Texas Temptation Read Online Free PDF

the fatigue that lined the edges of his deep blue eyes, and she realized that he was just as tired as she was. Based on the condition she’d found him in this morning, she assumed he hadn’t slept much the night before. She’d also noticed that he hadn’t stepped too close to a razor for a couple of days, and unbidden, the memory of how those rough bristles had felt against her neck flooded her mind.
    She looked away, letting her insides settle before trusting herself to speak.
    â€œI have a room in town,” she said, turning around and gathering up her notes. “At the Cactus Flat Motel. You can call me there if you need to. I’ll be going over this paperwork tonight.”
    She turned to leave, then turned back again and lifted her gaze to his. “I know it’s hard for you, my being here,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry.”
    He nodded slowly, and she saw the pain in his eyes as he stared at her. The most natural thing in the world would have been to go to him and put her arms around him. To comfort him and to be comforted.
    But she didn’t. And though she didn’t know why, she did know that in all the time she’d been here neither she nor Jared had said Jonathan’s name once.

Three
    A nnie was already at the rig when Jared drove up the next morning. At least her car was there, he noted as he pulled up beside the Cherokee, but she wasn’t in it.
    He’d arrived early, hoping to get there before her. Partly to give himself a few minutes to do a test run on the drill motor, and partly because he needed a few minutes alone there before she showed up.
    Maybe she’d needed a few minutes herself, Jared realized grimly.
    He stepped out of his truck and tipped his Stetson back as he searched the area. The equipment shed was locked, so she couldn’t be in there. He started toward the small square trailer that served as office and lounge for the crew, but hadn’t gotten more than a few feet when he heard her call his name. Turning, he frowned as he looked around, but still didn’t see her.
    â€œGood morning.”
    Glancing upward, he narrowed his eyes and focused on a slender form silhouetted by the rising sun. She stood at the edge of the derrick platform twenty-five feet off the ground, her hand lifted in a wave.
    He froze.
    He couldn’t breathe. His heart pounded with bruising force against his ribs. He wanted to scream at her to move back, to get away from the edge, but his voice had suddenly gone numb.
    â€œJared?” she called down, and stepped even closer to the edge. “Are you all right?”
    His hands were shaking now. He clenched them into fists and, without taking his eyes off her, walked stiffly to the metal platform steps, then moved slowly upward toward her. At the top of the stairs, he paused, his jaw tight, and stared at her.
    Brow furrowed, Annie asked, “Is something wrong?”
    As she stepped away from the ledge, the steel band around Jared’s chest loosened and he could breathe again. “What the hell are you doing up here?”
    â€œWaiting for you.”
    â€œYou haven’t got any gear on,” he said more sharply than he intended. He was still waiting for his heart to slow down, trying not to think about how close she’d been to the edge....
    â€œGear?” She frowned at him. “Jared, for heaven’s sake, I’m just looking around.”
    â€œThere’s no place on a rig for sight-seeing, Annie. You want a tour, take the bus.” He knew he was being unreasonable, but he didn’t care. “Next time you come up here, you better have a damn good reason, and you better be wearing a safety belt and hat.”
    â€œA hat!” She stared at him incredulously. “You’re not even drilling yet.”
    â€œThat would have made me feel loads better if I’d driven up and found you in a dozen pieces. And now that I think about it, you don’t