Carla Hadim

Wild And Willing

Chapter 1

The house was full of mahogany, and old books wrapped in antique bindings were stacked on dark shelves.

From where he sat on the overstuffed couch, Rick Temple stretched his long chinoed legs across the dark red, white-fringed carpet toward the fire that flared in the hearth. He balanced one white tennis shoe on the toe of the other. "It's burning fine now," he called over his shoulder. He heard Elizabeth Cruise close the door of the liquor cabinet somewhere in the living room behind him. The only illumination was from the sparkling fireplace. He lay back against the couch, his head cradled in the laced fingers of both hands.

"You look very comfortable." Elizabeth handed him the drink he had asked for, brandy with a lace of absinthe.

"I am comfortable," he answered. He smiled at her, accepted the glass.

She looked reflectively into the fire. Her dark hair with its few strands of honest gray was tied back with a girlish ribbon. She turned her dark eyes on Rick, measured him, studied his hands, his mouth, his lean body in the snug-fitting pants. She looked at his hair that tumbled thickly over his forehead, nearly covered his ears, had grown unevenly over his shirt collar. His hair, glossy in the firelight, reminded her of the difference between herself and this young man in her house.

She said, "Your hair is gorgeous, did you know that?"

The odor of the brandy and absinthe was strong in his nostrils as Rick passed his glass under his nose. His eyes fastened on Elizabeth's face.

"Do you think this is terribly wrong of me?" she asked.

"I admire you for it." He held out an arm and she sat down beside him.

She sipped her own brandy, leaning on her knees in front of the fire.