Desperado: Deep in the Heart, Book 2 by Tina Leonard Read Free Book Online Page A

like you are now. Stormy at least listens to me.” Mary met Stormy’s eyes gratefully.
    Cody shot an eyeful of flame at Stormy, which she returned. “I don’t like men who bellow,” she enunciated clearly. “I don’t like men who have bad tempers.”
    “I don’t have a bad temper!”
    “You do!” Stormy pecked him with one finger on the chest. “Take a deep breath, count to ten, and be glad I don’t throw you in the pool to cool you off.”
    “Listen, little lady, I’ve had plenty of people wish they could—”
    “Sh. You’re making me crazy,” Stormy told him. “I can’t stand men who are full of themselves. I’m no little lady, and Mary says she’s not a little girl anymore. And I called Annie and got permission from her for Mary to spend the night with me. We’re sorry you had to get out of bed, because obviously you’re a person who needs all your rest. But go away. You’re spoiling this girls’ night out we’re having.”
    His mouth flattened into a grim line. “Everything was fine until you came along.”
    “Obviously not!” she shot back. “You’re lucky I’m here. So stick that under your cowboy hat, and come back when it’s had a chance to soak in.”
    She put her hands back on her hips and drew herself up. Once again, his eyes swept her in an assessing glare.
    “Fine. I’ll be back for Mary at eight o’clock in the morning, sharp. You’d better be ready.” He looked at both of them one more time with disgust. “No wonder she thinks all you do is have fun.” He stalked off, and Stormy’s heart sank.
    “Boy, I’ve never seen anyone holler at my uncle, Stormy. You’re so brave.”
    “I’m not brave.” She forced herself to take deep breaths. I’m a coward, and I hate confrontation. And I need—no, I don’t. I’m just fine.
    “Did you know his nickname is Crazy Cody?”
    Stormy sank onto a chaise, her blood thundering as adrenaline dissipated throughout her. “Why?”
    “They just say he is,” Mary said simply. “Nobody gets into it with Uncle Cody.” She dove underwater, swimming contentedly.
    “I believe it.” He just happened to hit all my hot buttons , she thought unhappily. “Oh, dear,” she said out loud. Panic surged into the adrenaline edginess, making her hands shake. “I’ve gotten myself in big trouble.”
    There goes one location site. And possibly two, if Annie feels I’m trouble the way Cody does .
    Then she realized she hadn’t heard a vehicle leave the parking lot. Squinting toward the hotel, she saw Cody’s truck, well outlined by the street lights. Inside, she could make out his shape in the driver’s seat.
    Surely he didn’t intend to sleep in his truck! The headlights flashed on low and then off again, signaling that he was aware of her perusal. And that he was keeping an eye on her.

Chapter Four
    Stormy turned and dove into the pool, and Cody knew he’d been dismissed. That was fine. She’d gotten his message loud and clear.
    Of course, she’d gotten hers across pretty well, too. “Such a big mouth for such a little lady,” he murmured. Fire had darn near been shooting out of that purple hair of hers. She’d been plenty riled. And determined. The only other woman he’d ever faced with that kind of determination was Annie.
    Cody tipped his hat down over his eyes. He couldn’t sit here for the next few hours and watch her running around in that teeny little swimsuit, that was for damn sure, or he’d be needing a dip in the pool to cool off. The silly thing had the center cut out of it, which showed her flat little belly, and it rode so high on the sides it was damn near just an excuse for a woman to parade around nude. The day he’d met her, he’d observed she was put together pretty well, but seeing her in that tight piece of material clarified his powers of concentration.
    He had never been so struck by the urge to toss a woman over his shoulder and carry her off to a hidden canyon. “Damn female,” he cursed. And