Stowaway Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Becky Barker
abruptly stopped struggling, tilted her head and glared at him.
“You have a great way of showing your appreciation for my help,” she snapped. “I should have held you at gunpoint until my dad could come get you.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “You should have.”
Keri clenched her teeth in frustration. Another damned man who thought he knew what was best for her.
She glared harder, and he returned her gaze with a steady, unblinking stare. Their hearts pounded frantically in their chests, beating against each other with tension heightened by the strength and heat of his body.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he swore softly, never losing eye contact. “But I’m not going to let you turn me in, either.”
“I don’t suppose my word is good enough to get this handcuff off?” she tried.
“No.” His tone brooked no argument, but his mouth curved in a rakish smile. A glimmer of amusement lit his fevered eyes. Even in their not-too-amiable situation, he oozed charm. He enjoyed provoking her.
Keri’s heart tripped again. Damn but the man was handsome. A woman would have to be dead not to appreciate his aesthetic beauty. Up close, she noticed the ebony hair of his eyebrows had the slightest tendency to curl. Deep laughter lines slit the corners of his eyes and softer grooves at his mouth. His mouth was wide, with sensuously full, firm lips. His skin dark and smooth, pulling tight across high cheekbones.
She stared into his eyes, watching his gaze drop to her lips. His eyelids dropped too, dark lashes sweeping downward. Her pulse fluttered with unexpected and unwelcome excitement. She felt the metal of her father’s gun gently pressing against her back, but she felt no fear. In a blink of his fascinating eyes, their battle of wills had become a battle of the sexes.
The air between them electrified, sizzling her nerves. The throbbing of her own pulse nearly deafened her. Keri struggled to shrug off the heavy lethargy invading her body.
Please, no , she mentally begged the gods of desirability. Please don’t let this be the fiercest physical attraction she’d experienced in her whole life. Please make her quaking nerves and erratic pulse a result of exhaustion or frustration. She would not accept an attraction for this man.
“You feel good,” he murmured as though surprised by the revelation. “And you smell good too.”
The arm holding her tightened fractionally. He didn’t hurt her, yet he threatened Keri’s composure. Her breathing faltered and her breasts swelled against the solid wall of his chest.
She frantically searched her tired brain for a rational explanation. The fruitless search caused an unreasonable spurt of panic in its wake. Defensive and feeling desperate, she pressed her free hand against his chest and shoved.
His low groan reminded her of his wound. Even as she stepped out of his embrace, her gaze searched his face and shoulder to see if she’d done any damage.
“Sorry,” she whispered, genuinely stricken to have caused him more pain.
Lamanto gave her a weak smile but kept a firm hold on the cuffs that made her his prisoner.
“No problem. Women always lose their heads when they’re in my arms.”
The comment didn’t sound like a boast as much as a statement of fact. He might have said it jokingly, but her expression hardened.
“Now what?” she grumbled. “I’m going on thirty hours with no sleep, and I’d guess you haven’t had much, either. We should both be in bed.”
The unwarranted but undeniably seductive gleam in his eyes added to her annoyance. Her frown deepened, and she tugged on the handcuffs to display impatience.
“These are totally unnecessary.”
He ignored her grousing. “I need a shower and food.”
“You can’t get those stitches wet.”
“I’ll take a bath.”
“You’re nuts.”
“I’m filthy.”
“All right, take a bath,” grumbled Keri, “but let me get some sleep.”
He looked beyond her toward the bed. “I wish the bed had
“You have a great way of showing your appreciation for my help,” she snapped. “I should have held you at gunpoint until my dad could come get you.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “You should have.”
Keri clenched her teeth in frustration. Another damned man who thought he knew what was best for her.
She glared harder, and he returned her gaze with a steady, unblinking stare. Their hearts pounded frantically in their chests, beating against each other with tension heightened by the strength and heat of his body.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he swore softly, never losing eye contact. “But I’m not going to let you turn me in, either.”
“I don’t suppose my word is good enough to get this handcuff off?” she tried.
“No.” His tone brooked no argument, but his mouth curved in a rakish smile. A glimmer of amusement lit his fevered eyes. Even in their not-too-amiable situation, he oozed charm. He enjoyed provoking her.
Keri’s heart tripped again. Damn but the man was handsome. A woman would have to be dead not to appreciate his aesthetic beauty. Up close, she noticed the ebony hair of his eyebrows had the slightest tendency to curl. Deep laughter lines slit the corners of his eyes and softer grooves at his mouth. His mouth was wide, with sensuously full, firm lips. His skin dark and smooth, pulling tight across high cheekbones.
She stared into his eyes, watching his gaze drop to her lips. His eyelids dropped too, dark lashes sweeping downward. Her pulse fluttered with unexpected and unwelcome excitement. She felt the metal of her father’s gun gently pressing against her back, but she felt no fear. In a blink of his fascinating eyes, their battle of wills had become a battle of the sexes.
The air between them electrified, sizzling her nerves. The throbbing of her own pulse nearly deafened her. Keri struggled to shrug off the heavy lethargy invading her body.
Please, no , she mentally begged the gods of desirability. Please don’t let this be the fiercest physical attraction she’d experienced in her whole life. Please make her quaking nerves and erratic pulse a result of exhaustion or frustration. She would not accept an attraction for this man.
“You feel good,” he murmured as though surprised by the revelation. “And you smell good too.”
The arm holding her tightened fractionally. He didn’t hurt her, yet he threatened Keri’s composure. Her breathing faltered and her breasts swelled against the solid wall of his chest.
She frantically searched her tired brain for a rational explanation. The fruitless search caused an unreasonable spurt of panic in its wake. Defensive and feeling desperate, she pressed her free hand against his chest and shoved.
His low groan reminded her of his wound. Even as she stepped out of his embrace, her gaze searched his face and shoulder to see if she’d done any damage.
“Sorry,” she whispered, genuinely stricken to have caused him more pain.
Lamanto gave her a weak smile but kept a firm hold on the cuffs that made her his prisoner.
“No problem. Women always lose their heads when they’re in my arms.”
The comment didn’t sound like a boast as much as a statement of fact. He might have said it jokingly, but her expression hardened.
“Now what?” she grumbled. “I’m going on thirty hours with no sleep, and I’d guess you haven’t had much, either. We should both be in bed.”
The unwarranted but undeniably seductive gleam in his eyes added to her annoyance. Her frown deepened, and she tugged on the handcuffs to display impatience.
“These are totally unnecessary.”
He ignored her grousing. “I need a shower and food.”
“You can’t get those stitches wet.”
“I’ll take a bath.”
“You’re nuts.”
“I’m filthy.”
“All right, take a bath,” grumbled Keri, “but let me get some sleep.”
He looked beyond her toward the bed. “I wish the bed had
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