Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

man the father had evaded his duty but as a dead man he had escaped his punishment.
    Yes, Billy O'Day would make an excellent stand-in.

Chapter 15

    Monday morning Holly was still bewildered by David's withdrawal, but she had plenty of work on her desk to occupy her mind. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite complex enough to keep her from being distracted by thoughts of him. If it wasn't his image creeping into her thoughts, it was some small thing he had done, not to mention the secret tingles that stole through her body at the thought of his kiss, or his touch, or even the way he grinned at her.
    If that wasn't disruptive enough, both Bobbi Renquist and Rachel Greenley called her again. Bobbi asked if she'd like to meet for lunch. Rachel asked if she'd like to go out to dinner. They had each said any day, any time, to get better acquainted. Holly put them both off with the explanation that she was backlogged from her Florida trip, and promised to call them as soon as she had more time. Right after Hell froze over, she added to herself.
    When she finally felt as though she was getting her mind back on her work, Philip appeared in her doorway with a deep frown on his face.
    "Didn't your appointment with Senator Iverson go well?" she asked.
    "Where were you all weekend?"
    Holly blinked up at him. She took a slow breath and tried to ignore her guilty conscience. "Hello to you too. I was in and out, shopping, walking."
    "I called your cell half a dozen times. It kept going straight to voice mail."
    Guilt was rapidly being replaced by discomfort. "I forgot to plug it in. I guess it died. And the weather was so nice yesterday, I went to the zoo."
    He stood rigidly on the other side of her desk, his hands fisted in his pockets. "The zoo? Why didn't you call? I would have gone with you."
    She didn't like the way he was questioning her, but she reminded herself that she had never given him reason to question her whereabouts before. She was always exactly where he expected her to be. Forcing herself to soften her voice, she shrugged and said, "It was an impulse. Did you need me for something?"
    The creases in his forehead deepened as he shook his head negatively then nodded. "Yes. I had a question... but I worked it out." Turning to leave, he paused with his back to her and asked, "Are we still on for tonight?"
    "Of course. We've gone out to dinner every Monday night for years. Why would you even ask?"
    Because I know you were out Saturday night after you told me you would be staying home. "Never mind," he said, walking away. He didn't really want to know.
    * * *
    David caught himself smiling... again. This time, however, the cause was quite rational. His editor had questioned him until he revealed the true reason he wanted time off. Fortunately, he agreed with David that the lead about Frampton might be the basis for a really hot story and was allowing him to check it out on the paper's time and money. David had a few items to finish up, then he would begin.
    He quashed the urge to call Holly and share his news with her. At least he could keep from breaking his telephone rule. It was one of the few he hadn't broken with her. In Florida, he had lost control and practically raped her that first time—and without precautions. Then this weekend he broke several more of his rules for dealing with women.
    Never spend the night. He had rationalized that with the logic that technically they had already spent two nights together in Florida. The truth was he had never before wanted to stay with a woman after he was satisfied.
    If she had been the least bit encouraging last night he would not have been able to walk away without having her again. But she hadn't, and he had, breaking another rule. He could almost hear Harry telling him, Never pass up a free meal or free sex. You might have to do without tomorrow. Unfortunately, Harry's advice didn't hold up against David's need to prove to himself that he could walk away from Holly.
    It had to be the novelty of her resisting him that made her so fascinating. She never made the initial move; never touched or kissed him first.
    Though she burned hot as hell once he started her fire.
    She had balked about him spending Saturday night and looked relieved when he didn't go for more than a friendly peck before leaving her last evening. Her surface indifference would be a blow to his ego, if he wasn't so damn certain she loved every minute they spent together. His real problem was that he had no