The Greatest Risk by Cara Colter Page B

question.
    She had awoken this morning with his kiss still searing her lips, a strange and wonderful song singing within her.
    Despite the fact she had announced she was never going to see him again, she had felt a delicious sense of well-being this morning.
    But wasn’t that why she was taking the Bold and Beautiful seminar? To unlock her capacity for happiness, to move closer to having a fulfilling life? There was another B&B seminar this afternoon, and maybe that was why she had awakened this morning feeling happy and adventurous. Of course, she doubted that was the true reason, a doubt that had been confirmed when Luke called.
    Then those lovely tingling feelings had escalated to something near delirium when she had recognized the sexy growl of his voice on the other end of her phone.
    It was really what she had least expected. And what did it mean that he had called her about Billy?
    That he trusted her, for one.
    Trust was a lovely thing, of course, but a long way from what she was feeling for Luke. She had felt it again as soon as she had seen him strolling down the hospital corridor toward her, looking big and buff and self-assured.
    That swooning feeling had come over her again, milder than before, thank heavens. And she had been able to block out his presence, for the most part, when she’d talked to Billy.
    But afterward she had felt a familiar sensation of weakness, of wanting, and she had practically run away from him on some feeble excuse.
    Now, hours later as she sat in her office, Luke August was still the strongest thing on her mind. Obviously, the decision not to see him again had been the right one, given the effect he had on her. But as the day passed, she became less certain in her conviction that she had done the right thing.
    Maybe something she learned at the seminar this afternoon would help her know what to do next.
    Her secretary came in and studied her thoughtfully.
    â€œAre you okay today, Maggie?”
    â€œOf course. What makes you ask?”
    â€œYou kind of have this goofy look on your face.”
    â€œI do?”
    â€œA little funny half smile, as if you know a secret.”
    â€œNonsense,” she said, wiping any vestiges of a smile from her face.
    â€œAnd who is Luke?”
    â€œPardon?” she said on a gasp.
    The secretary, Joy, passed her some papers she had worked on that morning. In each space where she should have written a name on a contract, only the surname was correct.
    The first name she had inserted was Luke!
    â€œIsn’t that silly?” she muttered, grabbing back the papers. “I’ll redo these tomorrow.”
    Joy smiled at her. “I shouldn’t have said you look goofy. You actually look nice. Kind of radiant. The way my cousin looked for a year or so after she got married. Have you met a guy, then?”
    Maggie stammered but Joy gave her no time to reply.
    â€œI hope you have. Nobody in this whole office ever knew what you saw in Mr. Booths, believe me. And just for the record, you didn’t deserve what he did to you, but you were darned lucky he did do it to you. Imagine being married to him .”
    She shut the door and left Maggie sitting there with her cheeks burning. No one had ever really discussed her relationship with Darnel Booths.
    Or at least not in front of her.
    He had been a fellow social worker. A nice guy, devoted to his work, not spectacular in any way. Maggie had been attracted to the fact he was solid and reliable. They had dated and somehow evolved into a couple. When he had asked her to marry him, she had been so excited. Planning the wedding had been so much fun.
    He had not shown up at the church.
    There she had stood in her long white dress waiting, along with four bridesmaids, a flower girl, a ring bearer, a best man, a hundred and three guests and a minister.
    Sometimes she wondered how she had survived the embarrassment, the humiliation. Sometimes she knew she had not survived, not