The Abandoned Read Online Free PDF Page B

arousal even as he told himself to get the hell out of there. This chick was weird.
    “I’ve been waiting for you,” she said breathlessly.
    “You’ve been waiting…for me?” He gazed down into her upturned face. Pale skin, full lips, blue eyes…all framed by a cloud of dark hair that smelled like ginger. Never mind Hawthorne or Poe. She might have sprung straight from his fantasy.
    Still moving in a dreamlike stupor, she cupped the back of his neck and pulled him down for another kiss. Her mouth was open and eager and when she nibbled his bottom lip, he shuddered. He couldn’t help himself. And it wasn’t to his credit that it took him a moment to break away.
    “I don’t think—”
    “Don’t worry,” she murmured. “Father doesn’t suspect a thing.”
    “He…doesn’t?”
    Smiling, she reached for his hand and placed it on her breast. With her other hand, she reached for him.
    “Hey. Take it easy there.” He stepped back.
    She gazed at him demurely as she began to unbutton her top.
    “That’s not a good idea. You don’t know me, I don’t know you…”
    The top fell to the ground. Her skin glowed like marble in the moonlight.
    Good Lord . Hayden didn’t want to stare, but… good Lord !
    He picked up the garment and thrust it at her. “Come on, now. Put this back on.”
    She frowned, glanced around, and then with a slow dawning, gave a little shriek and drew back her hand. He had no doubt she would have popped him across the face if he hadn’t caught her wrist. “Whoa. That’s not a good idea, either.”
    Her eyes widened and she looked on the verge of hysteria. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
    He lifted his hands. “Nothing. I swear—”
    “Why did you bring me here?”
    “You came on your own. I had nothing to do with it.”
    “Then how…” She glanced down, gasped, and clutched the pajama top to her chest. “Oh, God.”
    It was as if he’d doused her with cold water. She stumbled back, mortified and not a little frightened. “Don’t touch me!”
    “No problem.”
    She retreated all the way back to the steps. He peered at her curiously through the mist, but made no attempt to approach her. “Are you okay? You seem a little…disoriented.” To put it mildly.
    She struggled into the pajama top, her fingers fumbling with the buttons. “I don’t know. I don’t know how I got here. So help me God, if you drugged me—”
    “ Drugged you ?” This just kept getting better and better. “Until a few minutes ago, I’d never even laid eyes on you.”
    “Then how did I get here?”
    “You tell me.” Her accusations offended him, but she looked so lost and vulnerable, he couldn’t help feeling protective of her. Outwardly, she appeared fine. He didn’t detect any blood or bruises, but something had obviously happened to her. “You don’t remember anything?”
    “It’s all so hazy.” She touched a hand to her forehead. “I remember going to bed and then I had the strangest dream.”
    “Dream?” He latched on to the first thing that made sense. “Maybe you were sleepwalking.”
    “I’ve never done that in my life.”
    “First time for everything. Do you live nearby? In one of the dorms maybe?”
    She didn’t answer.
    “You don’t need to be afraid of me,” he said. “If I’d wanted to hurt you, I could have already done so by now.”
    Her chin came up. “You could have tried.”
    He had to admire her pluck. “You’re free to leave,” he said, waving an arm toward the path. “I won’t try to stop you. But just so you know, you’re safer here with me than you are out there alone in the dark. Especially if you don’t know where you’re going.”
    “I know where I’m going.” A slight tremor in her voice belied her defiance.
    “Well, good. If you’ll wait until I gather up my equipment, I’ll give you a lift. If not…be careful out there.”
    Ree knew that she should leave, but instead she lingered, inexplicably drawn to a total stranger. He