Hazard Play Read Online Free PDF Page A

first aid.” He kept holding her hand. It felt right to her. It felt good. “Contessa, tell me what’s wrong. Even if I can’t help, you should talk about it. And I don’t have any ‘ideas,’ wrong or otherwise.” 
    The caress continued, back and forth, back and forth. She knew now what snake charmers had going for them. She took a stabilizing breath, as much to buy time as to adjust to her sudden lack of oxygen. “I told you I’m a nurse. I work for Greenview Home Health Care and one of my patients died. I always get a little down when that happens. It’ll pass.”  Tess shook her head to clear it.
    “That’s tough. Did he suffer?”
    Tess warmed under his concern. “I don’t think so. He just went to sleep.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I'm sorry. I should be used to this. You probably think I’m in the wrong line of work.”
    Back and forth. Back and forth.
    “Not at all. I’ve been in situations where it would’ve been nice to have someone care about her patients as much as you do. Well, except if they’re ‘arrogant jerks,’ that is.” A grin of pure devilment flashed across his tanned face.
    Tess couldn’t help it. She laughed, which probably looked pretty silly with tears marking her cheeks. Maybe Bailey was just what the doctor ordered. She had no illusions. All she had to do was make sure she didn’t fall for the guy. She could do that, couldn’t she?
    “Wow!”
    “What’s wrong?”
    “That’s the first time I’ve heard you laugh. You could make a man your slave looking like that.” He squeezed her hand. “I mean it.”
    Suddenly, Tess felt conscious of the fact she was sitting in a bar—her neighborhood hangout—holding hands with a stranger. She glanced at Dan, but he stood at the far end talking to another customer. No one seemed to be paying the slightest bit of attention. Embarrassment heated her cheeks anyway, and she withdrew her hand under the guise of taking a sip from her beer.  “I’ve been known to have a sense of humor occasionally. Tell me, what are you doing in our little town?” Safe territory for strangers to explore, like the weather. He was probably bumming around on vacation and thought he’d visit his uncle before returning to the real world. 
    “I’m on my way to Lake Tahoe. Uncle Dan told me about the Harley and I stopped off here first. I like classic models. Kind of a hobby of mine.”
    Well, that told her next to nothing. “Are you a gambling man? Or taking in the sun?” He didn’t look like the type.
    “I’m...looking for someone.” He signaled his uncle for another beer.
    Getting Bailey to speak in more than one sentence at a time suddenly became Tess’s goal for a successful evening. “And you have to go all the way to Tahoe? Must be important.” That should get some dialogue going.
    “Would you like another drink?” He indicated her half-empty beer.
    “No, thanks.” Not even an attempt to segue. If he’d wanted to guarantee she’d nag him for answers, there was no better way to go about it than trying to change the subject. “Who are you looking for?” She nudged his arm. “Don’t tell me. An old girlfriend who broke up with you and you want another chance.”
    “Believe me, if a woman dumped me, and not many do, she’d be the one wanting another chance.” He flashed a self-assured half-smile.
    Tess couldn’t help it. She laughed again, drawing the attention of several nearby customers. She clapped her hand over her mouth. “You’ve got to work on your low self-esteem.” She shook her head ruefully. As much as she might not want to admit, talking to him had made her feel better.
    Bailey caught her hand and put it over his heart. “Good idea. I’m terminally shy around women. See how my heart is racing?”
    Tess felt the steady beat of his heart under his flannel shirt and looked into his eyes.  The connection with him deepened and each pulse sent shivers throughout her body. They were holding hands again. How