Fabulous Beast Read Online Free PDF

a shape truly attractive. And her ex-husband had made it abundantly clear that she also lacked the fiery, ardent nature which might have compensated.
    Grimacing, she went into the shower and turned on the water. As soon as she was out she would order breakfast for Dev. He had been hungry last night and presumably would be again this morning. He needed to eat for strength, she decided determinedly, and immediately began planning a strengthening sort of menu for him. It was quite pleasant to lose herself in the activity, and it restored her equilibrium.
    By the time she knocked on his door half an hour later she was feeling quite in command of herself and of the situation. His answering invitation to enter seemed to come with reassuring alacrity.
    “Good morning,” Tabitha said cheerfully as she walked into the room, once again followed by a steward carrying a tray. “How are you feeling? I’ve brought breakfast.”
    Dev was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in a fresh pair of light tan pants clasped around his hard waist with a dark leather belt. Contrasting with the bandages he still wore, his nude upper torso was sleek and bronzed in the early morning light, and his dark brown hair had been brushed into place. It still bore a trace of dampness from the shower. His silvery eyes focused on her immediately.
    “Great. I’m starving again. I was just wondering whether or not I had enough strength left after that shower to make it up to the dining room. It was very thoughtful of you to do this, Tabby.”
    Tabitha glowed at the genuine note of gratitude in his voice. Such a nice man, she thought happily. Polite, grateful for small favors, sensitive, vulnerable. For what more could a woman ask? Perhaps this sort of man wouldn’t care if a woman’s roundness couldn’t exactly be described as voluptuous?
    “Do you need any more pain pills?” she asked, airily dismissing the steward so that she could dish up the grapefruit and scrambled eggs herself. “I can ask the doctor for another packet, if you like.” She uncovered a plate of toast, peering down at it to make sure the cook had remembered to butter the bread.
    “I think I’ll survive on aspirin today,” he murmured, watching as she bustled about the tray.
    Aware of his eyes following her every move, Tabitha hastened through her preparations and then motioned him to the chair on the opposite side of the small table. What a relief to know he had still been asleep when she’d awakened this morning!
    “I’ve been trying to decide whether or not you should spend the day in bed,” she told him as he cautiously sat down across from her. “It’s obvious you’re still not feeling very well.”
    “I still ache a bit here and there,” he admitted. “But I think the sun might feel good on my poor, battered body. What do you think?” he asked humbly.
    “You might be right,” she agreed thoughtfully. “The warmth might be good for those aching muscles.
    We’ll fill you full of aspirins after breakfast and then go find a couple of vacant deck chairs near the pool.
    How does that sound?”
    She thought she saw a flash of something close to relief in his eyes before he nodded and agreed. “It sounds delightful.” He paused and then went on softly, “I haven’t thanked you for helping me get to sleep last night, Tabby.”
    She blinked in sudden uncertainty. How much did he remember about last night? In the next moment she relaxed as he gave her a blandly polite look. “It was quite all right. You don’t owe me any thanks. I was glad to do it What did the captain say when you told him what had happened on St. Regis?”
    Dev shrugged and then stifled a small groan, regretting the movement. “He said he’d check back with the local authorities but that probably not much would be done. This sort of thing happens occasionally everywhere in the world. I should never have wandered down that alley in the first place,” he added ruefully.
    “How were you to know