InformedConsent Read Online Free PDF Page A

walked over to the
bench to examine the cabinet. “It’s beautiful. You’re good at this.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “You like working here.”
    “Yeah, I like it.” Except for Jarmin. And Tara.
    “You know I’m leaving for Toronto tonight?”
    “Tonight, eh?” He’d been counting the days, now the hours,
until this incredibly tempting creature was safely on the other side of the
country living with her mother and attending university, and he wouldn’t have
to clench his fists and tighten his balls to keep his libido under control
whenever she was around, or near, or Leo mentioned her name, or—
    “Will you miss me?” she asked point blank, then took another
draw on her beer, not taking her eyes from him.
    “Sure, why not?” That was good. Casual. Don’t care. “Are you
old enough to be drinking?”
    “You know damn well I am. Even if my dad still thinks I’m
about twelve.”
    Tara put the beer down and reached for his, which he
relinquished. That was probably his first mistake. Except maybe for accepting
the beer in the first place. Or not locking the workshop door.
    “I’m going to miss you.” The look in her cool brown eyes was
absolutely straight. Not flirtatious or teasing. Stating fact.
    Okay, time to stop playing dumb. He stepped back and folded
his arms across his chest.
    “Hold it right there, young Calloway. This isn’t going any
further. “
    “Really? Give me a one good reason.”
    “I’ll give you plenty. For one thing, I’m a hardened case
and whether you like it or not, you’re a sheltered innocent, just off to
university—”
    “Who’s worked for a year, remember.”
    He could see the “sheltered innocent” hadn’t gone down well,
as he’d intended. Just keep your distance…
    “Right. At your dad’s company. And suddenly you’re looking
at me and your hormones are saying, hey, he’s way cute, and manly and all—”
    “And so modest too,” she quipped, not appearing the least
dismayed at his candor.
    “And I’m forbidden fruit. We both are. Okay, you may not be
a kid, but you are the boss’s daughter. And I’m your father’s
apprentice. I’m on probation in more ways than one. I screw this up, I’m throwing
away my last chance.”
    Something in her aura sizzled, and not in a good way. “And
messing with me would mess you up?”
    “Big time. And you know it.”
    “You think I just want to fool around? That I’m seeing a
chance for a quick-and-dirty good time, and I don’t give a shit about your
future?”
    He gave her a good hard stare and she returned it in spades.
    “How am I supposed to answer a question like that?” he
snapped. “No, I think you’re truly in love and want to make beautiful babies
with me.”
    Her hard look dropped the temperature a good few degrees.
    “There is a middle ground, Mr. Wonderful. I just want to
tell you I, um, like you. A lot. But in about two hours I’m leaving on a jet
plane and, well, you know how it goes.”
    Yeah. Who knew when she’d be back? If ever.
    “Travel safe, then.” He half turned back to the workbench.
“And have a nice life.” He picked up his beer and drained it.
    “Aw, damn it, Corbett. You’re not fooling me. You’ve known
for weeks I was leaving tonight, and I’m pretty sure you like me just a little
bit. More than a bit. And believe me when I say I’d die before I’d mess you up.
But Daddy’s driving me to the airport in half an hour and I just couldn’t bear
to fly off and leave without telling you that. So I’m just asking, write to me,
will you? Email me. Phone me. ”
    “Tara…” Shit. If he said yes, well, why not? Aching for this
fascinating girl—woman—would be a hell of a lot easier with all that distance
between them. Safer, for sure, if it would get her out of his danger zone right
now. “Yeah, okay, I’ll write you.”
    “Really?” Her face relaxed into a smile and her face took on
a glow of— joy?
    His heart leaped. She really did like him—in a good way. A
warm