Heart of Ice. Diana Palmer

see how unreasonably she reacted to his prodding. She’d just have to grit her teeth, for Ada’s sake.

      Egan was nowhere in sight when she got back, and Ada looked apologetic and worn.

      “I don’t understand him, I just don’t,” Ada groaned. “Oh, Kati, I’m sorry. If I’d realized how bad things were between you, I’d never have invited him.”

      Kati was generous enough not to remind her friend that she’d tried to warn her. She sat down on the sofa with a hard sigh.

      “I’ll manage. Where is he?” she added darkly.

      “Gone to spend the day with some girlfriend of his,” Ada said absently. “He said he might not be back until late.”

      Why that simple statement should make her feel murderous, Kati didn’t know. But something gnawed inside her at the thought of Egan with another woman.

      “I wonder how much he had to bribe her?” she asked nastily.

      “Shame on you,” Ada said.

      But Kati didn’t apologize. And she didn’t dwell on her confused emotions, either. She wanted no complications in her life, especially with someone like Egan Winthrop.

      She and Ada went shopping later in the day and ate out at a little Italian restaurant just down the street from their apartment. They watched television and eventually went to bed. And Egan didn’t come back. Not that night. Not until the next morning.

      Kati was sitting on the living room floor with pages littering the area around her. They were galleys of her latest book, which had come that morning by special messenger, and she was going over them. Ada was at auditions for a new play, hoping to be home by lunch if she didn’t get held up at the theater during tryouts. That was a laugh. Most of the time, it took hours. Despite the appointments the hopefuls were given, something always went wrong. Ada had never gotten back when she thought she would, and Kati was dreading Egan’s arrival. She felt wild when she thought of his not coming in at all, and angry because she didn’t understand why. She didn’t even like the man, for God’s sake!

      There was a loud knock at the door an hour later, and when she opened it, Egan was standing there looking faintly amused and as immaculate as when he’d left. Still in the same clothes, of course….

      She glared at him. “Lose your key?” she asked.

      “I thought I’d better not use it, in case you were…entertaining,” he said.

      She let him in, slammed the door and went back to her comfortable sprawl on the floor.

      “Coffee’s hot if you want some,” she said icily. “I’m busy reading.”

      “Don’t let me interrupt you. I thought I’d have a quick shower and change clothes. I’ve got a lunch date.”

      Why, oh, why did she feel like smashing plates? She frowned and concentrated on what she was doing. Minutes later, he was back, dressed in a navy blue pinstripe suit with a white silk shirt and a blue and burgundy tie. He looked regal. Sexy. Unbelievably handsome for such an ugly man. If he was dressing like that in the middle of the day, he must be on his way to the Waldorf, she thought. And God only knew with whom.

      “Ada didn’t worry, did she?” he asked, checking his watch.

      “Oh, no. She’s used to people staying out all night,” she lied deliberately, lifting her eyes. It shocked her, the flash of reaction in his face before it was quickly erased.

      His eyes ran over her: the gray slacks and burgundy silk blouse she was wearing, her feet hose-clad and without shoes. Her hair was loose, and flowed in waves of reddish gold silk down her shoulders; her face was rosy and full of life.

      His scrutiny made her nervous, and she dropped her eyes back to the page she was reading.