Читать книгу An Affair of State онлайн

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He sensed that this night would be different from the last time, and that there would be no need to persuade, flatter, cajole, or arouse her. He walked to her side at the bar. He took the just-made drinks from her hands and set them down on the dark wood. He put his arms around her, and he could feel her hands, wet and cold from the ice, at the back of his neck. She strained herself close, and he marveled that she could fit so perfectly and tightly against him. He held her like that until he had to catch his breath, and then he kissed her eyes and her mouth and her ears and the base of her throat and her breasts under the loose, silken blouse.

"You're ruining me," she said finally. "There isn't any hurry, Jeff."

"Yes there is," he said. "I'll be on an airplane in eleven hours."

"That's time enough."

"It's no time at all."

"At least we can have our drinks. I dressed very carefully for you, darling, and I'd like to keep my clothes on for another five minutes."

"Okay," he agreed. "Five minutes."