Battle Prize by Stephanie James Read Free Book Online Page A

head deeper into the pillow in an effort to pretend mat the pounding was being conducted on her neighbor's door.
    But the relentless noise continued with the sort of steady beat that said whoever was causing the racket didn't intend to give up and disappear. With a groan, she struggled to the edge of the bed, bronze hair tumbling around her shoulders in its usual early- moming chaos. She glared in the direction of the closet until a paisley robe came into focus. Struggling out of bed, Rani reached for it, belting the comfortable, ruffle-necked, long-sleeved garment around her slender waist Sliding her feet into fluffy slippers, she headed at last for the door.
    When she reached it she didn't hesitate, throwing it open with an annoyed look on her face. "It's six o'clock in the morning," she began rudely. "What the hell do you want?"
    Gage's dark brows came together in an admonishing glance as he stood staring down at her sleep-softened figure. "You shouldn't open the door until you've established who's on the other side. Rani."
    "I do not need lectures on security from you at this hour of the morning, even if you are an expert. Save them for your clients," she grumbled. "Besides, I knew it was you. No one else would have the nerve to wake me at this hour!"
    "Not at your best at six in the morning?" He moved into the hall, not waiting for an invitation. Disgruntled and not at all sure how to stop him, Rani fell back in retreat
    "I'm not at my best, whatever that may amount to, until after I've showered and had my coffee," she declared forcefully. She continued hopefully, "Come back in a couple of hours and—"
    "And you'll be gone," he concluded. "I talked to your sister yesterday when I couldn't find you here and she said you were going to be managing the shop today."
    Rani slid him a probing glance, trying to determine what else Donna might have told him. Had her sister said anything about Rani buying The Miniature World in a couple of months? For some reason she couldn't yet explain, Rani wanted to keep that bit of information in reserve. All intelligent battle commanders tried to maintain a little something in reserve, she decided. She would speak to Donna the first chance she got and ask her not to mention the impending sale of the shop.
    "I don't go down to the shop until around nine-thirty," she said, not knowing quite what to do now that the man was inside her home. He seemed rather large, standing there in the hall. "Donna needs some time off to arrange for wedding pictures."
    "Is this your sister's first marriage? From what she said yesterday it's going to be a large affair." Gage was beginning to glance interestedly around the apartment.
    "Her second. The first one was a disaster. She was only nineteen at the time and the guy wasn't much older. She was divorced by the time she was twenty-one. They eloped," Rani explained, starting toward the kitchen with the intention of at least putting on some coffee for herself. "Donna always vowed that if she married again, she'd take her time and do it right. This wedding's going to have all the trappings the first one lacked, plus a nice long engagement. My sister is having a great time with it, but I think poor Lou is about at his wit's end!" She picked up a can of coffee and began worrying the lid.
    "Lou being the groom?"
    " Ummm . A very patient man, I must say. I suppose you want some coffee?" she remarked ungraciously.
    "I'll fix it while you go take your shower," he drawled, a smile edging his firm mouth as he took the canister of coffee out of her hand. "You look a little too inclined to poison me. Run along, sweetheart," he added in a patient manner as she hesitated suspiciously. "I'm not going to assault you this morning. I'm here on business."
    "You're going to fire the next weapon in your arsenal?" In spite of her flippancy, Rani felt a tinge of uneasiness. She kept telling herself that nothing this man did would have any effect on her decision not to go back to