A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster Read Free Book Online Page A

worried him more.
    “Food smells good.”
    Standing at the stove turning chops, Spencer glanced back at her. An olive branch? From Arizona? He wasn’t fool enough to reject it.
    “Thanks. We would have had steaks on the grill, but—”
    “You didn’t want Marla to see us together.” Arizona grinned. “I get it.” She lifted her hand as if shooting a gun. “The lady’s got you in her sights and she’s taking aim.”
    The microwave dinged, so he took out the potatoes. “Marla misunderstands the situation.”
    “Nah, I don’t think so. She knows you’re not hooked yet, or she wouldn’t be so insecure about things.” Snorting, Arizona added, “I can’t believe you told her we slept together.”
    His neck stiffened. “It was as good an excuse as any.”
    “Yeah, maybe. But now she knows better.”
    Going still, Spencer swallowed a groan. “You told her?” Marla would likely ramp up her efforts if she knew the truth.
    “Not really on purpose.” Arizona’s gaze was so intent, it burned him.
    He split the potatoes and dropped in butter. He almost hated to ask, but… “How does that conversation accidentally happen?”
    “When she found out I wasn’t going all she-devil over the idea of you boinking her, she said she knew.” Nonchalantly, Arizona added, “Something about you being such a stud-muffin in the sack that if I’d ever had a taste of what you have to offer, I’d be fighting tooth and nail to keep it all to myself.”
    Heat crawled up his neck. “That’s baloney.”
    “Hey, she said it, not me. I was notably skeptical.”
    Figured. “Questioned my prowess, huh?”
    “She didn’t really mention your, er, prowess. She just said you’re well hung.”
    He damn near dropped the plate of potatoes. Slowly, he turned his head to stare at her.
    Unfazed, Arizona asked, “Wouldn’t that just make things more unpleasant?”
    Oh, God. No way was he prepared for this conversation. Later, maybe. After he’d had time to formulate what to say, how to reassure her. How to approach the conversation in a detached, casual… Who was he kidding?
    He couldn’t discuss the size of his junk with her. Not ever.
    He cleared his throat and turned back to his food prep. “Just like women, to stand around gossiping.” He could only imagine Marla’s reaction to Arizona and her uncensored ways.
    “You know, I asked her for specifics, but she wouldn’t share.”
    He jerked around to face her again. “You asked Marla for details about me in bed with her?”
    Arizona shrugged. “She made me curious with all her moony-eyed, drooling enthusiasm.”
    Curious was…maybe good. Better than fear. He considered her candor, her ease in talking to him about such private things. That had to be a sign of trust, didn’t it?
    Brightening, Arizona said, “You’re thinking of telling me?”
    He shook his head. No, he wouldn’t tell her a thing—not yet anyway. “Maybe later.”
    “Why wait?”
    He turned off the stove. “Dinner is almost ready.”
    She frowned but said, “Good, because I’m starved.”
    Thank God for the safer subject. “When did you last eat?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Never the expected answer from Arizona. One day he’d get used to that. If he knew her long enough, which was doubtful. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”
    “I had a candy bar around lunchtime.”
    “Nothing since then?”
    She shook her head.
    “What’d you have for breakfast?”
    “Coffee with you.”
    His head started to pound. “Dinner the night before?”
    She thought about it, then shook her head again.
    Frustration edged in. “Why would you not eat?”
    “I just forget sometimes.” She left her chair and approached the stove. “Can I do anything to help get the show on the road here? My stomach is growling.”
    While she sniffed the pork chops, Spencer looked at the top of her head, at the shiny dark hair, the crooked part. Everything about her seemed endearing.
    If a hedgehog could be endearing. “You