A Compromising Affair

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He gave the rein a gentle tug. “Let’s go. By the time we get back to the Harrington estate, the sun will be high, and Big Red will be irritable. We are not done yet. Where do you live in Washington?” She gave him an address in Chevy Chase, Maryland, a suburb of D.C. “Is it all right if I pick you up at six-fifteen Monday evening?” He didn’t like the frown on her face, or that she answered him with downcast eyes.

“Okay. Will you be wearing a jacket and tie?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t take you out to dinner any other way.”

“Scott, I eat pizza. And when I do, I dress for pizza. But I appreciate the sentiment.”

They rode back to Drake’s house in silence. As much as he loved nature, and especially enjoyed its serenity, he couldn’t appreciate it this morning. In another minute, he probably would have had her then and there, and damn the consequences.

The more Denise tried to distance herself, the more she intrigued him. He’d had many women in his arms, but not one as passionate and as complicated as she was. At times she seemed as if she wanted to devour him. He’d see how it went Monday evening. If nothing changed, he would move on.

Denise rang the doorbell, visibly upset from her horseback riding experience with Scott that morning. She didn’t want to talk to a soul, when Pamela greeted her at the door.

“How did it go? You guys stayed out a long time.”

Denise tried to force a smile, but from the expression on Pamela’s face, she knew she hadn’t succeeded.

“It was…nice. I mean…I don’t know. Pamela, how did you know that you could trust Drake? That he would always be there for you? What made you take a chance on a man like Drake Harrington, who already had everything?”

“In the first place, I didn’t think about Drake’s assets or his looks. If I had, I probably would have run the other way. What got me was his tenderness and caring, and the fact that he was true to his word. He was possessive, but in a way that made me feel special, and he let other men know that they’d best stay off his turf. If you don’t give Scott the right, he can’t do that.” The doorbell rang. “That must be Heather. Join us for coffee.”

“Is Heather your favorite in-law?”

“She’s the one with whom I have the most in common.”

“And it doesn’t bother you that Judson and Drake practically look like twins?”

“Why should it? I’m never confused.” She went to the door. “Hi. Coffee’s ready,” Pamela said, greeting Heather. They walked into the kitchen, where Denise sat on a counter-height bar stool with a brooding expression on her face.

“Hi, Denise. How was the horseback ride this morning?” Heather asked.

“It was fine, Heather. And Scott’s a terrific guy—”

“But what?” said Heather. “Denise, with Scott, what you see is what you get. He has no hidden agenda. And he’ll give it to you straight, which I suspect accounts for your mood right now. I’ve known him for years. And in all that time, you are the first woman he’s been interested in. Girl, wake up. Scott Galloway is really taken with you.”

“All right. All right. I believe you, I suppose.”

“You suppose?” Pamela and Heather said in unison.

“You’re nuts about him,” Pamela said.

“Yeah,” Heather said. “Seems to me you should stop pretending and be yourself.”

“If he is interested in me, why doesn’t he tell me?”

“Sometimes, I wonder how you can be so brilliant about some things and so clueless when it comes to relationships with men,” Pamela said in exasperation.