Fire's Touch (The Enlightened Species Book Three) Read Online Free PDF Page B

always hoped to see Mattie someday. Honestly, I’ve been kind of hurt that she never looked for me after our mother—. Her anger is understandable, but I guess I’d hoped for a different reaction.” Cassie sighed. “Mattie will be a great guard, though. Conlon too. They are both fierce.” She forced a chuckle.
    “Tell me about … Conlon. How do you know him?” Stacey wanted to slap herself when the question slipped past her lips. The less I know about him, the better . She sat forward anxiously, waiting for Cassie to answer.
    Knowingly, her friend gave her a half-grin. “Conlon is gorgeous. I can see why you might find him attractive.”
    “Are you on drugs? I am not attracted to him. If he’s going to be stuck to me like a cling-on fabric-softener sheet, it would be nice to know that you at least trust the guy.” She hoped her haughty act worked.
    Cassie’s half-grin mutated into a disbelieving smirk. “Right.” Her amused expression faltered as she continued. “Conlon and his family live on the surface above my … former colony.” The hitch in Cassie’s voice was heartbreaking. “On the day I was cast out, it was Conlon who found me so distraught I could hardly function. He never pushed me to tell him what happened. I must have shared enough information for him to get the gist, because the next thing I knew he had me set up with the SOSC for a job and housing. He gave me some money, too. If it weren’t for him, I probably would have surrendered and killed myself that day. It was his kindness that got me through it.”
    Good. He was a nice guy. Stacey could easily make a nice guy hate her. Then her attraction to him would be one-sided and thereby nullified. With her plan of action set, she told Cassie goodbye and slid into the limo to sit beside Mark. The second Conlon climbed in and sat across from Mark next to Jack, that resolve was put to the test. She sent him a scathing scowl while internally soaking up the fine details of his long legs, his bulky thigh muscles beautifully packaged in faded denim. The snap-front cowboy shirt and brown leather jacket fit him nicely too. His response to her scowl was to quirk a grin, stretch out his legs, rudely invading Mark’s foot space, lean back, link his fingers behind his head, and close his eyes. What did the ass think he was here for—a nap?
    “If you plan on trailing behind me like a puppy, I hope you at least brought appropriate attire,” Stacey snarled. Conlon opened one eye and peeped at her. “I have business meetings and dinners scheduled every day. Plus on-site manufacturing inspections and …” She looked at Mark, who opened his briefcase and handed Conlon a full itinerary.
    Conlon sat forward and scanned the document before handing it back to Mark and resuming his lounge position.
    “Oh, you can keep that copy, Mr. Einar,” Mark offered, ever helpful.
    “I remember every stupid, dangerous thing on that list without a copy.” Stacey felt her mouth gape, mirroring the other two people in the car. The stunned expressions were completely lost on Conlon, since his eyes were closed again.
    Stacey pushed the button to talk to the driver. “Pull over. Mr. Einar is getting out.” The car slowed to a stop, and the driver opened the door to let Conlon out. And waited. And waited. Conlon never moved an inch, nor did he give any indication that he was going to. “You hog the foot space. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass, Einar,” she finally barked. He opened one eye at her again and yawned … actually yawned. “What are you waiting for?” she demanded.
    “Ms. Winkel, I don’t work for you. The SOSC has ordered me to protect you, and until they say otherwise, I will do my job, whether you like my foot-space hogging or not. You are an assignment. Now, if you would like me to switch places with Mattie, I’d be willing to get out, but one or the other of us will be in this car with you.” This time he opened both eyes to look at her. Oh,