Reckless Radiance Read Online Free PDF Page A

and the air smelled crisp. “How is your tea?” he asked. Valerie smiled at him and nodded, holding tightly to the green paper cup. “Really good.”
    Russell smiled back and she felt a surge of electricity roll through her chest. It was a feeling she’d missed. There was nothing electric about Henry. Not the way he looked at her or how he touched her. Henry was dull and their time together deadened her. In a matter of moments, Russell had put a smile on her face and a spark in her veins. Something was different about him.
    “What are you doing tomorrow,” he asked delicately.
    The charge rippled through her again.
    “Nothing. I’m not working tomorrow.”
    “May I take you on a proper date? A day date. I know the perfect place,” he said with a hint of sparkle in his eyes.
    This man was unbelievable. Valerie pulsed with a feeling that told her to say yes before she was overcome with the urge to say no.
    She reached over and put her hand on his and the strangest thing happened. The same spark that lit up the space between their fingers in the diner flared again. A subtle golden light flickered and Valerie thought she might even be imagining it. It wasn’t the spark that took her off guard though. It was a feeling. An emotion came over her quickly when her hand rested on his for a mere second. She was flooded with an inexplicable sense of tranquility. In the time it took for her to process the sensation, Russell pulled his hand away and stared at her, waiting for her reply.
    Valerie searched his face for an explanation. Where did that come from? She cleared her throat and turned her attention to the ground. “Tomorrow … tomorrow would be great,” she said. She sipped at her tea again to distract from the awkwardness that grew between them.
    “I should get going,” she said, pressing her lips in a thin line. She stood and forced a smile. She wished she hadn’t laid a finger on him now that she knew how it made her feel.
    Whatever his deal was she didn’t really care. He was kind and gentle and easy on the eyes and even though something was—different, she didn’t think she minded.
    “Pick me up at Penny’s,” she blurted before she could overthink it any more.
    “One o’clock?” he smiled. Valerie nodded and met his eyes meaningfully. She let out a sigh before telling Russell goodnight.
    She sat in the parking lot behind Penny’s and waited for her car to heat up a little. As warm air finally started to blow out of the vents in front of her, she clicked her seatbelt into place and looked in the rearview mirror. For a moment she caught sight of her own eyes. They looked different. Her eyes seemed to have life in them, a brightness she barely recognized. She reached for her purse, digging out the cell phone from the side pocket.
    She pulled up his name in her contacts list quickly and called without a second thought. Then she waited, holding her breath.
    “This is Henry, you know what to do.” A beep followed his usual brash tone and Valerie’s words stuck in her throat for a beat.
    “Henry, it’s Val. I really hate to do this in a message but it’s time. I don’t think we should see each other anymore. We’re just—bad for each other, Henry.” She hung up the phone with ease and calm settled inside of her.
     

Chapter Six
     
    He walked to his hotel with the brisk air blowing his hair in his eyes. He couldn’t get her beautiful face out of his head. It was what he’d been waiting for. Not only had she seen him but she’d let him in. Barely. Their few minutes in the coffee shop and walking along a concrete path to a park bench may have seemed mundane to ordinary eyes but to him it was a dream realized. Everything about her from her hair to her hands to the sound of her shy laugh was just as he remembered. Guilt filled him, though. There was so much she didn’t know. So much she couldn’t know—not yet. Everything about what he was doing was dangerous but he couldn’t resist her.
    There