2. Come Be My Love Read Online Free PDF Page A

he did professionally, but he was a failure at relationships.
    But he couldn't deny his attraction to Brandi. Perhaps it was because of her warm and friendly personality. He didn't know. All that he knew for sure was that he felt the same way around her as he felt after he'd built a brightly burning fire—as though he could warm himself and find comfort near that flame.
    Somehow Brandi had become a flame to him. He had to be careful that he didn't singe himself.
    By the time they reached the cabin, dark shadows surrounded the area. They had come around the side of the house so that they could enter through the kitchen door when Greg abruptly paused.
    Brandi almost ran into him. She stopped and began to unfasten her skis.
    ''Stay here," he said in a low voice.
    She glanced up, disturbed by the strange note in his voice. "What's wrong?"
    He motioned for her to be quiet and stepped out of his skis. Stealthily he moved closer to the cabin, silently signaling that she should stay where she was.
    Greg disappeared around the corner, only to reappear in a few minutes, motioning her to join him.
    "What's wrong?"
    "We had some company while we were gone." He pointed to two pairs of tracks leading up the driveway to the house.
    " Maybe it was the people who check on the place for Tim."
    "Maybe."
    "Did they go inside?"
    "If they did, nothing was disturbed. They aren't in there now. I checked."
    When they got inside, Brandi shivered. She was feeling the effects of their snow fight.
    "Why don't you get your shower while I build up the fire again?" he suggested.
    She glanced around and saw the solemn stranger she had seen earlier in the day. Gone was the laughing, loving man who had kissed her earlier. Brandi discovered that she missed that man. She had a hunch that very few had ever seen him.
    "All right. Then I'll find us something for dinner while you change."
    Greg watched Brandi go into the bathroom and shut the door. Then he went over to the fireplace and began to blow on the coals. As soon as the new logs were burning, he straightened and looked around the room. As far as he could tell, nothing had been disturbed. The intruders had been professionals. He didn't like that, not at all. Having someone break in while they were gone gave more credence to Brandi's story.
    Of course, he was going to let Brandi believe it was the couple who kept an eye on the place. There was no reason to make her more nervous. She was just now beginning to relax for the first time in days.
    He was glad she hadn't looked at the door. Whoever had gotten in had not had a key, but they had managed to enter easily enough. Professionals.
    Now Greg knew for certain that he couldn't leave Brand! until this whole mess was resolved. He just hoped that Tim got in touch soon. Brandi had been right. Tim had the contacts.
    In the meantime, Greg had to make sure that Brandi was kept safe—from whoever was hunting her, and from himself.

Chapter 3

    D inner was over, and once again Brandi found herself sitting in front of the fireplace, alternately watching the flames and the man who sat on the rug nearby staring into the fire as though learning the secrets of the universe.
    He'd been quiet during dinner, although he had complimented her on her imaginative casserole. However, Brandi had felt his distraction and wondered about it.
    Was he thinking about the kiss they had shared earlier? She had found it a little disturbing herself, partly because the action seemed to be so out of character for this man. But then, she recognized that she really didn't know much about him. And she was discovering that she wanted to learn a great deal more about him.
    "Greg—" she began, just as he turned.
    "Brandi—" he murmured simultaneously.
    They both smiled and said, "Go ahead." They began to laugh.
    "What were you going to say?" she asked.
    "I was just going to ask you about Tim. How you met, that sort of thing."
    "Oh. Well, that's easy enough. We grew up next door to each other."