Out Bad Read Online Free PDF

watching the ceiling fan in the
dim light of the moon coming through the undressed window.  Normally he
would use the time before falling asleep to mentally plan his work day
tomorrow.  Or maybe run down the list of things he wanted to accomplish on
this place and reorder them by importance.  With as hot as his room was
tonight, new windows and insulation would be at the top.
    Instead, he thought of her and all she could mean for his
life. 

Four
     “Damn it.” 
    Gwen slowed down as she neared Heath and Gabbi’s
house.  The driveway and curb frontage around the house were all occupied
by various vehicles.  This party must be a bigger deal than she
realized. 
    She passed the house and turned around in a neighbor’s
driveway, praying her bumper wouldn't scrape on the pitched driveway as she
backed out slowly and headed back past the house to the closest spot she’d seen
just in front of a white commercial van.  She parked well in front of it,
giving them ample space.  She had no clue how much room they needed to get
that thing out and she didn’t want to find out she underestimated the hard way.
    Quickly grabbing her weekender size bag with a change of
clothes in it out of her backseat she headed to the house, wondering as she
passed each car if it belonged to one of the reasons she wasn’t still at
work.  Her hopes began to fade as each car had some sort of child seat
strapped into the back. 
    If she wasn’t trying to hurry she would have kicked herself
for being so ridiculous.  Discovering he was happily married with children
would be a good thing.  For him. 
    Gwen slowed her pace as she shimmied between the cars in the
driveway to avoid walking through the yard and subsequently sinking four-inch
heel deep into the dirt.  Reaching the door, she quietly let herself
in.  She was late and didn’t want to point it out if she could help
it. 
    She was met by the sound of voices laughing and chatting at
the back of the house.  She turned and quickly headed down the hall to the
bedrooms, hoping to change and sneak into the crowd before anyone noticed.
    A loud voice from the group made her turn to be sure no one
was heading her way and she ran smack into something… someone. 
    The scent of sandalwood mixed with the clean freshness of
the ocean surrounded her.  She froze as each and every hair on her body
stood at attention. 
    She didn’t have to look to know who the body she was
currently pressed tightly against belonged to.  Every cell in her body
already knew.
    Gwen took a step back, not daring to look at him until the
intimacy of his eyes and mouth being mere inches from hers was gone.
    She stood nearly as tall as Joe was in her heels, but his
body was so much larger than she remembered.  His hair was pulled back
today, and he wore a long-sleeved black shirt, stretched tight across his
shoulders and chest.  Dark wash blue jeans hung from his hips and rested
heavily on his black boots.  Barely peeking out from the skin covering his
face and angular jaw was stubble so dark it was almost black.  The urge to
reach up and touch it had her gripping the strap of her bag so tightly her
fingers began to go numb.
    He stood unmoving, his dark eyes never leaving her
face.  She guessed many people would be intimidated by his gaze and
imposing presence, men and women alike.  She was not.  Quite the
opposite unfortunately. 
    Instead, every part of her wanted only to be pressed back
against the weight, the heat, the strength, of his body.  Closing her eyes
as the scent of him surrounded her, Gwen tried desperately to regain control
over her body and mind.  Being intimidated would have been better. 
That she could have handled.  This, whatever this was, was outside her
area of expertise.  Far, far outside.
    It'd been so long since she had been affected by a man at
all, let alone like this.  She’d always believed attraction and desire
were a conscious choice, but now, standing here alone in the