Chance Meeting Read Online Free PDF

someone. It kind of put him in a whole new light, one she didn’t particularly want to think about. Then Lizzie reminded herself of how much Sam liked Ty. And Lizzie was convinced he had a soft spot for her, too. At least, he always laughed at her jokes. She wished she could think of a good joke now, settling instead for “Really, Sam, we just wanted to say hi to Steve, so we snuck away. It was only for a minute. You won’t tell on us to her father, will you?”
    Sam’s eyes locked on Lizzie. Eyes that had always seemed a warm, indulgent brown suddenly transformed into tawny flecks that cut, slicing you to ribbons. Eyes that made his face suddenly hard and ruthless. The Sam Brody staring at her now was not a man to be messed with. Lizzie swallowed nervously, savvy enough to realize this was not a reassuring sign. Meanwhile, Steve Sheppard was looking angry as anything. Who wouldn’t be after being mauled and then forced to listen to some girls’
    desperate pleas?
    Well, at least she could clear up that mess, thought Lizzie as she slipped into the role of interpreter with a great deal more pluck. She gave Steve a bright smile. “Sorry about all this, Steve, but, you see, Sam is Ty’s bodyguard. Sam, you do realize who this is, don’t you? This is Steve Sheppard, Ty’s favorite rider. Now you understand why we had to come, don’t you?” Her question ended on a note of pure bravado, convincing only herself that everything had been explained most satisfactorily. Bodyguard? Steve heard Ty’s soft gasp and glanced over at her. She was the picture of unhappiness. Like a puppy with no one to love it. Bodyguard. The word echoed in Steve’s mind, too bizarre to believe. He’d assumed Gorilla Man was her older brother. “Wait a second, I don’t get it. Who are you, anyway?”
    “I’m Ty . . .”
    But before she could finish, Lizzie interrupted her. It never took long for Lizzie’s buoyant good spirits and thirst for adventure to rebound. As Sam hadn’t done anything to them yet, she figured he wasn’t really going to punish them. He was just glaring like that for effect. After all, it was his job to look really scary.
    “Oh, she can’t tell you her last name, Steve, her dad’s too important. Super, super rich. Sam here would be forced to kill you with his bare hands.” She barely suppressed a grin, thrilled by the hint of James Bond romance in her answer, and the way it made Ty sound so mysterious. She knew Steve would never ever forget Ty now.
    “ Lizzie!” Ty wailed, too mortified to continue.
    Oh, God, Lizzie was so impossible when she let her imagination run wild. What would Steve think if he were to recognize her name? Perhaps he’d even think she believed the silly junk Lizzie had been spouting.
    And now it was over. Ty felt as if her heart would break.
    Sam stepped forward, his strong hands encircling both Ty’s and Lizzie’s arms. “Let’s go, Miss Tyler.” Ty shrank inside. Sam never called her Tyler. He knew how much she hated it. “You, too, Lizzie, before you concoct any other foolishness. The three of us are going to have a little talk before your classes start.” He didn’t have to speak loudly to have Lizzie’s smile fading and the two girls following meekly, not daring even a backward glance at Steve Sheppard. But Sam Brody did. A final, lethal look in Steve’s direction as he hustled the girls outside.
    Jesus Christ, Steve thought, shaking his head as he watched them depart. He rubbed his face hard as

    though awakening from a bad dream. Save me from rich girls. There was an incident he’d just as soon forget. Quickly, Steve located his chaps and set off to meet Allegra, who had just skyrocketed in his estimation. At least she didn’t wander around with personal thugs ready to tear you apart, limb from limb. A shame he’d given that girl, Ty what’s-her-name, Pop’s medal. Girls that rich didn’t need his help, or any luck. They just opened their alligator-skin purses.
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