Rogue's Revenge Read Online Free PDF

is incredible.” Allison threw up her arms dismay. “My mother will be furious when she finds out.”
    “She knows.” He tasted from the spoon, dropped it into the sink, and faced her.
    “What? No way! Why would she allow me to come here, knowing…?”
    “I think she considers us both mature, responsible adults.” He shrugged and leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms on his chest. “And you do have that self-defense course.”
    “Don’t tempt me.” She clutched the shawl collar of her robe to her throat. “I’m going to call her right now and let her know the situation, because I think you’re lying.”
    “You’ll have to go to town to do that.” His lips quirked. “We didn’t have a telephone when you were here years ago, and we still don’t. Jack always figured having one would only be an unnecessary intrusion. And cells don’t work up here because of our location between the mountains.”
    “You mean the only way to contact civilization is still that old CB he kept…keeps…in his office?”
    “Once in a while, when it decides to work. By the way, you don’t have to clutch that robe. I’m not about to ravish you. At least not until I’ve had my supper.”
    “Ohhh!” She dropped her hand to her side to glare at him. “Very funny.”
    “Your knuckles were turning white. Couldn’t have been very comfortable.”
    He turned back to his cooking.
    Don’t let him get to you. Don’t!
    She cocked her head to one side. “Is that a dryer I hear? You’re doing laundry?”
    “Not mine,” he replied, bending to check something that was wafting a mouth-watering fragrance from the oven. “I threw your suit in to dry.”
    “No!” Allison bolted past him and into the laundry room. Yanking open the dryer door, she stared in horror at the tangled black ball. She pulled it out and strode into the kitchen.
    “Look, just look!” She shoved it in front of him. “This suit was especially designed and tailored for me. Now, not even a midget could get it on.”
    “Not something you’d wear around here anyhow.” He shrugged and returned his attention to the stove. “So no big loss.”
    “Ahhhhh!” Allison bundled the shrunken suit under her arm and headed back to her bedroom. Barbarian, barbarian, barbarian.
    ****
    “Dinner.” He stood in the open doorway of her bedroom, a large slotted spoon in one hand, an oven mitt on the other.
    Wonder what he’d look like in an apron? Only an apron. Damn! Where did that come from? Focus, Allison. Focus on the royal pain he really is.
    “I need to find something to wear.” In an effort to change her thought pattern, she began to dig in the suitcase on her bed.
    “Don’t take too long.” He turned back toward the kitchen.
    By the time she entered the dining room, wearing designer jeans and a green silk shirt, he’d placed two steaming plates on the table. Candles in its center cast bewitching shadows in the gathering gloom of the foggy spring twilight.
    Is he trying to romance me? Well, good luck with that. He may be the best-looking wild-woods type I’ve ever seen, but I know what’s behind the fancy cover. Heath Oakes is one book I don’t want as bedtime reading.
    “Smells like you may be able to cook.” She drew a deep inhale.
    “You be the judge.” He took a decanter from the sideboard and poured white wine into each of their long-stemmed glasses. “The asparagus and rice are my doing. The Chicken Kiev is from the freezer. Before my mother left, she prepared it along with some other dishes to keep me from starvation.”
    They ate in silence. Allison was content with the situation. Words between them had a way of degenerating into nasty remarks and personal insults.
    ****
    “That was excellent.” Allison finished the meal and touched the napkin to her lips.
    “Glad you enjoyed it.” He stood and gathered the plates and utensils. “Coffee in the living room. I’ve got a fire going in there.”
    Touching remembered furniture and