Lakeside Love (A Mill Creek Crossing Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Rain poured in buckets all over them, and her idea of staying dry quickly went out the window.
     
    They ran toward his house and made it just before a big gust of wind threw his patio furniture across the yard. As he slammed the door behind them, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to a flight of stairs leading to the basement.
     
    “What’s wrong?” she yelled as the wind whipped around the house.
     
    “Not sure, but that might be a tornado out there!” he yelled back. They could hardly hear each other as the storm raged outside.
     
    “Oh, no…” she moaned when she realized she had a gash on her leg. She sat down on the floor of the unfinished basement as the power went out. He reached across and pulled her close to him as she covered her head and prayed they would be safe.
     
    A sliver of light shined through the basement window, and it was enough for him to see her leg. The bleeding had slowed down, but she obviously needed to treat the large cut.
     
    “How did that happen?” he asked touching her leg. His touch sent shivers down her already electrified body.
     
    “I’m not sure. I think some of the debris,” she said as she shook from fear.
     
    “It’ll be okay. Just calm down…” he said softly as he put his arm around her and rocked her back and forth. She didn’t even know this man, but felt immense amounts of comfort in his arms. How was that possible?
     
    A few moments later, the sky brightened up again and the noise stopped. It seemed to last for hours, but Erica knew it was just a few minutes. She’d been in Georgia storms before, but never anything like that one. She took a few calming breaths before looking over at the handsome stranger.
     
    “I’m Erica, by the way,” she said with a nervous laugh.
     
    “Nice to meet you Erica. I’m Dylan Kramer,” he said holding out his hand to shake hers as he slowly released the arm he’d planted around her shoulders.
     
    “How do I begin to thank you for finding me?” she said as the words rang in her head. Gracie had said her perfect man would find her. Could this be him?
     
    “No need to thank me. I was just in the right place at the right time. Why don’t we go upstairs and tend to that cut?” he said standing up and pulling her to her feet. He was strong and rugged and unlike any man she’d ever seen up close. His scent was a mixture of trees and wood and sweat and everything she imagined a real man should smell like. Max smelled like a department store.
     
    She hobbled up the stairs as he put his hand on her lower back to stabilize her. How did a stranger’s hand feel so familiar?
     
    They made their way into the kitchen, and she sat on a bar stool. He walked into the laundry room and came back with a first aid kit. The cut was larger than she thought it was, and blood was caked on her leg. He carefully started to wipe away the excess blood with a wet cloth before spraying some antibiotic spray on the cut. She winced when it stung.
     
    “Sorry. I just don’t want it to get infected,” he said looking at her with those eyes. Man, those eyes.
     
    “It’s okay,” she said softly. “I’m tough.” She smiled even though it stung pretty badly.
     
    “I bet you are,” he said returning her smile.
     
    “This is a nice place. How long have you lived here?” she asked trying to break the obvious tension between them.
     
    “Thanks. I’ve been here almost three years now. Wow, time flies…” he said looking past her at the living room. He seemed to be off somewhere else in his mind.
     
    “I’m just renting the house across the lake for a couple of weeks.”
     
    “Alone?”
     
    “I’m not sure I should tell a complete stranger whether I’m staying alone,” she said trying not to smile at him again.
     
    “First, I’m an ax murderer, not a stranger. And secondly, I saved your life.”
     
    “Saved my life? I don’t know you saved my life, per se…” she said rolling her eyes as he continued bandaging