Outlaw Carson Read Online Free PDF Page B

a man for protection, or anything else
as far as Kristine could tell. She’d gotten along quite well
without one for four years. Actually, she’d gotten along better
without one. She had no intention of ruining the winning
combination of herself and her work by allowing some overly
charismatic outlaw to breathe down her neck while she resurrected
his project from the shambles a bunch of men had made of it.
    Drawing in a deep breath, she prepared to
explain her position in formal tones befitting their professional
relationship. “I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with a dormitory
room for a couple of days, Mr. Carson.” There was that title again,
appropriate for the circumstances, but oh so inappropriate for the
man himself. On Saturday you can move into one of the faculty
apartments. It is completely outside the realm of my responsibility
or the confines of custom for me to allow you to stay in my home. I
hope you understand.” And she did, fervently. She didn’t know what
she’d do if he didn’t. Calling the police seemed rash, and unlikely
to forward her career.
    “Then we are not agreed?” he asked, looking
surprised. It was a rare emotion for him, if she was reading his
underlying reaction correctly.
    “No, we are not agreed.”
    “I thought you understood about . . .”
    “And I wish you would understand,” she said
over his uncompleted sentence.
    Forbearing a sigh, Kit lowered his gaze and
dragged a hand through his hair. Sang Phala had taught him many
things, but the old lama had obviously never dealt with an American
woman. He wondered if they were all so self-determined, or if it
was a purely personal trait in Kristine. He was used to women who
obeyed without question and had little knowledge of women who
didn’t. It was an interesting experience, interesting and a shade
irritating.
    Kristine crossed her arms over her chest and
watched him carefully, trying to gauge how he was taking her
ultimatum. He didn’t look angry, but he didn’t look like he’d given
up either. For the life of her she couldn’t imagine why he was
insisting on staying. Sure, she’d responded to his kiss with
unprecedented enthusiasm, but her every action since had been
designed to discourage him. If her ex-fiancé had shown even half of
his tenacity, she might be married now instead of heading into
spinsterhood with only her degrees to keep her warm.
    Maybe she should try another tack and
stretch her authority a bit. The man might be more infamous than
famous at the moment, but he was still a visiting scholar of
sorts.
    “If you would prefer a hotel,” she said,
“I’m sure the university will pay for your room and board.” They
were already into his project to the tune of thousands and
thousands of dollars. What was a few hundred more? “We have a
number of fine establishments here in Fort Collins, including a bed
and breakfast place close to the school, The Charters House. The
Mountain Inn has a swimming pool and it’s just a couple of blocks
from my office, or there’s the . . .”
    So be it, Kit thought, only half listening
as she extolled the virtues of all the places he would not be
staying. He’d never found any protection in innocence or ignorance,
though at one time he’d had both in abundance. He didn’t want to
frighten her, but she’d left him no choice.
    “Kreestine,” he interrupted, and waited
until he had her undivided attention, until her mountain-violet
eyes focused on him, impatient but waiting. “Others will find the
trail harder to follow, but one will come, and before he finds me,
he will find you. I cannot leave until it is known that what I have
brought is no longer within his reach.”
    A brick wall, Kristine thought. It was like
talking to an inscrutable brick wall. “Who will be coming for
what?” she asked in exasperation, pressing him to make a point, any
point at all, without beating around the bush.
    Kit started to tell her the details were
unimportant, then hesitated,