Three Rings and a Rose Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    Exactly five and a half hours later, Caedon exited an airport in a Kansas town near Serenity with Addy by his side. He walked casually, attempting to blend into his surroundings. Concealing himself carefully beneath a worn baseball cap and his favorite sunglasses, he looked nothing like his usual self.

    Three Rings and a Rose
    29
    The only things that remotely reminded him of his notorious actor persona were the clothes he had on. He’d worn his typical jeans and T-shirt combo, which had been a risk, but he’d taken the chance.
    Although, he had at least changed into a pair of jeans he never wore and matched it with a T-shirt in a blue color he loathed.
    Addy, on the other hand, had chosen to go all-out in her clandestine costume. Unless someone had x-ray vision, they weren’t likely to recognize the actress in the expensive wig, floppy hat, baggy clothes, and copious makeup.
    As the second set of doors whooshed open, the sudden heat wave from outside hit him square in the chest, and he took a small step back. Being on his air-conditioned private jet for the past several hours had obviously spoiled him. Irritated by the drastic temperature change, he swore vehemently. “Damn it. I hate the fucking heat.” Of all the things that could be annoying him at this very moment, he’d chosen quite possibly the silliest of them all. The risk of being caught didn’t disturb him all that much. The people walking to and fro, heading in all directions didn’t really register. Nothing did—
    except the stupid heat.
    The voice from earlier came back with a vengeance, taunting him with the truth of his heart. “It isn’t the heat that’s bothering you, dumbass. You just want something to bitch about so you don’t have to think about what is really bothering you. Or should I say who?” No, thank you. I know exactly what and who is on my mind. Now leave me the fuck alone.
    Caedon could practically hear the voice’s laughter in the back of his mind. But he pushed it aside and pretended that everything was fine, that nothing was bothering him. He was the cocky actor the world knew, not the human man with thoughts and feelings. I’m Caedon Asher, goddamn it. I need to start acting like it.
    Elbowing him in the side, Addy said, “Like the heat in Los Angeles is so much better.” She smirked. “You’re just spoiled, hot stuff.”

    30
    Mia Ashlinn
    “Hot stuff?” he asked, trying to sound arrogant as all hell, but more than likely failing. “Now that is more like the nicknames I’m used to. You’re finally catching on.” Curious as to why the sudden change, he couldn’t hold back the frivolous question that popped into his mind. “So what happened to dearest? ”
    “Aw, I figured that I would be on good behavior”—she winked at him dramatically—”while we’re here. I would hate for the world to know that you are more than a pretty face.” Caedon chuckled against his will, amused by her irreverent ribbing. “Out of the goodness of your heart?” Addy grinned and touched his arm. “Yeah, something like that, hot stuff .”
    Rolling his eyes, Caedon was distracted from what he’d been about to say when a station wagon pulled up in front of them and eased to a soft stop. The old, beat-up Subaru screamed Tree Hugging Vegan.
    He wasn’t sure what caught his attention more—the various flower and smiley face decals in the corners of every window orthe bumper stickers plastered all over the car. He’d be willing to bet that if he wandered around to the back of the car, he would find a Coexist sticker and a plethora of others just like it. “Wow,” Caedon said.
    “That is…something.”
    “Oh, good,” Addy murmured. “They’re here.” Whoa now. I don’t know about riding in that car. It’s an old-school Subaru—as in twenty or thirty years old. It probably has over two hundred thousand miles on it.
    “Seriously?” Caedon asked, probably sounding like the spoiled rich boy Addy had just accused