Evanne Lorraine Dangerous Surrender (pdf)(1)

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even know what had happened.
I m absolutely sure. Someone removed your service plug.
Ciara rubbed her arms and nodded. She didn t know a service plug from an advertising
plug, but she understood that it was essential equipment.
We ll stop by and get whatever you need for tonight. You re staying with me.
Ciara took a measure of his hard jaw with the small muscle flexing and decided to surrender to
the inevitable. All right.
For a second she thought his mouth softened, but she must have imagined it.
It was going to be a long night at Zach s, knowing he lay sleeping only a few feet away.
She sighed quietly .
* * * *
Zach stayed close behind her as they climbed the steps to her house. Memories of the last
time they d been here kept crowding in. She tried to stay on task and organize what she needed .
But even with Zach s solid presence, worries nibbled at her frayed nerves. Someone had
attacked her. Someone had disabled her car. Her investigation threatened someone.
Shadowing her from room to room, Zach stayed within an arms length. He touched her
frequently. But not in a sexual way. Gentle touches, her back, her arm, her shoulder. Easy
touches, meant to comfort turned her on anyway. But then, just him breathing did it for her.
She slipped into the bathroom, swallowed two painkillers, and then polished off the glass
of water. Distance helped. She needed to remember what he d said to Regan. The echo of
she s nothing to me combined with the suddenly very real threat to dampen her usual reaction
to Zach s presence.
An overnight case was quickly filled with skin care, make up, and hair taming
paraphernalia. A second suitcase held clean undies, three pairs of shoes, a few basic outfits
including a sensible non-sexy-over-sized team jersey for sleeping. Then a tote bag to handle a
couple of diet colas, and her laptop just the bare essentials.
He stopped at a pizzeria, getting a kitchen sink special to go. The aroma made her
stomach rumble, which he politely ignored. He picked up all her baggage without complaining.
She d brought too much, making it seem as if she planned on an extended stay.
Busying herself with getting out plates, she avoided him. A discreet search revealed two
sets of napkins and placemats in a linen drawer. She thought the red more suitable for pizza and
left the blue for another occasion. His dishes were restaurant-style thick white china. She set
places on his lovely table and resisted the urge to fold the napkins into nesting bird shapes.
To keep her hands busy, she tidied the books and newspaper, stacking them neatly on one
end of the table, and then carefully centered the pizza box between the two place settings.
Zach had shed his jacket before he ambled back into the living room. He unhooked a
leather gun case and set it on the counter, followed it with a set of cuffs, a spare magazine, a ring
of keys, cell phone, pager, change, and his wallet. There was something intimate about
watching him shed all his accessories. She swiveled around and adjusted the position of the
DANGEROUS SURRENDER Evanne Lorraine 97
plates, not wanting to get caught staring.
But she couldn t resist another peek.
He stuck his head in the fridge and emerged with two beers lifting one in her direction
in a silent question.
Yes, please.
Gee, didn t she sound like Little Miss Manners? She swallowed a groan, now he knew
she d been watching him.
After sitting down next to her on the sofa, he raised an eyebrow at the placemats. We re
using the good stuff, huh?
It had never occurred to her that the placemats were for special occasions.
Would you prefer the blue ones?
Red s fine, he chuckled.
She had no idea what to say to him. Lots of things came to mind. Thanks for letting me
invade your life. I think you re incredible in bed and out. Want to have sex again, soon? Why
don t I mean anything to you?
On the other hand, she could go for the throat. Please tell me you re not a dirty cop,
because I think there s something bad going down at the club and I don t want to believe you
could be part of something really wrong.
Most of all she wanted to know why he made her all gooey inside while he stayed as cool
as a winter day.
Practicing frosty thoughts, she focused on the pizza box. After all, he didn t know what
was going on in her head. She could act cool and detached.
A beer appeared next to her plate. She swallowed a healthy swig and nearly choked.
Good grief, what was that stuff? She eyed the bottle warily. That was her all right, just one of
the boys. Choke. Cough. Gag.
The pizza, piled high with every topping she d ever heard of, did not include a kitchen [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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