storm was not over.
Carolyn paused at the bottom of the stairs. Clay saw her reflection in the glass and turned his head. She wore the flame-red chiffon dress with full, flowing sleeves and demure neckline—and no back. His jaw tightened as he took in her air of fragile vulnerability. He stood up and started toward her.
She backed hastily toward the door. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Stanford—" She paused, trying to sound poised. "I hope you enjoy your visit—" She realized what she was saying and stopped abruptly. Of course she would enjoy it—Clay would see to that. "Uh, I'll see you later—" She jerked open the door and left.
"Carolyn!" Clay started after her, then stopped. What could he say to her? He turned around to Selena with a shrug.
"She's a sweetheart, Clay," Selena offered from the sofa. "You'd better grab her while you can."
"Unfortunately, that's all I've been thinking about lately—grabbing her, I mean. I was really hoping you'd help to distract me."
She started laughing at his woebegone expression. "That's about the worst compliment I've ever received, you know."
Clay grinned as he slumped down beside her. "I'm supposed to have a real way with words, too. I can't understand it."
She hugged him to her, then leaned back to study him. "Who is this Brad person she's seeing tonight?"
"Oh, some character she picked up here at the resort. They've been swarming around her ever since she got here"."
"She obviously has some feelings for you or she wouldn't be so jealous."
"Carolyn jealous? Don't kid yourself."
"I'm not," she replied calmly. "I saw the look on her face when she walked in and saw us together. That was intense pain, my friend. I admired the way she covered it almost immediately."
"I didn't notice."
"No, because you're too busy being jealous of her. I never knew watching a love affair develop could be so much fun."
"Some fun. And that's the problem, you see. I don't want an affair. Last night I finally faced the fact that I want to marry her. Meanwhile she's just ended a relationship and wants to enjoy her freedom. The last thing she wants is for some guy to get serious and start proposing."
"How do you know. Did you ask her?"
"Oh, sure. We had a long discussion about it just this morning over breakfast." He distractedly ran his hand through his hair. "Of course I haven't asked her. I've got more sense than that. Not much, but some."
"By the way, are you sure cousins can marry? I thought there was some law about that."
"Oh, hell, Selena. We aren't cousins. I was just trying to save her embarrassment when I told you we were sharing a room."
"Exactly why are you sharing a room?"
"It's a long, dull story, and I'll tell you over dinner. You can change upstairs if you'd like. It's about time I do something about feeding you." He smiled at Selena with affection. She was a good friend and at the moment he was in desperate need of one!
❧
The first place Carolyn went after she left the room was the registration desk. Had there been, perhaps, a cancellation? Unfortunately not. They were booked solid for several weeks. She gave up and met Brad in the lounge, more than a little preoccupied, but he managed to get her mind off her problems by telling her some wickedly funny stories about life in sunny southern California.
By the time they went in to dinner Carolyn had managed to push the problem of her lack of another room to the back of her mind, so it was unfortunate that the first couple she saw was Clay and Selena.
As soon as Clay saw them he leaped up to intercept them. "I thought you might have dinner with us this evening," he said as he approached them. Smiling at Brad, he stuck out his hand. "Hello, I'm Clay Kenniwick." He turned and ushered them to the table where Selena waited.
"I'm sorry, Clay, but we'd prefer to be alone." Carolyn glanced at Brad, praying that he wouldn't argue with her. Brad looked bewildered by the stranger who was showing them to his table. Then he caught
Carolyn paused at the bottom of the stairs. Clay saw her reflection in the glass and turned his head. She wore the flame-red chiffon dress with full, flowing sleeves and demure neckline—and no back. His jaw tightened as he took in her air of fragile vulnerability. He stood up and started toward her.
She backed hastily toward the door. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Stanford—" She paused, trying to sound poised. "I hope you enjoy your visit—" She realized what she was saying and stopped abruptly. Of course she would enjoy it—Clay would see to that. "Uh, I'll see you later—" She jerked open the door and left.
"Carolyn!" Clay started after her, then stopped. What could he say to her? He turned around to Selena with a shrug.
"She's a sweetheart, Clay," Selena offered from the sofa. "You'd better grab her while you can."
"Unfortunately, that's all I've been thinking about lately—grabbing her, I mean. I was really hoping you'd help to distract me."
She started laughing at his woebegone expression. "That's about the worst compliment I've ever received, you know."
Clay grinned as he slumped down beside her. "I'm supposed to have a real way with words, too. I can't understand it."
She hugged him to her, then leaned back to study him. "Who is this Brad person she's seeing tonight?"
"Oh, some character she picked up here at the resort. They've been swarming around her ever since she got here"."
"She obviously has some feelings for you or she wouldn't be so jealous."
"Carolyn jealous? Don't kid yourself."
"I'm not," she replied calmly. "I saw the look on her face when she walked in and saw us together. That was intense pain, my friend. I admired the way she covered it almost immediately."
"I didn't notice."
"No, because you're too busy being jealous of her. I never knew watching a love affair develop could be so much fun."
"Some fun. And that's the problem, you see. I don't want an affair. Last night I finally faced the fact that I want to marry her. Meanwhile she's just ended a relationship and wants to enjoy her freedom. The last thing she wants is for some guy to get serious and start proposing."
"How do you know. Did you ask her?"
"Oh, sure. We had a long discussion about it just this morning over breakfast." He distractedly ran his hand through his hair. "Of course I haven't asked her. I've got more sense than that. Not much, but some."
"By the way, are you sure cousins can marry? I thought there was some law about that."
"Oh, hell, Selena. We aren't cousins. I was just trying to save her embarrassment when I told you we were sharing a room."
"Exactly why are you sharing a room?"
"It's a long, dull story, and I'll tell you over dinner. You can change upstairs if you'd like. It's about time I do something about feeding you." He smiled at Selena with affection. She was a good friend and at the moment he was in desperate need of one!
❧
The first place Carolyn went after she left the room was the registration desk. Had there been, perhaps, a cancellation? Unfortunately not. They were booked solid for several weeks. She gave up and met Brad in the lounge, more than a little preoccupied, but he managed to get her mind off her problems by telling her some wickedly funny stories about life in sunny southern California.
By the time they went in to dinner Carolyn had managed to push the problem of her lack of another room to the back of her mind, so it was unfortunate that the first couple she saw was Clay and Selena.
As soon as Clay saw them he leaped up to intercept them. "I thought you might have dinner with us this evening," he said as he approached them. Smiling at Brad, he stuck out his hand. "Hello, I'm Clay Kenniwick." He turned and ushered them to the table where Selena waited.
"I'm sorry, Clay, but we'd prefer to be alone." Carolyn glanced at Brad, praying that he wouldn't argue with her. Brad looked bewildered by the stranger who was showing them to his table. Then he caught
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