Dark of kNight Read Online Free PDF Page B

to be.
    Quickly walking down the stairs, we headed toward the front door where the driver awaited to escort us to the car. Following Casey out the front door, I paused and switched the lock to the on position. My eyes lifted and caught a glimpse of the black limousine waiting in front of me. The driver stood beside the limo in his black uniform with the door open. Stepping toward the limo, I realized I had to keep myself in check. The high-heeled shoes were something I wasn’t accustomed to, and it took a little effort to keep my balance intact. I bent over to climb inside. Once my head was inside, Casey settled in on the left side of me. Charlotte sat across from her, Thomas and then, of course, Daniel. My eyes caught his when I climbed into the back and sat down. There was no way to hide the expression on his face, or mine for that matter. At first, the surprised look on his face told me it was my appearance. Then the hot rush ran over my cheeks when I realized his eyes didn’t stare at my face, but my chest. Only then, did I realize the top of my dress hung down a bit too far when I climbed into the limo. I suppose if he had ever wondered what my bare chest looked like, he surely had his answer by now. I sat back in the seat, adjusted the top of my dress, and glared at him. Clearing his throat, he turned and looked casually out the tinted window. The door shut and the spacious limo darkened, with the exception of the lights on the bottom of the inside doors.
    I sat still, trying hard not to look at Daniel. The voices of Charlotte and Thomas spoke softly to one another. I blocked out their conversation. The feeling that Daniel’s eyes were already on me again, was more than I could stand. Uncomfortable I readjusted myself in the seat to lean more toward Casey. I felt the coolness of the air touching my leg.
    Apparently, when I shifted in my seat, I had forgotten the long slit in the right side of the dress, which exposed my leg up to my thigh. I quickly grabbed the dress and pulled it over my leg to cover the exposed skin. Glancing up, I saw Daniel staring at my leg. The dim light in the limo hid the expression on his face. His body looked somewhat stiff when he sat with his back straight up in the seat. Glancing away from him quickly, I remained quiet and held my thoughts.
    Checking my box, I knew it was tightly sealed. The evening may not be as difficult as I imagined. My thoughts then drifted to my father and the wild animal attack. I wondered exactly what happened. Most of their hunting expeditions were successful, and no one ever was even injured. This time, the only incident cost him his life. I checked the box again. The box was still safe, so I continued with my thoughts. I wondered what kind of animal could have done this. I have heard about bears and mountain lions. Could my father have run into one of those? The image of the attack was too difficult to imagine. My father was an excellent sharpshooter. There must have been more than one. His aim was flawless. I had spent enough time with him on the shooting range to know this. I needed answers. This wasn’t the time for questions, but I would find the right time to get my answers.
    The cordial announcement from the driver stating we had arrived at our destination broke my intense thoughts. I couldn’t believe that my thoughts had consumed me for over an hour. The door to my right opened, allowing the light from the hotel to seep into the car. The lights from underneath the overhang were bright. Leaning toward the open door, I squinted at the bright lights. A sudden memory made me stop for a second and place my hand to my chest when I bent forward to step out. Daniel released a low chuckle that made my lips twitch. My head quickly snapped up to give him a disapproving glance. A grin formed on the corner of his mouth and then he raised his hand to try to hide it.
    However, his eyes, even in the darkness of the limousine showed the humor on his face. I took the