Fire & Ice Read Online Free PDF Page A

as flat as his expression. “Come.” He tossed her knapsack to her, and she caught it, almost dropping the heavy weight. “You'll need to put that on.”
    She didn't argue, shouldering it. “How far are we walking?”
    “We're not walking.” He vanished into the bushes, and for the first time she noticed the gleam of chrome through the greenery. A moment later he reappeared, pushing a huge, heavy-looking Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
    Jilly looked at it with a sinking heart. It was difficult enough when the exotic, undeniably gorgeous creature of her fantasies had turned out to be an obnoxious bully. Of course he had to have a Harley, as well, completing the perfect bad-boy image. With the tattooed teardrops on his high cheekbones and spiky, waist-length, flame-colored hair and his long, leather-clad legs and pointy-toed cowboy boots, he was almost irresistible, despite his manners.
    A Harley sealed the deal. He was all her adolescent fantasies come true.
    And it was time to grow up.

3
    Shit. Bloody shit. Holy motherfucker. Goddamn gaijin idiot bitch blundering into trouble. He needed to punch something or someone—he was wound up, furious, ready to explode.
    She was plastered against him on the back of the motorcycle, and even through his leather jacket and her baggy sweatshirt he could feel her breasts. This was hell, seeing her for the first time in more than two years, when he'd done such a good job of forgetting about her, only to find her in men's underwear and no bra. He was still hard, making the motorcycle even more uncomfortable.
    He had only one helmet, and the laws were strict. As long as he stayed in the territory controlled by his grandfather he'd be fine—the police would recognize the flame-red hair and give him a wide berth.
    He didn't have the faintest goddamned idea where to take her. His own apartment was probably being watched and Jilly Lovitz wasn't likely to fit in with the people he usually hung with. He could just imagine how Kyo would react to someone like Jilly. Kyo was a nasty little motherfucker who liked to torment gaijin, and Jilly would be fair game.
    His job wasn't to protect her from people like Kyo. It was to keep her alive. Maybe a few hours with a maniacal yakuza would scare her into staying in her safe home and not go racing off unannounced to a country where she wasn't wanted.
    He should take her to his grandfather's. It was the logical thing to do—drop her off and let Ojiisan deal with her. She'd be safe in his grandfather's fortress, with an armed guard of at least twenty men. If the Russians were foolish enough to attempt anything, his grandfather would see to their tidy disposal.
    They were coming into a busier part of the city—all he needed to do was turn left and follow the street to his grandfather's compound. It didn't matter that he told the old man he'd take care of things. If anything Ojiisan would be pleased at his grandson's belated obedience.
    It was the smart thing to do, the safe careful choice.
    Who the hell was he kidding—he'd never been safe or careful in his life and he wasn't about to start now. The girl plastered against him felt warm, soft, and he deserved something for the aggravation she caused him.
    He wasn't going to sleep with her—he valued his head too much to risk Taka's fury. It had been almost two years since
    Taka told him to keep away from his sister-in-law, but he had no doubt Taka still meant what he said.
    No, he deserved something, just to taste, and he was going to take it. It would be worth a broken bone or two.
    She had her head down—his body was shielding her from the wind. Her arms were tight around his waist. What would she do if he took one of those hands and put it between his legs?
    Probably cause him to spin out. Right now, she was too shook up for him to even attempt anything. It would be better all around if he just put her on a plane back to California and forgot about her. Except that he hadn't really forgotten about her