The Evasion Read Online Free PDF

patted his chest and went up on tip-toes for a quick kiss. “Thank you.”
    “Scared the crap out of me. You need to watch, Jo. Even down here, you gotta look before you step into the street.”
    “I know. I’m sorry. I got caught up and wasn’t paying attention.”
    “It’s okay.” He pointed across the street. “Let’s find the sheriff.”
    After checking traffic—thank you—they crossed the street and climbed the brick steps to the church—ah, sheriff’s office—and tried the door. Locked.
    Gabe snorted. Nobody home.
    Jo marched back down the stairs, waving her hand at him. “Don’t start. They knew we were coming, but maybe they had an emergency. Let’s take a walk through town. See what’s what. I’m starved anyway. We’ll eat and come back.”
    “You’re the boss.”
    “Ha! I’ll remember you said that.”
    —:—
    After finding a café for an early dinner, Jo waited outside for Gabe, who had ducked—literally—into the men’s room. Everything about this town, the doorways included, screamed casual and cozy. A softer way of life so unlike New York and the frenetic pace that intimidated some, but Gabe and Jo thrived on. Still, this way of life offered possibilities in terms of vacations and down time. Short bursts of it she might enjoy.
    Behind her, the bells on the door jangled and Gabe came out of the restaurant, his stride, as usual, determined and with a commanding grace that never failed to attract attention.
    On the plane, he had changed into his favorite pair of broken-in jeans, a black T-shirt she’d bought him at Eddie Bauer last weekend, and sneakers. Dressed like this, he could have been an average guy out for a meal with his girlfriend.
    Could have been.
    Anyone with eyes saw he wasn’t any average guy. Gabe’s presence, that relaxed, confident stance that came so naturally to him, screamed power and strength and the ability to rock a woman’s world if she’d let him.
    Mr. August. In the flesh.
    “You’ve got that look, Jo.”
    She knew the look. The one that set both their sexual engines purring. “Can’t help it.”
    He grinned. “We can head to the hotel if you’d like.”
    “Later, big boy.”
    A woman loaded down with bags left the dress shop beside the restaurant and Jo perused the items behind the plate glass window. Well, lookie here .
    Gabe waved a hand in front of her face. “Jo?” When she didn’t respond, he followed her gaze. “Oh, shit.”
    She took two steps, only to have a giant hand grip her arm. “Forget it.”
    “Let’s just look. Could be the real thing.”
    She doubted it. Her hand over Gabe’s, she walked backward toward the window. “Let’s play tourist. You can be my soon-to-be-hubby. I’ll hang all over you. I’ll even undo a couple of buttons for you. Whaddya, say? Deal?”
    “I say nuh-uh. We both know that’s a knockoff Barelli and you’re trying to bullshit me into letting you go in and buy it.”
    Jo gasped, but it didn’t pack the wallop of authentic shock.
    “You’re full of crap, Jo. The deal was that the sheriff would handle this and you’d stay out of it. You haven’t been in this town two hours and you’re already saddling up. Our only job here is to offer support to local law enforcement and hopefully escort Martinson back to New York. Getting into our own investigation is a giant no-no.”
    Of course, she knew all that, but she didn’t see any harm in confirming the bag was counterfeit. Wasn’t that what they were here for?
    Yes .
    All she needed to do was convince Gabe to let her take a teeny-tiny step over the line. Teeny step. Not all of her knowledge regarding Gabe Townsend involved creating sexual positions. No, she knew exactly how his mind worked on a professional basis too, and it was time to put that knowledge to work.
    “You’re right. I’m sorry.” She turned toward the window, feigning wistful. “I guess I just don’t see how it would hurt to go in and buy the bag?”
    “An hour ago you were