2. Come Be My Love by Annette Broadrick Read Free Book Online

and emotionally.
    She was determined not to allow it to happen again.

Chapter 4

    S everal hours later, Greg lay awake on the sofa, watching the trees swaying in the ever-increasing wind. A storm was brewing. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. On the one hand, he knew that anyone watching the cabin would be forced to seek shelter if the weather became severe. On the other hand, he had hoped to scout the area for further signs that the place was in fact under surveillance. Another snowfall would obliterate any clues he might otherwise be able to spot.
    He wished to hell he knew how to contact Tim. If he was someplace where he could be contacted, Brandi's innocent call to the agency would be passed on to him. Greg was fairly certain that, despite convincing her that she had a wrong number, whoever had taken her call had managed to get her name. If the relationship between Tim and Brandi was as close as Greg suspected, Tim would waste no time in coming to her rescue.
    Greg glanced over at the fire, which was going out. Throwing back the blanket that he'd tossed over himself, he got up, feeling the chill that had already invaded the room. Ignoring the fact that he had stripped down to his underwear, Greg built up the fire once more, making sure it was going before again seeking the comfort of his makeshift bed.
    Despite Brandi's protestations, Greg felt certain that there was more than friendship between Tim and Brandi. He could well remember Penny's offhand remarks about Brad. If Tim had watched Brandi grow up, how could he possibly resist her?
    Greg punched his pillow and turned over. How ironic that he continued to find himself in situations in which he was odd man out. He had long since recognized his wisdom in removing himself from Penny's life, even though the manner in which he'd done it didn't stand up very well under careful scrutiny.
    Despite his love for Penny, he'd been able to distance himself enough from his emotions to make a clear, logical decision based on the facts of the matter.
    Why was he having such a difficult time trying to deal with his emotions now?
    One of the problems he was having was Brandi herself. He'd never known a woman like her before. She was such a mixture of warmth and impulsiveness, shyness and innocence. He had seen her truly frightened and was impressed by her ability to take care of herself under trying circumstances. He'd found himself eager to hear the peal of her infectious laughter and realized that no one had ever teased and played with him as she had that day in the snow.
    Greg couldn't remember the last time he'd played in the snow with anyone, nor could he remember the last time he'd really laughed and enjoyed himself. Somehow, in his pursuit of a career, he'd lost sight of how to enjoy the little things in life.
    Brandi had pointed out so many things today while they'd been out exploring: oddly shaped trees, a couple of squirrels, the sudden flash of color from a bird in flight. Even while skiing, he had a tendency to let his mind wander, more often than not trying to solve some knotty legal problem.
    Brandi had shown him the fun of being fully conscious of the present. The first time he'd kissed her had been an impulse born out of the joy of sharing that moment with her. Her response had unnerved him, causing him to loosen his control for a few very precious moments.
    The more he was around her, the more fascinating Greg found Brandi. He wasn't sure what he was going to do if his hunch was correct and there was more to Tim and Brandi's relationship than she was telling. He respected Tim more than he respected any other human being he knew. If Tim loved and wanted Brandi, Greg had to accept that. In the meantime, he had to get a firm grip on his emotions and not let them overpower him.
    The situation at the moment was tense enough without his having to battle his sudden and totally unexplainable reaction to Brandi.
    Turning onto his side, Greg determinedly closed his eyes. He