The Goodbye Girl Read Online Free PDF Page A

oh man, be still her pounding heart, brilliant green eyes.  Pure green, piercing, all-seeing.
    Oh hell, if aliens looked like this yummy specimen of manhood, she’d be begging them to probe her.
    Maybe she was more her mother’s daughter than she’d thought.
    The man’s green-eyed gaze swept the small café before passing over her.  His gaze sharpened, swerved back, and studied her intently.
    Holy crap.  He was watching her watching him.  How Twilight Zone, how spooky, how odd, how…amusing.
    Liking him instantly, even though they hadn’t said a word to each other, Bree smiled.  Her gut instinct said he was all right, a fine specimen of manhood that wouldn’t harm her.  Her head told her that one never knew, he could be a serial killer with a thing for big girls.  Her heart just sighed wistfully.
    The man’s lips curved upward in an answering smile and her heart nearly swooned in delight, her mind sneered, and her gut went yep, fine specimen all round .
    “Hi,” Bree said.
    “Hi.”  His voice was deep, smoky, making her toes curl in her sneakers.  “Bit wet out there.”
    “Just a tad,” she agreed, seeing the rain pouring down through the window.   “Do I see before me a weary traveller seeking shelter?”
    “More like a hungry traveller seeking nourishment.”  His gaze dropped to the bag in her hand.  “As one hungry traveller to another.”
    “Huh.  In that case, you’ve come to the right place.  They make the best hot, artery-clogging food around.”
    “How could I possibly bypass that brilliant observation?  You talked me into it.”
    “But you were hungry anyway,” she pointed out.  “So I really didn’t have to talk you into it.”
    Laughter sparkled in his eyes.  “Another brilliant observation.”
    Thunder rumbled, the lights in the café dimming before again flaring bright.
    “And we have a storm,” Bree said.
    “That we do,” he agreed.  “Are you staying to eat?”
    Was he asking her to join him?  Wishful thinking.  More like being polite.  With a little, wistful, mental sigh, Bree shook her head.  “’Afraid not.”
    The laughter left his face, concern taking its place.  “You’re not going out in this weather?”
    “Things to do.”  Aliens to find .  If he knew that last thought, he’d be backing away from her in case her insanity touched him.  She gave him a small wave as she turned and headed for the door.  “Toodles.”
    No sooner had she grabbed the door handle than she felt warmth behind her, the sensation of something big, the faint scent of male cologne and soap invading her senses as a long arm came over her shoulder and a big hand landed flat against the frame.
    Startled, she started to step back only to bump into a tall, hard body.  Man, he was hot, and she didn’t mean just his looks.  His body called to her chilled one like the mug of hot Milo and the book called to her commonsense.  He felt warm, safe…
    Tipping her head back, she looked directly up into green eyes that studied her, dark brows pulled into a frown.
    “Ma’am,” he said softly, “t here’s a storm out there.  It’s not safe.”
    “Mr,” she replied, “I’ve driven in storms before.”
    “Is this an emergency?”
    Only for dry panties, because being this close to th e stud was making her current pair damp.  “Depends on your definition.”
    He glanced out through the glass door.  “No emergency, then.”
    “I actually have to be somewhere.”
    His gaze dropped back down to her.  “Wait.”
    “Sorry, afraid I can’t do that.”
    His frown darkened.  “Ma’am-”
    “Nice to meet you,” she said.  “Now if you’ll move your hand?”
    For a few seconds she thought he was going to refuse, and annoyance spiked in her.  Hot stud or not, this man was still a stranger and she didn’t take orders from strangers.
    Actually, she didn’t take them that well from friends, either, so that made taking it from a stranger null and void.
    Unless it was