Reckless Passion Read Online Free PDF Page A

resuming his seat as Dara sat down. "I won't be staying long. Got a lot of miles ahead of me tonight."
    "Where you headed?" Yale asked laconically, reaching for his beer.
    "Sacramento."
    "Home port?"
    "You can say that again," the stranger breathed with an air of great expectation. "Got a wife and kid waitin ' there. Name's Bonner, by the way. Hank Bonner."
    Yale introduced himself and Dara , and when Hank's eyes strayed to her neckline, Dara felt obliged to try some sort of distraction.
    "I, uh, expect your wife must miss you when you're gone on these long trips," she said gently. "I take it you drive a truck?''
    "You take it right. And I surely hope to God she's been missing me!" Hank said in a heartfelt tone.
    "How old is your child?" Dara persevered bravely, wishing he wouldn't look at her quite so interestedly.
    "Two." Hank brightened suddenly. "Got a picture. Want to see it?"
    "Oh, I'd love to." She smiled quickly.
    She was aware of Yale's silent amusement as Hank Bonner began dragging photographs out of his wallet. He had several pictures, it seemed, of a smiling, dark-haired woman holding a young boy. He spread them out in front of Dara with obvious pleasure.
    "Took this one out behind the house last month. That's the new camper I just bought, and this one's on the front lawn. Wife wanted that new patio furniture so bad I finally had to break down and get it for her," he said, shaking his head affectionately. "No peace at all until it arrived. Guess women are like that, huh, Ransom?" He grinned.
    Yale's mouth lifted slightly at the corners. "I guess so. No peace at all until they get what they're after."
    Dara ignored his sardonic glance, but she couldn't fully ignore his next words. "The interesting part is watching them find out if they really wanted it after they've gotten it."
    "I'd be willing to bet that women know their own minds better than men ever will!" she stated firmly, shooting Yale a severe glance.
    "That's a fact!" Hank Bonner agreed, chuckling. "Probably ain't a man alive who really understands a woman's mind!"
    "No great loss, I reckon, as long as he understands the rest of her," Yale said smoothly, sipping his beer and watching the color climb in Dara's cheeks.
    "The man who doesn't make an effort to understand both is only going to get half the satisfaction out of a relationship!" she heard herself say crisply.
    "But it's likely to be the half that counts," Yale retorted coolly while Hank roared with laughter. Dara glared at him.
    "I like this little lady of yours, Ransom. Don't suppose you'd let me have a dance with her, would you?" Hank asked hopefully.
    Dara winced. It was obvious her feelings didn't matter. As far as Hank was concerned, she was private property and he had to request permission from the owner, not the property!
    Yale shrugged. "Ask her yourself. I guess she can do what she wants."
    "I'll keep her safe and sound," Hank vowed, getting to his feet and clearly expecting Dara to do the same.
    Thoroughly annoyed but not yet at the point where she was wilting to cause a scene in such unfamiliar territory, Dara allowed herself to be led off by Hank Bonner.
    "Where'd Ransom meet a little lady like you?" Hank asked glibly as he took her into his arms for another country waltz. "You come here often?"
    "This is my first time here," Dara said politely. "As you've probably already guessed," she added as Hank grinned broadly.
    "No offense, ma'am, but you are a little different from the kind of woman I normally find here."
    "Do I look so out of place?"
    "Just different," he repeated soothingly. "So where did you meet Ransom if not here?"
    "You mean he does look like he belongs here?" she asked immediately, curious once again. It would be helpful to have another opinion on the man, she thought.
    Hank Bonner chuckled. "Sure. I'm just wonderin ' where he had to go to find you, that's all."
    "A party," Dara explained weakly.
    "Must have been some party!"
    Dara wisely let that one go and concentrated