NorthernPassion Read Online Free PDF Page B

around
the inside of the house. “You and your…Did you say you were married?”
    Desiree nodded. There it was again. The interrogation. She
was going to have to keep an eye on this Kimberly woman. She was nosy and
subtlety wasn’t one of her strong traits.
    Kimberly’s eyes lit up. “Good! I’m glad! You should join us.”
    Join them where? Normally it was hard to be invited into a
circle, but this was almost like a hole she’d fallen into accidentally. On her
last assignment, it had taken months of groundwork for people to trust her and
Sam. Kimberly was certainly an eager beaver. “Wow. I appreciate the offer, but
we wouldn’t want to intrude.” It was important to make the appropriate
objections. No need for both of them to appear so eager.
    “Nonsense. We’d love to have you. It’s been a long time
since we had any new people join us. You will love it. We eat, drink and make
merry. All together. It breaks up the suburban monotony.”
    Although things looked calm on the surface, Desiree knew
things were anything but calm around Rue Dianne . If it were too boring,
she and Sam wouldn’t be here. They wouldn’t have had to interrupt their
wonderful getaway in the French countryside to move into a house and try to act
like everyone else.
    Kimberly’s eyes shone with happiness. “So you will come? You
should come.”
    Desiree nodded. Somehow, it didn’t feel she had much choice.
    “So great! I’ll make sure you get a formal invitation. I’m
off for a run. Great meeting you.”
    “You too.” She let the woman out and then got back to
cleaning up the cardboard blocking the door. Desiree had a feeling the door
would be well used, whether it was propped open or not.
     
    Sam couldn’t resist teasing Desiree just a little bit. He
parked his car in the driveway just outside the garage and closed the door
heavily as he balanced his empty briefcase in one hand and his suit jacket in
the other. He threw the jacket over his shoulder and paused by the car for
effect. The neighborhood was very Leave it to Beaver . In his head, he
played the role of a successful businessman with a wife, a big job and a
mortgage. He looked up and caught the eye of a neighbor. She looked away
quickly, pretending she had been watering the grass the whole time. Sam smiled
and called out to her. “Hey neighbor.”
    She waved back but didn’t speak. Step one, done. Everyone
now knew they had arrived. Sam felt her eyes follow him as he walked to the
front door. If he didn’t know better, he’d say she was blatantly staring at his
ass.
    Desiree was pouting in the kitchen. Her gaze cut through Sam
so hard he felt as if she’d plunged a knife into his gut. “What is up with you?”
    She glared at him. “How can you even ask me that? You get to
go somewhere, stay gone eight to ten hours a day while I’m stuck here in this Stepford
Wives chateau acting as if I’m good at doing nothing. I need some
excitement too.”
    Sam held up his hands as if they could be a barrier against
her words. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’re starting to really sound like a wife. And
not a good one.” He drew her to him and wrapped her in his arms. “The setup is
key. You know this.” He kissed her on her forehead. “But I’ll make sure you get
all the excitement you need.” It was impossible to miss the growl in his voice.
Sam’s brain went from zero to panties in no time flat.
    It was true, she did know, but knowing didn’t mean she liked
it. “But that doesn’t stop me from feeling as if I’m not doing anything. And
don’t make promises you aren’t going to keep, Mr. Comfort.”
    “Waiting is a big part of the process. We have to wait to be
invited in.” Sam ran his hands up and down her back. It felt good to be so
close to her. “I have stuff anyway. New information.”
    “What? Don’t try to hold out on me. Tell me.”
    Sam picked up his briefcase and put it on the dining room
table. “Well, you were right. There is more to this.” He