Trading Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page A

inner thighs as she slowly calmed herself. Awkwardly she found her way to the closet and pulled out the light robe she had brought with her for the trip. Fingers trembling, she knotted it tightly around her waist and then walked unevenly to the open window and filled her lungs with deep, steadying breaths.
    “Oh, Christ, Sabrina. I’m sorry.” The words were flat, without any inflection.
    It took Sabrina a moment to find her own voice. “Do you mind telling me why?” she asked. Her eyes remained focused unseeingly on the lights of the cruise ship.
    “It’s a long story. It’s got nothing to do with you.”
    “I think that’s debatable.” Her whole body felt used and he had the nerve to tell her his actions had nothing to do with her? A slow rage finally began to burn away some of the numbness she had been feeling since she had arisen from the bed.
    “Look, let’s just write it off to one too many whiskeys, okay?”
    “Too much alcohol?” she replied sharply, aware that he was sitting up slowly. She didn’t turn around. “I’m expected to excuse near rape because you’ve had too much to drink?”
    “Sabrina,” he muttered, “it’s complicated. I can’t even explain it all myself tonight. It’s late, I’ve had too much to drink, and I—”
    “And let’s not forget your hard day,” she reminded him too sweetly.
    “They’re all hard these days,” he grunted.
    She drew another deep breath. “Just tell me one thing. I got the feeling you hated me. But we only met this evening. Were you confusing me with someone else? Were you so damn drunk you thought I was another woman?”
    “Hell, no. It was nothing like that.” He was on his feet now. She could feel him coming up behind her, although he made no sound on the cool slate floor. Sabrina still didn’t turn. She didn’t want to face him. “If you weren’t confusing me with someone else, then why?” she demanded tightly.
    His hands came up to close around her upper arms and he tugged her gently back against him. “Sabrina, I’m sorry. I guess I had some notion of doing the guy back in Dallas a favor or something. Shit, I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve had too much to drink!”
    “And you’ve had a tough day! What guy back in Dallas?”
    “Forget it. Things got a little out of hand. I understand you’re a bit upset right now, but—”
    “Your perception is definitely improving with every second! Who the hell do you think you are?”
    He turned her gently to face him, his eyes dark and brooding as he gazed down into her stormy features. “I’m sorry. That’s all I can say. Come back to bed with me and I’ll make you forget what just happened.”
    “You must be out of your mind! Get out of here. Do you hear me? Get out of here before I call the house detective or whatever they use here in Mexico!”
    “Easy,” he soothed, moving his thumbs in gentling motions on her jaw. “Take it easy, honey. This time will be different. I’ll make it good for you; I promise. I’ll—”
    “You’re not only drunk, you’re crazy. And to think you’re trying to justify your actions by telling me you’ve had one too many whiskeys.”
    “It’s more complicated than that, but I don’t think I can explain it very clearly tonight,” he muttered. “Sabrina, will you please calm down? You’re getting hysterical.”
    “I’m getting goddamned furious!”
    “This time we’ll do things right,” he promised, trying to pull her back into his arms.
    “You can say that again! This time I’m going to throw you out before you have a chance to play any more weird games!”
    “Sabrina!”
    But she had already broken free of his grasp and was rushing across the room to the side of the bed on which he’d lain. Scooping up the leather sheath that he’d placed on the floor, she fumbled with the handle of the knife and then whipped out the sleek blade. Moonlight gleamed on the sharp, savage length of it. “I said get out of here, Matt. Get