Always by Deb Stover Read Free Book Online Page B

strictly the casual type."
          "Yeah, I sort of remembered that."  
          She smiled in a sad way that tugged at something he knew was better off left buried deep in his subconscious. Unfortunately, today he seemed to have very little control over anything his mind decided to summon.  
          Maybe once the initial shock of having her home again wore off, he'd be able to control his thoughts a little better. Sure, that made sense. Drawing a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and smiled. "It's only across town, but we don't want to be late if we know what's good for us."
          Crimson crept up her neck to her cheeks and Gordon couldn't help but wonder what he'd said to cause her to blush. Or maybe she'd noticed the direction of his gaze a few minutes ago. With super-human effort, he resisted the urge to look again.
          They stepped outside and he pulled the door to, then she inserted the key and sent the dead bolt home. Such extreme security measures seemed out of place in Digby, but whoever owned the house now obviously didn't agree.
          "Oh, I don't believe this." Taylor stood on the porch and stared at his Jeep. "The same one?"  
          The expression of utter delight on her face would be his undoing. He was as good as nuked.
          "Yep, same one." He followed her down the walk and through the gate. Without hesitation, she climbed into the passenger side, her smile triggering more memories.  
          Another dangerous thought struck him as he walked around the front of the Jeep and climbed into the driver's seat. Besides his mom, Taylor was the only living person in the world who shared his love for this old Jeep. She'd shared his love in this old Jeep. The memory was as vivid as it had been that summer.
          "I can't believe it's the same one." Her laughter crawled right into him, igniting feelings of warmth and affection, contrary to his emotional Armageddon.
           I'm in big trouble.
          "Buckle up," he said, struggling against the urge to gather her into his arms. After fastening his own seat belt and hearing the reassuring click of hers, he started the engine and dropped the Jeep into gear.  
          He ventured a side glance at her before pulling away from the curb. Dammit, she was still smiling. Why couldn't she be rude and arrogant? Or ugly? That would've been even better. Safer.
          But no. She was drop-dead gorgeous, with the same wholesome beauty she'd always had, plus the added enhancement of full-blown womanhood.
          His groin tightened again and he knew with the utmost certainty that he could now pronounce himself fully recovered from this morning's ant attack. All systems go.
           For a one way mission to Nowhere.
          Silently cursing his own weaknesses, Gordon drove the few short blocks to Sue's house. On the edge of town nearest his cabin, the modest brick ranch sat back off the road in a pine grove.
          "Here we are." He pulled into the drive and parked next to a strange car. Looking again as he cut the engine, Gordon groaned. Correction, the mid-size sedan wasn't strange at all.
          It was painfully familiar.
          "What's wrong?" Taylor asked, reaching out to touch the back of his wrist with cool fingers. "You feel all right?"
          "No, I don't think either of us is going to feel all right after we go inside." He turned to Taylor with a sigh. "Guess who's coming to dinner?" The setting sun bathed her in shadow, but he still saw her bewildered frown.  
          "Well, I guess we are," she said.
          Gordon jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the blue sedan. "Unless someone else Sue knows has the very same car, which I doubt in a town the size of this one, we're about to...."
          "To what ?" She wrapped her fingers around his wrist and squeezed hard. "Gordon Lane, stop teasing me and tell me whose car that