One Black Rose Read Online Free PDF Page A

just see the Roths’ house from where I stood. Without hesitation I hurried in that direction.
    With every step I got happier. Everything that was wrong, my parents’ divorce, being sent away for the summer, faded away in a swirl of colorful flowers. I knew I shouldn’t cut back through the garden, not considering the reaction I had just had, but my body told me there was no other choice, and every bit of me fizzed with excitement at the prospect of being among the flowers again. Plus, Carley had said the Roths weren’t home, so it’s not like I’d get caught.
      
    Stepping back over the white fence and into the Roths’ back yard, I felt the same rush I had felt only a little while ago, but now I could contain my emotions. They did not threaten to swamp me as they had before; I was more prepared. It was not overwhelming like the first time had been, with Carley. I could feel the pull of the flowers, now cast in evening shadows, but I no longer had the stunning urge to build a flower crown, put it in my hair, and dance around like I didn’t have a care in the world.
    I looked at the house to make sure there were no lights on. It was completely dark. The garden was much bigger than I remembered it. There were more paths, and more of them seemed to lead to benches with canopies of flowers instead of back to the street. I kept trying to find my way out – it had seemed so simple earlier – but all I did was get more turned around.
    I realized that I was lost in the garden.
    Just as I was starting to panic, a light popped on in one of the first floor rooms. I was so shocked at the idea of being discovered that I stumbled. I could hear a dog starting to bark frantically. Quickly righting myself, I looked around to make sure no one had seen me, and I almost screamed. Eyes were looking back at me out of the darkness.
    A man stepped towards me through the shadows. “Can I help you?” he asked in a strained voice.
    I forgot the noise of the dog as I realized I’d been caught trespassing and was probably in big big trouble. Worry trickled down my back and shoulders. I could see only a dark outline of the man facing me.
    I definitely hadn’t been expecting anyone, and certainly not someone whose hair was so light blond that it turned a white gold color in the moonlight. I had never had a physical reaction to someone that sent shivers up and down my spine even though I couldn’t see his face clearly in the shadows. He had a silent intensity about him that pushed me away and at the same time made me want to know more. To make matters worse (if you could call it bad to be alone with an attractive guy surrounded by flowers), I was pretty sure he was staring at me.
    I shrank away. “I’m sorry. Um, I’m new around here. Visiting for the summer. My friend said this was a shortcut, but now I’m lost.” I drew breath so that I could continue my completely stupid rambling, but before I could say anything else he smoothly cut me off.
    “It’s fine. Let me show you out.” He made no move to touch me, but instead turned on his heel and continued up the path, leading me out. I still hadn’t gotten a clear look at his face.
    He knew exactly where he was going. His footsteps never hesitated as he chose one path after another. I followed numbly. Now the flowers I passed meant nothing. They were mere shadows in the night. I no longer heard the frantic dog’s barking or worried about being lost in the garden. All I concentrated on was the back I was following.
    He led me right to the place that Carley and I had come through earlier, resting his hand on the fence. He still made no move to touch me and didn’t offer to help me over. Now in the open, with the moonlight, I could see that he had green eyes with flecks of silver and a slight but strong build. I gaped. I knew this face. I’d just seen this face earlier in the day. I was looking into the eyes of Holt.
    “What are you doing on the Roths’ property?” I demanded.
    I