Rivals Read Online Free PDF Page B

of long familiarity. Seeing that, Flame wondered if he’d meant any of what he’d said to her. Maybe it had all been a game to him, a way to pass the time. She didn’t want to believe that, yet it seemed all too possible now. Perhaps her ego deserved it. There was one certainty, however, the pleasure she’d felt earlier was gone.
    Dimly she heard them offer parting comments to their hosts. When someone protested that it was much too early for them to leave, Chance replied, “For you, perhaps, but you have to remember Lucianna is still on New York time. She has rehearsals tomorrow. And I know her. If she stays much longer, she’ll talk herself hoarse. We can’t have that.”
    There was one moment before they left when his eyes briefly locked with hers. But this time, Flame wasn’t so foolish as to read something significant into it.
    She drank the last of her wine and set the empty glass on the tray of a passing waiter. As she started to turn to Ellery, she noticed Diedre Powell looking her way. No doubt Malcom was somewhere in the vicinity, she thought, and sighed inwardly.
    â€œLet’s leave, shall we. It’s been a long day and I’m tired.” Oddly enough, it was true. She felt drained, physically and emotionally.
    Ellery seemed about to make one of his cuttingly astute observations, then appeared to think better of it. “Yes, it has been a long day,” he agreed. “Why don’t you make our apologies to the DeBorgs while I get the car.”
    â€œAll right,” she smiled, a trace of weariness showing.
    â€œI’ll pick you up in the front of the building in, say…” He turned back the cuff of his jacket sleeve to look at his watch, then hesitated, his glance darting to something on the floor near her feet. “Is that slip of paper yours?”
    â€œWhat paper?” Flame stepped back as Ellery reached down and picked up the square of paper folded neatly in half.
    He flipped it open. “How cryptic,” he murmured, an eyebrow arching.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    He hesitated, then handed it to her. “Perhaps it is yours after all.”
    â€œNow who’s being cryptic?” she chided, then looked at the paper, tensing when she read the hastily scrawled message inside: Stay away from him!
    â€œShort and sweet, isn’t it?” Ellery murmured.
    â€œVery,” Flame agreed tightly and shot a sharp glance in Diedre Powell’s direction. Yet it seemed too childish, even for her. But if not her, then who?
    â€œI’m sorry.” Concern darkened Ellery’s eyes. “I shouldn’t have let you see it.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter.” She closed her fingers around the paper, crumpling it into the palm of her hand. “Sticks and stones, Ellery, sticks and stone.”
    â€œOf course.”
    But both knew it was a child’s cry. An adult knew better.

3

    A s the limousine pulled away from the curb, Chance gazed at the mist swirling outside the tinted windows and continued to puzzle over Hattie’s unexpected arrival. There was no logical reason for her to fly halfway across the continent. It wasn’t to see him. The Hattie Morgan he knew would rather see him in hell first.
    A soft sigh was followed by a stir of movement next to him as Lucianna settled back against the plush velour seat. “I’m glad we were able to slip away from the party early, Chance.” She reached for his hand, sliding her palm over his and lacing their fingers together. “Those affairs can be so tiring.”
    â€œEspecially the endless compliments.” He sent her an amused look.
    â€œNot that.” She poked at his arm in playful punishment. “That’s the one part I like.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought, my prima donna.”
    She smiled and let that go, her expression turning thoughtful as she tilted her head back, resting it against the seat and exposing the long, creamy