Taking Fire Read Online Free PDF

passed out.”
    She yawned and stretched languorously. “You don’t have to sound so smug.”
    â€œOh, I think I do. I think I ruined you.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss against her lips, then straightened and started getting dressed. “Your leg okay? We didn’t rip any stitches, did we?”
    â€œMy leg is fine.”
    She watched him dress in silence. Couldn’t help but watch him. She’d learned his body well in the dark. A body that gave as well as took pleasure to extremes and was as pleasing to see as it was to touch. And taste . . .
    And that was a train she had to derail.
    She needed to seal the deal. To find out if he was corruptible and, if not, make certain he’d begun to trust her. Enough to keep coming back.
    â€œYou were right,” she said, sounding guilty with little effort, because she did feel guilt. And something more that she’d never planned for and didn’t want to dwell on. When he looked back over a broad, bare shoulder, she lowered her gaze to the sheet she’d drawn over her breasts. “I do want something from you.”
    He chuckled. “Sweetheart, I don’t think I have any more to give. At least, not right now.” Then he pretended surprise, a hard glint in his eyes. “But we’re not talking about sex anymore, are we?”
    â€œFor God’s sake, it’s nothing sinister. Not like I want state secrets or anything.” Only it was.
    He sat on a side chair, tugged on his boots, then finally lifted his head, waiting.
    â€œI want to go on a mission with you.”
    His slow smile wasn’t very pleasant. “You can’t seriously think that’s going to happen?”
    No, she didn’t. But it had been worth a try. “I’ve been covering combat zones for years. Mostly after the fact. I want to be there on an operation. In the front line as it goes down.”
    He reached for his T-shirt and pulled it over his head.
    â€œYou still don’t believe me?” she asked when he didn’t respond.
    â€œIt doesn’t matter what I believe,” he said, tucking and zipping.
    â€œIt matters to me.” She sat up, dragging the sheet with her, and reached for her laptop. “Here. Look at this.” She shoved the laptop toward him after booting it up and finding the file she wanted him to see.
    He glanced from the laptop to her face and shook his head. “I’ve got to get going.”
    â€œPlease,” she begged. “Just look at it. It won’t take long for you to get the message. I’m not a danger to you. I’m not a threat to anyone.”
    That brought a reluctant smile. “Trust me, you are a threat. To my peace of mind. I’m going to think about you all day. You know that, right? I’m going to be distracted, thinking about all the things I want to do to you.” He leaned down to kiss her, and melting heat pooled between her legs.
    She made herself pull away, then shoved the laptop into his chest with shaking hands. “It’ll only take a minute.”
    He eyed her, eyed the laptop, and with forced patience sat down on the bed beside her and started reading, then scrolling through the articles—­complete with photos of her and bylines and commentaries about how important her voice was in spreading the human side in her war stories.
    He was quiet for a moment, then shut the laptop and set it on the table.
    â€œIs that why you were at the school yesterday? You were writing a story?”
    â€œI’ll still write the story,” she said, determined to do so. “But the question is, are you convinced now that I am who I say I am?”
    He sat for a moment longer before looking at her. “Gettin’ there.”
    â€œThat’s something, I guess.”
    His eyes and his voice changed when he lifted his hand and ran a single finger along the curve of her bare shoulder. “What do you say we continue