High-Stakes Passion Read Online Free PDF Page A

hands. His broad chest sported a light dusting of chestnut hair, and his arms and left thigh were thick with muscles. Even with the injured leg and a scruffy beard, Mark Malone was sinfully gorgeous.
    Stop thinking like that! You’re here for one purpose, to get the story of the Lone Cowboy!
    Powerless to stop herself, she looked her fill. His right leg was shrunken, with long, jagged scars snaking around from the top of his thigh all the way to his ankle. As she stood there, she wondered where she would find the coverage to ask about his injury?
    Â 
    Mark glanced up and did a double take. What the hell? It was little Ms. Nosy. Couldn’t she respect a man’s privacy? He grabbed the sheet and threw it over his leg. Had she seen it?
    â€œWhat do you want?”
    She extended a huge tray of food. “Um, I brought you dinner. I thought you should eat something.”
    â€œI’m not hungry.” His head ached and his leg throbbed and he didn’t want her pity.
    â€œAre you sure?” She moved closer, and the aroma of honey and garlic drifted to him. “John said you love pork chops.”
    Anger flared. Of course—John had put her up to this! “No, thanks.” He spied a half-full beer bottle on the nightstand and reached for it.
    â€œYou don’t really need that, do you? You know, drinking won’t solve your problems.”
    â€œLook, lady,” he sighed, his hand halted halfway to the table. “You don’t know anything about my problems.”
    The bed dipped as she set the tray on the mattress. “My name is Audrey.” She strode over to the table and grabbed up an empty beer bottle. “I’ll just clear this off while I’m here.” The glass bottles clanked as she filled her arms.
    Mark winced. His stomach churned. His head pounded as if a bronc had kicked it. He just needed a sip to take the edge off. Before she could take it away, he leaned forward and grabbed the half-full bottle from her hand.
    Damn. She had that hurt look again. Her green eyes reproached him. His gaze dropped to her full lips. She licked them and he envied her tongue. He looked back up to her eyes and leaned forward, reaching out a hand to touch her smooth cheek.
    For a moment, he thought she felt the same pull he did. Her eyes closed and her mouth opened. But she jerked back and made a little sputtering sound.
    Damn it! What the hell was he thinking? He looked away and started to drink.
    The beer was almost to his mouth when she latched on to the bottle. “Stop! You have this beautiful ranch, and good friends, yet all you do is sit in here and drown your sorrows. There’s so much more to life!”
    He glared at her. “Lady, if I want a sermon, I’ll go to church.” He tugged on the bottle.
    She didn’t take the hint. “Please. This isn’t the man I’ve admired all these years.”
    Who the hell does she think she is? “I’m not the Lone Cowboy anymore!” As if to prove his words true, his muscle cramped and pain streaked down his leg. “I can barely walk.”
    â€œOh, please!” She let go of the beer and stalked around the room. “The point is you can walk. And you’ve got two strong arms.” She grabbed clothes and bottles as she ranted. “You can do whatever you set your mind to.”
    â€œAre you through yelling?” he said, grinding out the words. He might take this from John, but he didn’t have to listen to some carping housecleaner, even if she did have a cute, round behind.
    She turned back to him, one hand on her hip. “No.” The woman was relentless. “My brother-in-law has ALS. Lou Gehrig’s disease. It attacks his muscles, and every day he loses more ability to move his arms and legs. He’s in a wheelchair. He can’t talk or move his hands or even swallow. He won’t live to see his son grow up!” She stopped in front of him and shook her