Mary Wine Read Online Free PDF Page A

kid’s disappointment didn’t last for long. his eyes shifted for a mere second before he chose another target to aim his attention on. another long-legged launch and he hauled his backpack from the tabletop and loped off into the family room.
    “what is he up to?”
    “he’s looking for a power outlet to set up his system.”
    “and then what is he going to do?”
    21

    loren slowly smiled. her son was a handful. she was going to enjoy watching the major here try and keep up with him. her smile faded as she considered just why they were both here.
    “why don’t you enlighten me about this whole thing? i’d rather not have toby overhear the details.”
    “you’re a paramedic, what more do you need to know?”
    “let’s start with how certain you are of contamination.” his lips pulled back into a wide smile. “i was referring to your contamination, i remember mine.”
    “good.”
    dropping her plate, loren glared at her tormentor. propped against the kitchen counter, his lazy stance didn’t fool her one bit.
    “i’m a married woman, so forget it.”
    that got his attention. half a second and he was standing at his full height. one step and he’d closed the distance between their bodies to mere inches. her breath caught in her throat as she tipped her head back to get caught in his emerald stare. all playfulness was gone like it had never been. his face was etched in solid granite as he pegged her with a penetrating stare.
    “i have a man down. preliminary blood work shows exposure to the virus.
    seven days will show if he’s going to develop the disease.” he finished closing the gap ‘til his face was a split second from touching her own. his breath hit her lips as he stopped before completing the kiss. “and you need a divorce.”
    the screen door slapped shut behind rourke as he left, letting loren collapse in relief into a chair. her entire body was shaking. it had to be impossible to be so very aware of a man. her nerve endings were screaming and he hadn’t laid a finger on her.
    seven days might as well be seven years.
    22

chapter three

“paul’s been trying to reach you but your phone’s not getting a clear signal. these mountains have a large iron core and it’s producing a lot of static. but i’ve changed the setting on your dish network so you should get that signal now.”
    loren’s son loped back into his living room a half second after he finished talking. rourke’s phone buzzed for attention almost on cue. staring at the empty doorway, rourke grabbed the cellular device from his pocket.
    “campbell.”
    “your tone implies that i’ve caught you at a bad time, major.”
    “dr. jasper?”
    “yes, your message did say it was urgent.”
    “it is… stand by.” ripping a towel off its drying rack, rourke pulled it across his face and neck. three hours of hard running and that woman was still stuck inside his skull! “all right, doctor, i apologize. i need some information on a tobias loren.”

    “toby. yes, quite a unique young man.”
    “how unique?”
    “you would have to meet the young man to know, major. i became acquainted with him when he broke into my encrypted files.”
    “the boy’s a hacker?” tossing the towel aside, rourke cast a narrow look at the living room doorway.
    “toby is a genius. we don’t conduct interviews here. if you can’t get our attention, you don’t have the brains.” that was clear enough. disconnecting his phone, rourke considered his kitchen. a
    walk on the beach was rapidly becoming more interesting by the second.
    the slight grating sound of a computerized printer drifted through the doorway. he really needed a shower but…had that kid said he’d adjusted the satellite dish?
    approaching the doorway felt remarkably like a covert operation. his body tensed just the right amount to heighten his senses. his feet didn’t make a sound as he stopped behind the wall before easing his head around for a look.
    “holy christ!” the