in."
"Obviously."
The blond woman turned, and Carolyn gave a start of recognition. Although she couldn't remember her name, Carolyn knew she'd seen her on more than one television program. She was stunned to find her with Clay.
"Carolyn, I want you to meet Selena Stanford—"
Of course. She recognized the name at once.
"—a colleague of mine—"
Right. You two must have a great deal to collaborate on.
"Selena, this is Carolyn Kenniwick, my, uh—er— my cousin, who's staying with me."
"Cousin!" Both women echoed the word with varying degrees of amazement.
Clay was having trouble with his color. He went from dark red to pale.
"Yes, well, I'm really pleased to have you two meet," he continued doggedly. "Selena can only stay a couple of days. She's busy shooting a new series. I thought she could benefit from a change of scenery. So I invited her to stay with us for the weekend."
"You mean she's going to be staying in this room?" Carolyn asked with a panicked note of disbelief, looking at the sofa as though it had betrayed her.
"There aren't any extra rooms available, Carolyn, you know that."
Selena watched the interchange with interest. She could see that Carolyn was at a loss for words. It was obvious that she had no idea how Clay felt about her. Selena found the situation even more amusing than she had when Clay first mentioned it. She was going to enjoy watching this match develop. "I'm really sorry to crowd in on you this way, Carolyn. I wasn't aware of the sleeping arrangements when he invited me."
I just bet you weren't.
"Clay did mention something about a roll-away, which will be fine with me," Selena continued agreeably.
Carolyn stared at her. Selena was smiling at her with a very kind expression. Maybe that was the expression she used for all her lover's relatives!
Drawing a deep breath, Carolyn tried to come to grips with the feelings tearing through her. She hoped never again to suffer the pain she'd felt when she first saw Selena in Clay's arms. Seeing him dancing with other women at the resort was nothing like finding him making love to one!
Now I understand his attitude last night and this morning. At least he's managed to retain some decency. If he was expecting his mistress for the weekend, he wouldn't want to get involved with someone like me.
"I'm sorry for bursting in like that. I wasn't aware that Clay had invited anyone to stay with us, but of course he's free to do whatever he wants." She attempted a smile that was almost successful. "I'll be leaving just as soon as I change. Brad's waiting for me.
"Brad?" A definitely hard note edged Clay's question.
Carolyn's chin lifted as she forced herself to meet his steely gaze. "I believe you think of him as Hercules." She grinned. "And you're so right."
"I'm so glad to meet you, Carolyn," Selena spoke up. "I hope we can be friends."
Carolyn could do little more than nod; then she went upstairs. Why did Selena have to be so nice and friendly? It was tough trying to dislike someone who was being so kind.
She filled the tub with hot water and slowly eased herself into its steamy depths. What was she going to do? There was no way she could stay there that night. It was true that Selena hadn't acted as though it bothered her to sleep in another bed, but perhaps she was trying to protect Clay's "cousin" from the reality of the relationship. Who did they think she was, some naive kid who didn't understand the facts of life? She began to scrub her arms with unnecessary vigor as she tried to decide where she could stay.
When Carolyn was ready for the evening, she went downstairs. Clay and Selena sat on the sofa, each holding a long-stemmed glass and talking. Selena was regaling Clay with something that had happened at the studio, and she talked as though he knew the people she was discussing. Clay stared out at the angry waves breaking just below their room. Although it had stopped raining, dark clouds and heavy gusts of wind indicated that the
"Obviously."
The blond woman turned, and Carolyn gave a start of recognition. Although she couldn't remember her name, Carolyn knew she'd seen her on more than one television program. She was stunned to find her with Clay.
"Carolyn, I want you to meet Selena Stanford—"
Of course. She recognized the name at once.
"—a colleague of mine—"
Right. You two must have a great deal to collaborate on.
"Selena, this is Carolyn Kenniwick, my, uh—er— my cousin, who's staying with me."
"Cousin!" Both women echoed the word with varying degrees of amazement.
Clay was having trouble with his color. He went from dark red to pale.
"Yes, well, I'm really pleased to have you two meet," he continued doggedly. "Selena can only stay a couple of days. She's busy shooting a new series. I thought she could benefit from a change of scenery. So I invited her to stay with us for the weekend."
"You mean she's going to be staying in this room?" Carolyn asked with a panicked note of disbelief, looking at the sofa as though it had betrayed her.
"There aren't any extra rooms available, Carolyn, you know that."
Selena watched the interchange with interest. She could see that Carolyn was at a loss for words. It was obvious that she had no idea how Clay felt about her. Selena found the situation even more amusing than she had when Clay first mentioned it. She was going to enjoy watching this match develop. "I'm really sorry to crowd in on you this way, Carolyn. I wasn't aware of the sleeping arrangements when he invited me."
I just bet you weren't.
"Clay did mention something about a roll-away, which will be fine with me," Selena continued agreeably.
Carolyn stared at her. Selena was smiling at her with a very kind expression. Maybe that was the expression she used for all her lover's relatives!
Drawing a deep breath, Carolyn tried to come to grips with the feelings tearing through her. She hoped never again to suffer the pain she'd felt when she first saw Selena in Clay's arms. Seeing him dancing with other women at the resort was nothing like finding him making love to one!
Now I understand his attitude last night and this morning. At least he's managed to retain some decency. If he was expecting his mistress for the weekend, he wouldn't want to get involved with someone like me.
"I'm sorry for bursting in like that. I wasn't aware that Clay had invited anyone to stay with us, but of course he's free to do whatever he wants." She attempted a smile that was almost successful. "I'll be leaving just as soon as I change. Brad's waiting for me.
"Brad?" A definitely hard note edged Clay's question.
Carolyn's chin lifted as she forced herself to meet his steely gaze. "I believe you think of him as Hercules." She grinned. "And you're so right."
"I'm so glad to meet you, Carolyn," Selena spoke up. "I hope we can be friends."
Carolyn could do little more than nod; then she went upstairs. Why did Selena have to be so nice and friendly? It was tough trying to dislike someone who was being so kind.
She filled the tub with hot water and slowly eased herself into its steamy depths. What was she going to do? There was no way she could stay there that night. It was true that Selena hadn't acted as though it bothered her to sleep in another bed, but perhaps she was trying to protect Clay's "cousin" from the reality of the relationship. Who did they think she was, some naive kid who didn't understand the facts of life? She began to scrub her arms with unnecessary vigor as she tried to decide where she could stay.
When Carolyn was ready for the evening, she went downstairs. Clay and Selena sat on the sofa, each holding a long-stemmed glass and talking. Selena was regaling Clay with something that had happened at the studio, and she talked as though he knew the people she was discussing. Clay stared out at the angry waves breaking just below their room. Although it had stopped raining, dark clouds and heavy gusts of wind indicated that the
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