With Just Cause Read Online Free PDF Page A

she’d have somewhere else to
assign blame and responsibility. She trembled. His arms tightened
slightly. He wasn’t cold anymore, either. He was warm.
Breath-catching. Enticing.
    Hmm...
    Go back to the 2100 Radical Society retreat?
Never knowing what she’d passed up? Or spend some time with what
might be heaven? Decisions. Decisions.
    “I’ll stay with him,” she said.

CHAPTER FOUR
    “You get motion sick?”
    The question rumbled through the chest she
leaned against, jogging her from a semi-conscious state that
approached the divine. His voice added to the heavenly sensations
overtaking her. He still sounded like really dark melted chocolate
would if it had a voice. Deep. Sinful. Baritone. Yet melodic. (Like
one of those voice-over ads for decadent lodgings.)
Wow.
It was almost too much. She’d never been carried so closely, so
securely, or for so long. The tremor he gave occasionally only
added to the impact. It felt absolutely right. Perfect. Or damn
near it.
    Deandra shifted her head, bringing his jaw
into focus. And sighed. She couldn’t help it. He had the slightest
scuff of whisker on his jaw. It darkened his chin where the bare
shadow of a cleft beckoned a touch. A trace of whiskers also shaded
his upper lip, drawing her eye to really kissable-looking lips. The
guy was so gorgeous it impacted her breathing. Thinking. Pulse.
Again. Still. Double wow.
    They were moving. She didn’t know how.
Nothing seemed to move on his lower body. She really didn’t care,
however. It was enough that wherever they touched, her body could
actually feel him. And was enjoying it immensely. Even through
their clothing.
    “I’ve never ridden a horse... so I don’t
know. But I doubt it.”
    He smiled, putting nice lines into play about
his eyes, and giving her a hint of teeth through his parted lips.
She sighed again. Louder this time.
    “Didn’t bring a horse.”
    “Oh. Well, you can’t possibly drive any worse
than Len. So, I’ll probably be fine in a truck, too.”
    His smile broadened into a grin. There still
wasn’t much light, but what there was glimmered on pearly white
teeth. And what looked like really sharp canines. Deandra’s eyes
narrowed at the sight an instant before he sobered; and half an
instant before she thought about worrying over it. She’d crossed
over into insanity. Going heaven-knew-where, with a man she’d just
met. She didn’t even know his name. She told her body to stiffen.
Nothing obeyed.
    “Close your eyes,” he said.
    “Why?”
    “Trust me.”
    “You have to be joking. Trust you?”
    “You’re safe. Promise.”
    “If I don’t trust you to begin with, why
would I believe that?”
    He twisted his lips as if considering it, and
then moved the arm that was wrapped about her ribcage. Deandra’s
breasts got squashed against really hard, muscled pecs as he
fumbled with something beneath his vest. That was enough to make
her sigh again, but this time she held it. She supposed if she was
willing to risk everything for a night in a stranger’s arms, it was
a huge benefit that he had the body of Adonis. Or Atlas. Or
whichever god had the most muscles. Maybe it was Hercules.
    “Here.”
    He moved again, releasing her from the
breath-stealing hug. A tremor went through him again, transferring
into her. Then he pressed something into her hand. For that he had
to pull it from where she’d clamped it about his neck. She wasn’t
acting much like an abduction victim, she decided. Deandra toyed
with the thing for a bit, even pricking her palm with the
stick-pin.
    “Is this... a badge?” she asked.
    “Yep.”
    “You’re a Ranger, maybe?”
    “Marshal.”
    “You’re a US Marshal? Seriously?”
    “You’ve got my badge.”
    “Hmm.” She rubbed a thumb along the ridges of
his badge, where raised letters proclaimed whatever it said. Inside
the circle was the outline of a star. Wow. Maybe the angels really
did look out for fools, after all. Deandra smiled.
    “Well. I guess I’ll trust