The Thawing of Mara by Janet Dailey

Author:Janet Dailey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ereads.com
Published: 1980-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

A FEW MINUTES after one o'clock on Monday, Sin's silver gray car turned into the driveway. Mara had just finished drying the last of the lunch dishes. She folded the damp towel neatly and hung it on the rack to dry. At the knock on the door, she ran a smoothing hand over her black hair and went to answer it.

When she opened the door, Sin didn't immediately enter. His gaze raked her, lingering briefly on the slimness of her bare legs beneath her dirndl skirt.

"Aren't you going to back out?" he challenged.

"No." Mostly because she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Excuse me." She turned away from the open door, not caring if he came in or stayed outside in the cold. "I'll tell Adam I'm leaving."

As she left the kitchen, Mara heard the door close and guessed that Sin was waiting inside. At her father's bedroom door, she knocked once and went in.

"I heard the car drive in." Adam spoke before she did. "Was it Sin?"

"Yes. I wanted to let you know I was leaving and double-check to see if there was anything you needed," Mara told him.

"Not a thing," he assured her. "The telephone is here by the bed. So are my notes and books, and a pitcher of water."

"Are you positive you're feeling all right?" But he looked so disgustingly healthy that Mara knew there wasn't much hope.

"I'm fine." A knowing smile curved his mouth. "Sin is waiting for you. Don't you think you should be going?"

"Yes." Her hands felt moist; the nervousness she was trying so hard to conceal was surfacing. "If you need anything—"

"I have half a dozen telephone numbers to cover every kind of an emergency," he interrupted. "Have a good time, Mara."

Sheer perversity made her say, "I sincerely doubt it." She left the bedroom and retraced her steps to the kitchen. Sin was waiting near the back door. His gaze swung lazily to her when she entered. "I'm ready to leave if you are," she said briskly.

"You mean your father hasn't suffered an unexpected relapse?" He reached forward to open the door for her.

"Adam is feeling very fit." Taking her full-length winter coat, Mara draped it over her shoulders and swept past him. Angry, she was determined to remain cool in the face of his taunts.

"We'll take my car." Sin followed her outdoors.

"Since I'll be doing the driving, I would prefer mine," Mara insisted.

"Mine is already warm. I've left the motor running to keep it that way," he said. "Besides, it's more comfortable than yours to ride in. And I'm sure you're a perfect driver no matter what car you're in."

Mara didn't want to waste her energy arguing over which car they were going to take; she would rather conserve it in case it was needed later. And she didn't want to admit she was nervous at the prospect of driving Sin's luxury model.

The car's heater had kept the interior comfortably warm. Not needing the coat, Mara stowed it in the backseat before sliding onto the plushly upholstered seat behind the wheel.

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