The Road To Love: Love by Degree / The Rain Sparrow

“Hey, Reed.” A friendly voice boomed out a few feet away. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

Reed stiffened and for a moment Ellen wondered if he was going to pretend he hadn’t heard. He looked at her through half-closed eyes, and she grinned up at him, mutely telling him she didn’t mind. Their private world couldn’t last forever. She knew that. They were at a party, an office party, and Reed was expected to mingle with his colleagues.

“Hello, Ralph.” Reed’s arm slid around Ellen’s waist, keeping her close.

“Hello there.” But Ralph wasn’t watching Reed. “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me?”

“Ellen Cunningham, Ralph Forester.”

Ralph extended his hand and held Ellen’s in both of his for a long moment. His eyes were frankly admiring.

“I don’t suppose you’d let me steal this beauty away for a dance, would you?” Although the question was directed at Reed, Ralph didn’t take his eyes from Ellen. “Leave it to you to be with the most beautiful woman here,” the other man teased. “You sure do attract them.”

Reed’s hand tightened around Ellen. “Ellen?” He left the choice to her.

“I don’t mind.” She glanced at Reed and noted that his expression was carefully blank. But she knew him too well to be fooled. She could see that his jaw was rigid with tension and that his eyes showed annoyance at the other man’s intrusion. Gradually he lowered his arm, releasing her.

Ralph stepped forward and claimed Ellen’s hand, leading her onto the dance floor.

She swallowed as she placed her left hand on his shoulder and her right hand in his. Wordlessly they moved to the soft music. But when Ralph tried to bring her closer, Ellen resisted.

“Have you known Reed long?” Ralph asked, his hand trailing sensuously up and down her back.

She tensed. “Several months now.” Despite her efforts to keep her voice even and controlled, she sounded slightly breathless.

“How’d you meet?”

“Through his brother.” The less said about their living arrangements, the better. Ellen could just guess what Ralph would say if he knew they were living in the same house. “Do you two work together?”

“For the last six years.”

They whirled around, and Ellen caught a glimpse of Reed standing against the opposite wall, studying them like a hawk zeroing in on its prey. Ralph apparently noticed him, as well.

“I don’t think Reed was all that anxious to have you dance with me.”

Ellen merely shrugged.

Ralph chortled gleefully, obviously enjoying Reed’s reaction. “Not if the looks he’s giving me are any indication. I can’t believe it. Reed Morgan is jealous,” he said with another chuckle, leading her out of Reed’s sight and into the dimly lit center of the floor.

“I’m sure you’re mistaken.”

“Well, look at him.”

All Ellen could see was Reed peering suspiciously at them across the crowded dance floor.

“This is too good to be true,” Ralph murmured.

“What do you mean?”

“There isn’t a woman in our department who wouldn’t give her eyeteeth to go out with Reed.”

Ellen was shocked, yet somehow unsurprised. “Oh?”

“Half the women are in love with him and he ignores them. He’s friendly, don’t get me wrong. But it’s all business. Every time a single woman gets transferred into our area it takes her a week, maybe two, to fall for Reed. The rest of us guys just stand back and shake our heads. But with Reed otherwise occupied, we might have a chance.”

“He is wonderful,” Ellen admitted, managing to keep a courteous smile on her face. What Ralph was describing sounded so much like her own feelings that she couldn’t doubt the truth of what he said.

Ralph arched his brows and studied her. “You too?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“What’s this guy got?” He sighed expressively, shaking his head. “Can we bottle it?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think so,” Ellen responded lightly, liking Ralph more. His approach might have been a bit overpowering at first, but he was honest and compelling in his own right. “I don’t imagine you have much trouble attracting women.”

“As long as I don’t bring them around Reed, I’m fine.” A smile swept his face. “The best thing that could happen would be if he got married. I don’t suppose that’s in the offing between you two?”

He was so blithely serious that Ellen laughed. “Sorry.”

“You’re sure?”

Ralph was probably thinking of some rumor he’d heard about Danielle. “There’s another woman he’s seeing. They’ve known each other for a long time and apparently, they’re quite serious,” she explained, keeping her voice calmly detached.

“I don’t believe it,” Ralph countered, frowning. “Reed wouldn’t be tossing daggers at my back if he was involved with someone else. One thing I suspect about this guy, he’s a one-woman man.”

Ellen closed her eyes, trying to shut out the pain. She didn’t know what to believe about Reed anymore. All she could do was hold on to the moment. Wasn’t that what she’d told him earlier—that they’d have to take things day by day? She was the one who hadn’t wanted to talk about Danielle. In any case, she didn’t want to read too much into his actions. She couldn’t. She was on the brink of falling in love with him...if she hadn’t already. To allow herself to think he might feel the same way was asking for trouble. For heartbreak.

The music ended and Ralph gently let her go. “I’d better return you to Reed or he’s likely to come after me.”

“Thank you for...everything.”

“You’re welcome, Ellen.” With one hand at her waist, he steered her toward Reed.

They were within a few feet of him when Danielle suddenly appeared. She seemed to have come out of nowhere. “Reed!” She was laughing delightedly, flinging herself into his arms and kissing him intimately. “Oh, darling, you’re so right. Being together is more important than any ski trip. I’m so sorry. Will you forgive me?”

CHAPTER EIGHT (#uf7b8ab33-98c7-58ae-8584-8fcd71c58a23)

“ELLEN,” RALPH ASKED. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she lied.

“Sure you are,” he mocked, sliding his arm around her waist and guiding her back to the dance floor. “I take it the blonde is Woman Number One?”

“You got it.” The anger was beginning to build inside her. “Beautiful, too, you’ll notice.”

“Well, you aren’t exactly chopped liver.”

She gave a small, mirthless laugh. “Nice of you to say so, but by comparison, I come in a poor second.”