Bear's Match (Bear Heat Book 6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

were eight,” he pointed out.
    At that, she threw back her
head and laughed. She turned to him and said, “I should have
hunted you down, Luke Keller.”
    “You can't get rid of
me now, Nicole,” he said, keeping his tone light and playful.
But his eyes were serious. “I'm not letting you go.”
    Nicole gave him a lazy,
satisfied smile as she snuggled up to him. Looking like the cat that
got the cream, she yawned and said, “I'm not planning on going
anywhere.”

CHAPTER
NINE

    Nicole snorted as someone
shook her gently. “Go away,” she swatted the hand away.
When the hand refused to go away, she buried her head under a pillow.
“Shoo! Leave me alone. Let me sleep...”
    “Nicole, wake up. Your
phone's been ringing non-stop. It might be important.”
    With a grunt, she threw the
pillow aside and opened her eyes. Luke was sitting at the side of
the bed with her phone in his hand. He pushed the buzzing phone into
her hand and turned on the bedside lamp.
    “What time is it?”
she asked drowsily.
    “Five-thirty,”
Luke said.
    “I start work at nine,”
she grumbled as she stared at the number on her phone. It was one of
her clients. Scowling, she answered the call. “Hello?”
    “Nicole? Nicole, is
that you?”
    “Yes, what can I do for
you, Anna?” Nicole said, sitting up. She had handled Anna
Ward's divorce a few years back. More recently, she had helped Anna
adopt a baby boy from an orphanage. “Is everything okay?”
    “Yes, I...no! No! I
don't know what to do. I need your help, Nicole! I'm really
scared...please…I can't think of anyone...”
    “Anna, calm down,”
Nicole said. Anna sounded like she was crying. “What's going
on?”
    “I don't know, I don't
know who they are and what they want. I just need to keep him safe.
Please, can you come out and meet me? Now?” Anna was speaking
in a frantic, urgent whisper as she hiccuped another sob. “Oh
God!”
    “Okay, just calm down.
I can see you at about...eight?” Nicole peered at the clock on
the bedside table. “Can you come down to my office and...”
    “No! No, I can't. I
can't let them see me there. He won't be safe...”
    “Who won't be safe?”
Nicole frowned. The woman wasn't making any sense. “What are
you talking about?”
    “I can't...I just
can't...” Anna's voice broke. “Please, please just meet
me out here.”
    “Out where?”
    A pause. “Do you know
the diner at the corner of Sixth Street? It's open round the clock.”
    “You mean Kit's
Kitchen?”
    “Yes! Can you meet me
there?”
    “Sure, how soon...”
Nicole jumped out of bed and began to search for her clothes. She
heard the desperation and fear in Anna's voice and decided that this
wasn't a hoax. Anna Ward was a responsible, composed bank manager.
She had never been hysterical and unreasonable. She was a good
client, a good person. But the same couldn't be said for her
cheating ex-husband. The scumbag was a cheat through and through.
He had cheated on Anna and even tried to cheat her of her share of
the house. But Nicole had made sure that Anna Ward got every cent
that belonged to her.
    And Anna was a wonderful
mother to her little son. After the adoption, Anna had dropped by
Nicole's office bearing a big box of chocolates and cuddling her
precious son. Nicole saw the genuine and deep love Anna had for the
infant, and wished her well. They made a lovely family.
    Nicole was about to get on
her hands and knees to search for her underwear when Luke tapped her
on the shoulder and calmly handed over her bra and panties.
    Thank you , she mouthed
to him as she dressed hurriedly.
    Over the phone, Anna was
trying to muffle her sobs as she cooed something to her son. Nicole
could hear the baby squalling in the background.
    “Now.”
    “What?” Nicole
pressed the phone to her other ear as she tried to do up her buttons
with one hand.
    “Can you meet me now?”
Anna whispered.
    “Eh, okay. Yes, I'll
see you at Kit's Kitchen. I'll order pancakes and coffee for