Hunger's Mate Read Online Free PDF

and could be dangerous for all of them.
    â€œI know not UFOs,” he replied. “Look, I’ve got this,” he assured them. “I’m taking the red truck again so as not to have the other vehicles in daily circulation. I’ll communicate with X via com link.”
    Bas nodded. “It’s a good thing he made the new ones so small they won’t even be picked up by metal detectors.”
    Ezra agreed. “I’ll go in, get the information we need, and get out. Simple. I should be back home on the East Coast in a week tops,” he told them before exiting the room.
    â€œYou think it’ll only take him a week?” Bas asked Jacques.
    â€œTo get the information he needs or to scratch that itch that’s surrounding him like body armor?”
    With a shrug Bas replied, “Both.”
    â€œHell no,” was Jacques’s quick reply. “And that’s what really concerns me.”

 
    Chapter 4
    Her heart raced, warm tingles traveling down her spine as she stood at the front entrance of the resort, staring out at the picturesque scenery.
    Jewel ignored the feelings; refusing to acknowledge them would surely make them less relevant. Her gaze remained focused on the sweeping red butte rock formations that reached upward to the soft blue sky and even deeper into the body of the earth surrounding the resort. It was a breathtaking scene, one she witnessed every day she awakened at Perryville. Every day she awakened alive and safe.
    If today seemed a little different, she could accept that. Monotony could lead to being complacent and that could lead to danger. So she would embrace the changes, she would start the day with something other than complete solace and she would make the best of every moment she had.
    There was no other choice.
    Around her she could hear the morning hustle and bustle. Employees beginning their shift, relieving the overnight staff. Bellhops moving to assist in guest checkout. Black shuttle buses with the Perryville insignia in sprawling gold script parked at the curb ready to transport those guests to the airport and to bring more into the resort. This was a finely oiled machine, the business of Perryville, and run by an efficient and conscientious man, who Jewel believed saw more than he acknowledged.
    With a sigh she once again pushed herself to focus, to embrace the inconsistencies and take the next step forward. Wasn’t that what she’d been doing for the past three years? Wasn’t that how she’d planned to live the rest of her life?
    â€œPlease tell me who has put that pensive look on your face so early this morning. I’ll gladly kick his ass right out of your life.”
    She jumped at the sound of his voice, couldn’t help it. Although a part of her traitorous body knew he was near, she’d wanted desperately for it not to be true. And then he was speaking and her already jumbled nerves went haywire. Annoyed after her embarrassing gasp, Jewel turned to at least greet him like a normal human being, but he was standing too close. When she turned, she stumbled and his strong arms immediately came around her shoulders to steady her.
    He smelled so damned good. Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! She wished for a sinus attack right at this moment so her nose would be stopped up and the rich, musky, earthy scent of him would be halted from entering her system, from moving like fine wine throughout her entire body in the span of only a few seconds.
    â€œMornin’.” He smiled, his deep voice wrapping around her in a big seductive cocoon.
    She immediately squirmed, trying to break free of the obvious and not-so-obvious hold he had on her.
    â€œGood morning,” she spoke, remembering her manners at least. “I should be getting to the office.”
    â€œNo need to hurry,” he told her, not letting her out of his loose grasp. “Jacques isn’t in the office yet. I just left him in the restaurant having coffee