Operation Willow Quest Read Online Free PDF Page B

apparently bounced off him without doing anything to
deter him, as he clasped her wrist to take a look at the cut. “You’ll live,” he
assured her, turning to pull out the first aid box from a cupboard high above
the stove.
    “Thank you, Doctor, I’m so relieved,” she
muttered, closing her eyes as she saw the rich red blood dripping from the cut
into the sink. She tried to force away the familiar light-headed feeling and
the spots which were dancing before her eyes. No ,no, no, don’t faint! She felt a cold sweat break out and begin
to run down her back. God, I hate the
sight of blood!
    “Here—let me fix your boo boo ,”
he said, turning off the tap and drying her hand. As he touched her, his gaze
latched on to her pale face. “You’re not going to pass out on me are you,
Sheldon?” he asked, ducking his head to look at her closely. “Here, sit down,”
he ordered, snagging a bar stool over to the bench for her to sit down on.
    “I’m fine,” she told him weakly, hating that
her voice came out sounding like some pathetic wimp, and tried to brush off his
concern.
    Taking her hand in his once more, he quickly
dealt with the cut, covering the wound with a band aid.
    It crossed her mind to pull her hand from his
warm grasp but she found herself distracted by his close proximity. His short
hair gave him a dangerous, rugged look and his five o’clock shadow, something
she’d once thought didn’t appeal to her, was suddenly alarmingly attractive. The tanned skin on his neck
contrasted with the silver chain that held his dog tags, and the fragrant scent
of coconut oil, salt and man, assaulted her senses.
    He glanced up and his blue eyes flickered with
awareness. Slowly he released the hold on her hand, skimming his touch along
her arm, moving to her waist, and pulled her from the bar stool, until she was
leaning against him. He felt hard and tough, and something so wonderfully
dangerous that she almost forgot to breathe—and as his head lowered toward her,
she could almost feel the touch of his warm breath on her face.
    The burst of her mobile’s ring tone made her
start. Jumping back guiltily, she dropped her gaze from his, reaching for the
mobile beside her on the bench where she’d left it earlier.
    “Hello?”
    “Willow?
Hey it’s Terry Sinclair, long time no hear, baby,” a familiar voice boomed over
the phone.
    “Terry? Hi, wow—this is a surprise.” Willow darted a brief look up at Del’s face and knew he’d heard the conversation
on the other end, his deep scowl indicating he was clearly not happy for the
intrusion. Easing away from the tight grip he still had on her waist, she
headed outside to the privacy of the back deck to take her call.
    “Listen, I thought you’d be interested…I might
have some news about Trèago …”
    * * * *
    Willow snapped her phone shut
and stared out over the dark expanse of water into the distance for a few moments,
until she’d managed to absorb the details of the call she’d just received.
    The rumble of the door sliding open dragged her
from her troubled thoughts and she turned to see her sister standing in the doorway.
    “Dinner’s ready; you okay?”
    Forcing a smile to her lips, she shoved away
her dilemma and moved toward her, following Summer inside and closing the door
behind her.
    Tate arrived home as they were sitting down to
eat and Willow
found it difficult to join in the general chit-chat in her current mood, but
she forced herself and prayed the meal would end soon. Jumping up the moment
Summer put down her cutlery, Willow
gathered the plates and began to clear the table.
    “You got a hot date or something, Sheldon?” Del drawled. He’d noted
her hurry to leave.
    “Yep, with my laptop,” she said, sparing him a
small glance before she moved away from the table and into the kitchen where
she stacked the plates. Turning back to retrace her steps, she found Del standing behind her,
the cutlery clenched in his fist.
    “You into cyber sex