"Roberts, Nora - Private Scandals" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberts Nora)

"No." She lifted her hand to push back her hair and then stopped. New York, she thought, and nearly laughed
again. "Maybe I did," she said softly. "And this is some twisted form of payback for what she sees as ingratitude."
Furious now, Deanna turned back toward him. "She knew how I felt about him, and she used it. And what timing.
Less than an hour before I have to go on." She looked at her watch, then covered her face with her hands. "Oh God.
I've only got twenty minutes."
"Take it easy. I'll go down and tell Benny you're sick. They'll get a sub."
For one indulgent moment, she considered his offer. Then she remembered Angela's crafty, satisfied smile. "No.
She'd enjoy that too much. I can do my job."
Finn studied her. Her face was tracked with tears and her eyes were puffy and red-rimmed, but she was
determined. "They grow them tough in Kansas," he said with approval.
Her chin rose another notch. "Damn right they do."
"Let's get you into makeup."
She said nothing until they'd crossed the lot, walked through the door. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Got any Visine?"
She grimaced as they started up the steps. "That bad?"
"Oh, it's worse."
He kept their conversation light as he steered her into makeup. He brought her ice for her eyes, water for her
throat, then stayed to chat while she concealed the worst of the damage with cosmetics. But he was thinking, and his
thoughts were anything but light. Anything but kind.
"That's not half bad," he commented. "Try a little more blusher."
He was right. Deanna stroked the brush over her cheek. And saw Marshall's reflection in the mirror. Her hand
trembled once before she set the brush aside.
"Deanna, I've been looking for you." "Oh?" She felt Finn coil beside her, like a big, mean cat about to spring, and
laid a hand on his arm. With a jolt she realized the slightest signal from her would have him tearing in. It wasn't as
unattractive an image as she wanted to think. "I've been right here," she said coolly.



"I have a show to do."
"I know. I ..." His eyes clung to hers, soft and brown and pleading. "I'll wait."
"There's no need for that." Odd, she thought. She felt powerful. Invincible. There seemed to be no relation between
the woman she was at this moment and the one who had run sobbing from Angela's office. "I have a couple minutes
to spare." Calmly, she leaned back against the counter and smiled at Finn. There was blood in her eye that had
nothing to do with tears. "Would you mind leaving us alone?"
"Sure." He reached over and tipped her chin up another inch with his fingertip. "That's a good look for you, Kansas."
With a last, ice-edged stare at Marshall, he strolled out.
"Was it necessary to bring him into our private business?"
Deanna cut him off with a look. "Can you really have the gall to criticize me at a time like this?"
"No." Marshall's shoulders drooped.
"No, of course not. You're right. It's just that I find this difficult, and embarrassing enough without the gossip
spreading through the newsroom."
"Finn has more interesting things to discuss than your sex life, Marshall. I promise you. Now if you have something
to say, you'd better say it. I only have a few minutes."
"Deanna." He stepped forward and would have reached for her, but the flash in her eyes warned him. "I have no
excuse for what happened--or nearly happened. But I want you to know there's nothing between me and Angela. It
was an impulse," he continued, speaking quickly when Deanna remained silent. "Purely physical and meaningless. It
had nothing to do with what I feel for you."
"I'm sure it didn't," she said after a moment. "And I believe you. I believe it was impulsive, meaningless sex."
Relief flooded through him. He hadn't lost her. His eyes brightened as he reached out to her. "I knew you'd
understand. I knew the minute I saw you that you were a woman generous enough to accept me, to understand me.