Twisted By Love, Reincarnation Tales, Book 1 Read Online Free PDF

even heard of the book. But he really
was...arresting. And so very appealing. And she didn’t give a damn
what any security expert would say about that. “Look, I’m sorry
about what just happened. I know you probably think I overreacted.”
She felt like a complete idiot.
    He shook his head. “A woman alone can’t be
too careful.”
    “Thank you for understanding.”
    He slid the seminar pamphlet across the
trunk, closer to her. “Don’t forget this.”
    She eased forward, snatched it up, and shoved
it into her briefcase.
    “I’d like to buy you a drink to make up for
causing the trouble.”
    She wanted that drink, and she wanted a lot
more, but her embarrassment overruled desire. She didn’t want him
to suspect that she’d been having hot and heavy fantasies about him
for two weeks. One should never consider turning fantasy into
reality. That only led to disappointment.
    “Thanks,” she said politely, “but I’ll pass
on the drink. My sister’s waiting at home. If I’m late, she’ll
worry.” She glanced at her watch pointedly. She hoped to God Toni wasn’t waiting at home. Overtired and her head starting to
ache with the ridiculousness of the situation, she longed for a
bubble bath and a glass of wine.
    He took two steps to the left. Presumably
towards his car. “Perhaps another time then. I want to make it up
to you.”
    Her smile so wide her face felt near to
cracking, she said, “It’s not necessary. Gotta go. Bye-bye.”
    She used his preoccupation with putting away
his wallet to unlock her car and climb in.
    If she wasn’t afraid he was still watching,
she’d have banged her head against the steering wheel. The whole
episode had been silly. Not to mention awkward, embarrassing, and
humiliating.
    She would not feel stupid. Just as
he’d said, a woman alone couldn’t be too careful.
    Yet she wondered if she’d missed her one and
only chance to find out if reality could actually be better than
fantasy.
     
    * * * * *
     
    That went well. Bern quirked his mouth in a
self-deprecating smile. He stayed in the otherwise empty garage
until his mystery woman had started her car, backed out, and her
taillights disappeared around the corner.
    I carry my mother’s picture in my wallet,
visit her once a month, and I named my sister’s dog Roark.
    Yeah. A stellar introduction.
    Though she had eased up in the end, he truly
hadn’t meant to frighten her. He simply hadn’t wanted her to get
away from him. The rest had been self-defense against that
wide-eyed stare he’d evoked. He didn’t make it standard procedure
to cite his vital statistics before he learned a woman’s name.
Great first impression.
    And he still didn’t know her name. After
scaring her half to death, he opted for supplying information
rather than asking questions.
    Why was she so important to him that he
risked acting the fool for her?
    He could ask why all he wanted. Actions told
the story. He saw, he wanted, he acted. He’d never before felt such
a strong reaction to a woman, and he knew he never would again.
    An odd sensation spread from his gut to his
extremities. From the moment he’d seen her, his belly had clenched
with a need so strong he couldn’t deny it. It went beyond the mere
physical to something that stole through his organs, seeped into
his brain, and wrapped itself around his heart. Could Jake actually
be correct, that souls traveled together and met again in different
lives?
    It didn’t matter. He’d found her, and he
would win her over.
     
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    Toni parked her car on the street and let
herself into Livie’s condo on the fifth floor of the building. Toni
preferred apartment living, where she could pick up and move
whenever it suited her. But Livie liked roots and ownership, even
if it was a tiny condo in a big complex in Belmont.
    What a day. She felt like crap, and she
looked like last month’s leftovers.
    Where was Livie? It was after nine. Toni
threw her overnight bag on the bed,