Heart of Winter by Diana Palmer Page A

who spouts insincere flattery.”
    â€œPerceptive of you, Miss White.”
    â€œYou bet, Mr. Christopher.”
    He was quiet then, circling the floor lazily with her soft weight against him, feeling his head whirl with delicious sensations. His leg was beginning to throb from the unfamiliar strain, but he’d have fallen on the floor before he’d have given in to it now. He didn’t want to let go of her. He wanted to pull her closer, and bend his head and take her soft mouth fully under his….
    All too soon the music stopped, and Gerald was there, waiting.
    â€œMy turn,” he grinned. “Sorry, big brother.”
    Winthrop stared at his brother for a long minute, searching the younger man’s eyes curiously. And for just a minute, he thought about refusing. Then he came to his senses. She was just a woman, for God’s sake, and women were treacherous. He wasn’t going to fight with his brother. If Gerald wanted her, he could have her, Winthrop thought angrily. He smiled, but there was no humor in it. He nodded with a mocking smile at Nicole and then walked slowly away to the punch bowl, pausing to talk to some of the other men on the way.
    â€œYou angel,” Gerald said, hugging her. “At first I thought he was going to breathe fire at you.”
    â€œSo did I, but I bluffed him out. Doesn’t he dance beautifully?” she murmured dreamily, staring past Gerald at Winthrop.
    â€œIndeed he does, with the right partner.” He whirled her around. “You’ve brought him back to life. I’d given up hope that he was ever going to put things into perspective. You’re very good for him.”
    â€œWhere’s Sadie?” she asked.
    â€œPhoning Mary to make sure Mrs. Todd is all right.” He slowed down a little. “I wish I could decide what to do about it.”
    â€œWhy don’t you do what you want to and solve all your problems when the time comes? You can’t cross a bridge until it’s in front of you.”
    â€œWhere did you learn so much?” he asked curiously. “You’re not at all what you seem.”
    â€œI’ve had plenty of practice,” was all she’d admit. And then that dance, too, was over, and she went from partner to partner for the rest of the evening.
    Winthrop didn’t dance with her again, but she felt his gaze on her wherever she went. Her eyes were on him just as much, when she thought he wasn’t looking. He was so good to look at. Dressing up suited him. Even in a simple white cotton shirt and dressy tie, he looked elegant. It made him seem darker than ever, more sensuous. She wasn’t even surprised to discover that she loved him. That seemed as natural as breathing.
    All too soon, the guests were leaving. Nicole had the crazy idea of being alone with Winthrop while Gerald took Sadie home. But he looked in her direction with an expression on his face that chilled her to the bone. It was as if he hated her, and perhaps he did for what she’d done to him. Dragging him onto the dance floor in front of all the neighbors might not have been the way to his heart, she realized. And because she was confused and a little hurt by his coldness, she asked if she could ride with Gerald and Sadie. They took one look at her face and agreed without protest.
    When they got to Sadie’s house, Mrs. Todd was asleep, and Mary was watching a gory horror film on television. It was just ending and Mary sat with a big bowl of popcorn on her ample lap, refusing to budge until the last drop of blood was spilled.
    â€œGood movie,” she enthused, walking out with Nicole while Sadie and Gerald said a lingering good-night indoors. “You like horror films?” she asked.
    â€œI like vampire movies,” Nicole said. “But I like science fiction better.”
    â€œYou and Winthrop,” she shook her head. “Those films are noisy. Too noisy. I like quiet