Aint too proud to beg sfdg-1 by Susan Donovan Read Free Book Online

his eyes to concentrate on his breath. In, out, searching deep for some kind of reasonable response.
    This wasnt a question for his mind, that much he was sure of. It was a question for his heart, and Rick and his heart hadnt been on speaking terms for a very long time, even before the accident. He opened his eyes and looked at Teeny. Nothings happened with Josie Sheehan.
    Yet. Teenys frown deepened. When his dark brow crumpled it made the old football scars look all the more menacing. Lets keep it real, Rick. I saw the way you looked at each other. /Damn./ Teeny set his cup down into its fancy saucer, which was perched on a white wicker table. The eighty-year old Spode china had come with the place, along with the wicker table and the rockers they sat on and everything else the eye could see. When Rick purchased Samhain Ranch from a real estate investor a year ago, he bought a piece of Sonoma Valley historythree thousand acres of vineyard with its own manager, sixteen rooms full of antiques, vast gardens, a state-of-the-art horse stable, and a live-in family that had been running the Victorian-era ranch house and keeping the grounds for four generations. His Pacific Heights house was fine for when he was in the city. But in the last year, Rick had come to see the ranch as home.
    What Im asking is, are you chucking the plan? Teeny turned toward Rick and braced his elbows on his knees. Because if you are, well need to expand the background searchmove further into her family and her friends and her job. All the old boyfriends, too, and thats a healthy list. Well have to go deeper into her financials, as well. I want to be absolutely sure theres no connection to our man. You know Bennett Cummings is a sly muthafucka.
    Rick blew out a puff of air. /Right. The plan/. It was nearly seven years ago that he made a pledge to himself, and hed stuck to it. Since the morning he woke up in agony and heard the news about what hed done to Margot Cummings, he hadnt let a woman anywhere near him. No dating.
    No flirting. No nothing. What was the point? Hed done enough damage to the female species to last several lifetimes.
    His last hurrah was the accident. Hed smoked a joint, snorted some coke, and thrown back a few Sam Adamses, just in time to take his motorcycle for a spin in the dark and the rain. Hed convinced Margot to come along.
    He hadnt seen her since college, but, as he knew well, she was good-looking and a good lay. Back then, those were his only requirements.
    He took the turn too fast, skidding into a guardrail. He died on the operating tablesoared over his own twisted body and looked down upon the scene in awe. Then he woke up. Alive. On fire with pain. Bennett Cummings was at his bedside, telling Rick what hed done to Margot.
    Cummings leaned close to Ricks face and whispered, /Some day, you will pay for my daughters life with your own./ After seven years in a coma, Margot died. Rick had traveled to Rhode Island for her funeral two weeks ago. It was the right thing to do.
    Bennett Cummings approached him at the service. Its time to collect, was all he said. Then he walked away.
    Teeny cleared his throat. Rick looked up, noting the concern on his friends face. He knew Teeny had a legitimate pointwhy now? Why Josephine Sheehan? What in the hell was he doing?
    There was no way he could tell Teeny the truththe way the energy had crackled through him the instant he saw Josie, how his heart sat up at attention when he first heard her laugh. Teeny was sensitive, but every guy had his limits.
    I like her, Rick answered matter-of-factly. It feels different somehow with Josie, very strong, but good. Almost wholesome. I know that might sound ridiculous, but its the truth.
    Teeny blinked, his lips parting.
    I dont want to play her, Teen, I just want to get to know her.
    Teeny seemed to recover from the shock. So youre chucking the plan?
    Yeah.
    Teeny nodded. With some difficulty, he pushed himself to his feet. He let out a deep groan and