Lady Be Bad by Elaine Raco Chase Page A

came his snarling comment. "Of course, it could
be that dress."
    "This little old thing." Her voice was high
and innocent "Why I just threw it on."
    "Little is right and you could have aimed
better." Noah turned his head. "Don't you realize the way every man
here can see your body?"
    "How insulting! I've spent the last six
years worried and agonizing over you and now you have the nerve to
attack my morals."
    "Not your morals," he shot back, "only your
cleavage!"
    She sipped her wine and thought about it for
a moment. "I always thought you liked my cleavage." Marlayna looked
down at her breasts. "If I remember correctly, you never saw the
last reel of Gone With the Wind because you
were terribly involved in exploring my cleavage."
    He tried to stop the grin that was forming
but failed. "Atlanta wasn't the only thing burning that night. We
really steamed up the windows in that Maverick. And you're right
--" the fingers on his right hand walked up her arm and down
between the valley of her breasts. "I love your cleavage."
    The satin swells burgeoned under his
fingertips, the nipples thrusting aggressively against the thin
silk covering them. Noah leaned even closer, his warm breath
caressing her ear. "It's been an awful long time since I made love
to you any place but in my dreams."
    Marlayna lifted his hand clear of her
breast. "So you think we can just pick up where we left off? Just
like that?" Her eyes were more ice gray than blue. "I haven't even
had the decency of an explanation about --" she waved her hand,
"…anything. And then of course there's Gwen."
    Noah groaned. "How like a woman to mention
another woman."
    "It seems I'm the other woman in this
affair."
    "There is no affair, if that's what you're
worried about." His finger eased between his shirt collar and neck,
trying to gain more comfort. "I...I just need a little time.
Handling Gwen and Arthur is going to require a lot of tact and
diplomacy."
    She brushed an imaginary speck off her skirt
while she digested that comment. "They require tact and
diplomacy. What about me? Am I supposed to jump into your arms and
into your bed just like …" she snapped her fingers, "…that?"
    "I love you. You love me. That should be
enough." His voice grew husky as his knuckles caressed her jaw. "It
was the first time."
    "I'm not sure you ever did love me."
    "I loved you enough not to hurt you." He
cupped her chin and turned her face toward his. "I couldn't hurt
you, Mimi. I'd sooner walk away …"
    "That's just what you did, Noah."
    "No, that's just the point. I couldn't"
    Her forehead puckered. "Couldn't what?"
    "Couldn't walk. The doctors told me I'd
never walk."
    "You're giving a pretty fair imitation of it
right now."
    Noah's inflection changed from a sorrowful
calm to a low-toned rage. "That's because for the last five years
I've undergone countless operations, been a guinea pig for all
sorts of medical experiments, had every kind of therapy imaginable,
and am the proud owner of legs that cost over a million dollars!
You keep mentioning agony. Lady, you don't know what agony is!"
    "Oh, don't I?" Marlayna's tone was just as
deadly. "How dare you!"
    "I dare because I've been sitting here
watching you, Miss 'Face of the Century.'" He spat the words as
though they soured his mouth. "By the looks of things you haven't
been pining away."
    "Well, looks can be deceiving."
    "Really? You seem to be on kissing terms
with every Tom, Dick and Arthur here!"
    Marlayna lunged to her feet. "I'd like to
take that cane and bash it over your head." Her eyes were
glittering slits. "You may have mega-million-dollar legs, Noah
Drake, but your brain isn't worth two cents! I don't think I'd wish
you on any woman, not even Gwen Kingman."
    Noah made a grab for her arm. "Where do you
think you're going?"
    She effortlessly moved out of his reach.
"Back to the party. Back to give every Tom, Dick, and Arthur
another kiss."
    "Wait a minute. Don't you dare walk away
from me." He grabbed his cane and