One Night With You Read Online Free PDF

particular, neither seeming to feel the need, at least not then, to know any more about the other. They whispered and held hands and took turns feeding smoked almonds to each other, one by one, slowly and tantalizingly, filling up the time until they could be alone.
    The cabin lights came on unexpectedly, making them blink like two sleepy children, and the stewardess's voice came over the loudspeaker, advising them to extinguish all smoking materials and to fasten their seat belts for the descent into the San Francisco International Airport. Since neither of them had any more than carryon luggage they were able to bypass the sleepy irritable crowds around the baggage-claim carousels and go directly outside to hail a cab.
    With a part of her mind Desi registered the looks that they—or, rather, Jake—received but no one came up to ask for his autograph. Maybe they thought it was too late, she speculated idly, or maybe they were warned off by his purposeful stride and the way he looked neither to the left or right but only at her.
    "Hungry?" Jake asked as they waited for the cab to pull up to the curb.
    Instinctively Desi knew that he was offering her the opportunity, if she wanted one, to leave him without awkwardness, to keep from happening what they both knew was surely going to happen if she went with him. If she said yes, she was hungry, then he would take her somewhere very public for a midnight snack, but if she said no...
    Desi didn't even hesitate. The thought of refusing or hedging never even crossed her mind. And if it had, she would have dismissed it without a second thought. She wanted what was going to happen, wanted it more than she had ever wanted anything.
    "No, I'm not hungry," she said as they settled into the back seat of the cab.
    He put his arm around her in the cab, holding her willing body close to his side. But he didn't kiss her, not yet. And she knew, again instinctively and with certainty, he was waiting until they were alone.
    It didn't seem at all unusual to her that she should know so surely what he was thinking and feeling but she did. Or, at least, she felt that she did.
    She snuggled against him, feeling warm and secure and totally wonderful. She was in no hurry at all at this point, content just to feel his strong arm around her and his hand resting possessively on her shoulder. The subtle spicy scent of his after-shave, the rich aroma of his leather jacket under her cheek, the faint trace of brandy on his warm breath all combined in her mind into one exciting sensation. The essence of man. Jake. Forever after, those smells, separately or together, would invariably remind her of this man and this magical night.
    He let go of her briefly to pay the cabbie when they pulled up to the porticoed entrance of the hotel. A bellman snapped to attention when he recognized Jake, hurrying forward to help with the luggage. Jake waved him away with a smile and a brief, "No, thanks, we can manage."
    Jake took Desi's hand again, leading her onto the escalator that transported them to the lobby of the hotel. She followed him passively, almost like a sleepwalker, as if her actions were all taking place in a dream, and stood docilely and completely unembarrassed by his side as he checked in. A tiny disinterested part of her mind noticed the looks they were getting—a bellman standing near the escalator who was looking their way, the surprised double takes of some of the hotel's other guests, the desk clerk's knowing smile as she handed Jake his key—but Desi put it down as attention paid solely to Jake Lancing, the actor, and in no way connected with herself.
    In a way she was right. Jake Lancing would attract attention wherever he went. He was, after all, an internationally famous, Oscar-winning actor. But she failed to take into account the attraction of her own flaming beauty and, more importantly, the soft love-struck expression on her face as she gazed up at the man at her side.
    It was enough to make