Bonds of Desire by Lynda Aicher Read Free Book Online Page B

that his belongings be retrieved from The Den locker. He wouldn’t rest until Seth had left to get them.
    Seth nodded. “They’re in the other room. I don’t want him sneaking out of here tonight.”
    She gave a puff of agreement. “He’ll probably try anyway.”
    “True.” He ran a hand through his hair, the chestnut strands threading through his fingers to fall against his shoulders. Maybe it was another trick of the light, but his features appeared gentler too. Almost warm. Worried. “But we can’t force him to stay.”
    She scanned Tyler’s back once again. The pain had to be horrendous. Not to mention the emotional trauma the event had caused. “But we can’t let him go.”
    “He’s an adult. If he insists on leaving, there’s nothing we can do.”
    She stared at Seth, her temper rising to protect Tyler. “I thought you wanted to help him?”
    “I do. I will.”
    “Yet you’d let him leave when he obviously needs help?”
    “And forcing him to stay will make him run faster.” Seth checked his rising voice, cutting a quick glance to ensure that Tyler was still asleep. He pressed his lips together and motioned for her to follow him as he left the room.
    Allie bit her tongue to hold back her retort. Seth was right, of course. They couldn’t force Tyler to stay or accept their help. But that didn’t mean they should let him leave before he was healed. There had to be some way they could get him to stay.
    She rose, pausing to straighten the blanket over Tyler’s hips. The large window was open behind the curtain, but the balmy mugginess flowed in to keep the room warm. She left the door cracked and turned to face her bigger problem. Seth Mathews. Her anger was her strongest defense against her unwanted attraction to him. Yet she was almost too exhausted to maintain the pretense that was crumbling under the consistent demonstration of his concern for Tyler.
    Seth was hidden behind the open door of the refrigerator, the polished stainless steel glinting in the bright light of the overhead bulbs. The high-end kitchen was all dark wood, black marble and stainless steel appliances. The understated sophistication carried into the rest of the open loft. Glossy wood floors, a large flat screen, black leather furniture with sleek modern lines, fancy artwork on the wall and everything spotlessly maintained. There was zero indication that this was a bachelor pad.
    “Want one?” he asked, leaning around the door to hold up a beer. “I also have wine or something harder if you want it.”
    She crossed to the kitchen. “Whiskey. On the rocks.”
    His brow rose a fraction before he turned away to grab a bottle of expensive whiskey from the cupboard. She eased on to the stool beneath the island bar, barely swallowing the groan that wanted to slip out. The clock on the microwave glared bright green, taunting the early morning hour. She might as well push on for one more hour and blend her day into the next. It wasn’t the first time she’d pulled an all-nighter.
    She’d planned on heading into the office that morning. Thankfully, it was Saturday and no one would comment if she got in later. Well, maybe they wouldn’t. The Fourth of July had passed on Tuesday and a lot of people had taken the entire week off.
    She dropped her head forward to press her fingers into the tight muscles at the juncture of her neck. What the hell was she doing here?
    Glass clicked on the hard marble before her, and her eyes sprang open to catch Seth watching her. She straightened and clasped the drink in her hands. “Thanks.”
    He lifted his beer in silent salute. The liquor hit hard and bitter on her tongue. It smoothed down her throat and this time she let the sigh escape. The amber liquid flowed through her system to uncoil every tight muscle from the inside out.
    “We can’t make him stay,” Seth said, his voice low to match the mood. Outside, the rain had let up, leaving behind water-streaked glass and a dampness that seemed