Beautiful Storm (Lightning Strikes Book 1) by Barbara Freethy Read Free Book Online Page B

you first got to the island, drove into the parking lot, got out of the car…"
    She suddenly remembered the digital camera she'd used when she first arrived. "Oh my God."
    "There is another roll, isn't there?"
    "Not film, but I took a few shots on my digital camera when I got to the parking lot. I don't know why I didn't remember that before."
    "Where's your camera?"
    "At my apartment."
    "Let's take a look," he said, jumping to his feet.
    "Hold on," she said, rising more slowly. "Maybe I should just bring the camera here."
    Disappointment tightened his lips. "You still think I'm going to hurt you?"
    "I'm trying to be smart and cautious."
    "You? The woman who runs toward lightning? I thought you were fearless. I also thought you wanted to help Liliana."
    He had a point. She'd already gone this far with him, why was she holding back now? "Fine. I'll show you the pictures. I live just around the corner."
    "Okay, good. You can trust me, Alicia."
    "I'm counting on that."

Five
    As they walked out of the café, Alicia was surprised by the blustery wind. The clouds had passed and the rain was gone, but the breeze was surprisingly strong and shockingly cool for late September. Miami was usually warm well into October and sometimes throughout the entire winter season.
    Despite the weather, Bryant Street was packed with tourists enjoying the mix of cafés, art galleries, antiques shops and sidewalk stands of artists selling everything from jewelry to wood carvings and abstract metal sculptures. She loved the vibe of Bryant Street, and she was getting to know some of the local vendors, many of whom gave her a wave and a smile as she passed by.
    "You're popular," Michael commented.
    "Everyone is very friendly around here. And I love artists. It's inspiring to see people's dreams come to life, whether it's in a painting or a sculpture or a knitted sweater."
    "You find knitted sweaters inspiring?" he asked doubtfully.
    "They can be," she said with a smile. "Anyway, I like it here."
    "It's charming. I didn't realize so many of the warehouses had been converted into design space and lofts."
    "My landlord says the area has really changed in the last year. All I know is that it feels a lot different than downtown with all those trying-too-hard skyscrapers." She stopped abruptly, realizing what she'd said. "Sorry. I forgot that you're a builder."
    "The new city center is going to be amazing," he said, pride in his voice. "It's not trying too hard to be great; it just is. Have you seen the drawings online or downtown?"
    "No. I've heard that it’s a really interesting development, but I don't spend a lot of time in that area. I guess I haven't paid attention."
    "You should come down there sometime. I'll give you a tour. Have you ever stood on the top of a skyscraper before the walls are in?"
    "I can't say that I have."
    "It's an incredible feeling, like you're on top of the world. Someone who chases lightning would like the perspective."
    "I'd like it even more if an electrical storm was moving through the city."
    He tipped his head. "It always comes back to that, doesn't it?"
    She shrugged and opened the gate in front of her building. Three steps led to another door, which she unlocked, and then she led him up a narrow stairway to the second floor.
    As she ushered Michael inside her small one-bedroom apartment, she said, "It's not much. My furniture was either left behind by the previous tenant or picked up at the consignment store." She dropped her keys on the side table as Michael wandered around the room, pausing to look at her framed lightning shots. Then he moved on to the bookshelves, running his finger along her books. He glanced back at her. "You have a lot of books on weather."
    "I told you that I understand weather."
    He moved across the room to a map she'd hung on the wall earlier that week. "What's this?"
    "It shows all the lightning strikes in the U.S. over the past eighteen months. You can see that Florida gets quite a few."
    "I