Hoodwinked by Diana Palmer Read Free Book Online Page B

wistful, faraway look in the green eyes behind her glasses. “That’s the kind of life I wish I could live. The most adventurous thing I do in a day is to feed Bagwell a grape and risk having my finger decapitated.” She sighed. “I’m twenty-four years old, and I’ve never done anything risky. My whole life is like a bowl of gelatin. It just lies there and congeals.”
    He burst out laughing. “What a description.”
    â€œIt suits the situation,” she murmured. “I thought coming out here to Kansas and starting over again might change things, but it didn’t. I’m still the same person I was in New Orleans. I just changed the scenery. I’m the same dull stick I used to be.”
    â€œWhy do you want to climb mountains and go on safari?” he asked.
    She shrugged. “Because it’s there?” she suggested. “I don’t know. I just want to get out of my rut. I’ll die one day, and I’ve never lived.” She grimaced. “The most romantic thing I’ve ever done with a man was help change a tire.” She threw up her hands. “No man who’s seen me will risk taking me out!”
    He chuckled deeply. “I don’t know about that. I wouldn’t mind taking you out.”
    She stared at him. “No. I don’t need pity.”
    â€œI agree,” he said easily. “I’m not offering any. You’ve got enough self-pity for two people as it is.”
    She glared. “It isn’t self-pity, it’s reality.”
    He shrugged. “Whatever. How about a movie? I like science fiction and adventure and police drama. How about you?”
    She began to smile. “I like those things, too.”
    â€œGot a newspaper?”
    â€œNo,” she groaned. “Only the weekly. I can’t afford a daily paper.”
    He let out a whistle. “I haven’t been here long enough to get one started. Well, we can drive around and look at the billboards.”
    She felt like a new penny, bright and shining. “A matinee?”
    â€œWhy not? They’re wasted on kids. I hate going to pictures at night and trying to see around couples making love in the seats. The heavy breathing makes it hard to hear.”
    â€œYou cynic,” she accused, daring to tease him.
    He smiled at her as he got to his feet. “What about your green friend there?”
    â€œBagwell, it’s early bedtime for you tonight,” she told him.
    â€œApple,” Bagwell said and let out a war whoop when she nudged him into his cage. He began to scream.
    â€œNow, now.” She calmed him while she cleaned his cage and gave him fresh water, seeds and a vitamin additive.
    â€œHe’s a pretty bird,” Jake remarked.
    â€œI think so. He’s a lot of company, anyway,” she replied as she covered his cage. “I don’t know how I could manage without him. He’s sort of my best friend.”
    That touched him deeply. He knew that she was rather a loner at the plant, but he hadn’t realized that this was true of her private life, as well. He scowled, watching her rush around the apartment before she excused herself to change into a white sundress and tie her hair back with a ribbon.
    He’d suspected her from the beginning of being involved in the problems with the Faber jet, and he still wasn’t convinced that she was totally innocent. But she didn’t fit the picture of a saboteur. Then he reminded himself that they rarely did. He couldn’t afford to let himself get too involved with her at this stage of the game. First, he had to find out a little more about her. And what better way than to involve himself in her private life?
    â€œI’m ready,” she said, breathless as she stopped just in front of him, almost pretty in her white spike heels, white sundress with its modest rounded neckline, and white ribbon in her hair. Despite the glasses, she wasn’t bad to look