste on
my toothbrush. ‶ I
don′t feel comfortable blabbing what I know about people. It′s not
stuff they′d want you to know. It′s like Big Brother watching.
Nobody should have to worry about that.”
    I began to brush my teeth, but I could see she
wasn′t appeased. I spit and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. ‶ Just
what do you know about Laura Ross?″ I asked.
    ‶ Only her name. Not that
I′m a fan of that magazine. It′s a bit pretentious for me.″
    ‶ Pretentious? With a name like
American Woman?″
    ‶ More like the American Woman
Snob. It′s not something this American woman can relate to.″ Her eyes were wide, and I could see my
diversion wasn′t successful. ‶ Come on, Jeff. Tell me
something about one of the other guests,″ she pleaded as I put my
toothbrush back into my travel kit. ‶ Please, Jeff?″ She
sounded like a little kid.
    I tried not to meet her gaze, because
Maggie′s blue eyes can bore right through to my soul, I weaken and almost
always regret it.
    ‶ Jeff?″
    I looked at her and let out a weary sigh. ‶ Okay.
Eileen Marshall isn′t here for just a business trip. She came here to
meet her married lover.″
    ‶ Mr. Andolina?″ she
guessed. They were roughly the same age.
    I shook my head.
    She turned away. ‶ What a bitch, trying to steal
someone’s husband.″ Maggie’s marriage had been destroyed by an
interloper, only her husband had been attracted to another man—not a woman.
    ‶ See, I told you it would change
the way you think about her. A couple of minutes ago you thought she was a
charming woman, and probably hoped she′d help you sell your
writing.″
    ‶