SOAR (The Indigo Lounge Series Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

brought sharp, blistering pain to her chest. Fog
was good. She snuggled in deeper.
    “Leia.”
    That
tone again. The one that made her feel like a disobedient subordinate. One he
owned through and through and enjoyed controlling.
    Snyder
looks at you like you’re his private possession.
    Leia
froze, Noah’s words clanging through her head. She’d rejected the observation
at the time. Now, it imbedded in her consciousness, and she couldn’t dismiss
the remark. She shivered, despite the sun blazing down on the lounger she’d
spread out on in her private solarium, the farthest point from Warren’s wing of
the mansion. Had someone ramped up the air-conditioning?
    She
grabbed the remote, lowered the jazz funk she’d been using to drown out her
thoughts and faced Warren. Even though it was the weekend, he was dressed in
his customary Savile Row suit, complete with waistcoat,
pinstriped tie, cufflinks and polished brogues. His hair was combed neatly
enough to pass a military dress code test. She looked away and inwardly
grimaced at the calm perfection she’d once aspired to.
    “I’d
rather not go out tonight, Warren.”
    He
took another step forward and she caught a hint of his expensive cologne. It
was chilling and impersonal, nowhere near Noah’s potent, intoxicating scent.
    Noah…
    God,
it hurt just thinking his name.
    “We
don’t always get to choose life’s experiences. I’m hoping the idea of dinner
with me isn’t one of the less pleasant ones? Especially as it’s at your
favorite restaurant?”
    She
turned the music off. “Is this some sort of life lesson?”
    “If
you want it to be.” He strolled forward in that controlled, calculated way of his
and paused at the foot of the lounger.
    Slowly,
his gaze raked over her, and she shivered again. She still wore Noah’s college
T-shirt but had changed into a pair of dark blue leggings after a hundred-lap
swim this morning. She saw Warren’s eyes linger on the Vassar logo before they
rose to hers.
    “If
it’s any consolation, I think you made the right decision, my dear. Now you
need to move on quickly. Excise the wound before the infection sets in.” His
eyes dropped back to the logo. When she realized they lingered on her breasts,
she folded her arms.
    “Why
did you come to Noah’s place with her ?”
    The
question had swirled through her mind since yesterday. Once they’d arrived
home, all she’d wanted to do was retreat to a dark corner, away from the
harrowing reality of what she’d done. Despite knowing she was only prolonging
the agony, she’d slept in Noah’s shirt. She was nowhere near ready to let it go
yet.
    But
in the clear light of day she had questions. Ones she couldn’t shy away from
any longer. “Did you know who she was before the airport yesterday?”
    “No.
She came to see me yesterday morning. When I became aware of the brevity of
Miss Maitland’s news, I concluded that you shouldn’t be left to face it on your
own. I came because you needed my protection.”
    “You
mean you didn’t trust me to deal with this my own way.”
    “You
dealt with it your way. I just wanted to make sure you were presented with the
unsullied facts.”
    “Well,
you certainly did that.”
    His
eyes gleamed. “You know sarcasm isn’t a trait I admire, my dear. It’s a poor defense
mechanism used by the uncouth. If you want me to think you’re in control of
your emotions, do better.”
    “Maybe
I’ve discovered that giving my emotions free reign isn’t a bad thing after all.
Did you stop to think about that?”
    “Of
course. I factored that in, which is why I gave you twenty-four hours
to…wallow. But you need to get yourself together. We have another board meeting
early tomorrow. And the unresolved subject of your stepfather still requires
our attention. Had you returned home on Friday night, we would have made progress.”
Again that chiding tone but coupled with something else. A hint
of possessiveness. Recognizable now because it was