In the Dead of the Night by Terry Spear Read Free Book Online Page B

about your head injury.”
    His hands worked the lotion over her back as she pulled her hair aside. Each masculine stroke kneaded away the tension. She hadn’t realized how keyed up she was. She purred in ecstasy, and he stopped.
    She turned her head to see what was wrong. “Is something the matter, Allan?”
    “No.” His voice was tense, almost hoarse. And he swallowed hard.
    He was lying. Every time she tried to get close to him, he acted like a scared rabbit. Had they been having trouble with intimacy all along?
    This time she swallowed nervously. What if he wasn’t a great lover? Or he now seriously considered marrying her had been a big mistake?
    She sighed deeply, intent on making it over the hurdle that seemed impossible for them to navigate. She took the lotion from him. “Here, let me do the honors next.”
    He shook his head. “I really don’t need any. It’s late enough and—”
    “All right.” Jenny couldn’t curb the irritation in her voice this time. She dropped the container on her towel and headed for the water. How could they be newlyweds when he acted like he was so afraid to touch her?
    Allan jogged after her. “Tell me if your head is hurting, and we’ll go back in.”
    Jenny wasn’t going back inside. If he didn’t want to be with her, fine. And for his information, her head was hurting, had been since she got out of bed. The worry over their relationship was making it pound even harder, so much so she could barely see straight. But she wasn’t going to let it keep her down. And she wasn’t going back into the condo to act like an invalid.
    At first the water felt cold, and she gasped, but the farther out she waded, the warmer it seemed as her body grew used to it. A school of blue fish swam around her legs and she laughed. “Oh, Allan, look at the fish!”
    She looked up to see him watching her, standing waist deep in the water. His eyes were dark and full of worry. What was the matter with him?
    Wading back to him, she took his hand in hers. “Allan, you’re scaring me. What in heaven’s name is wrong?”

Chapter 4
     
    Allan glanced back at the condo. Jenny quashed the annoyance running through her that he remained silent and wouldn’t tell her what was wrong. Two blond-haired men about Allan’s age sat in the chairs on either side of the ones he’d laid the towels on.
    “Are they friends of yours?” she asked.
    He nodded. “Cameron is the one who’s a thinner build with darker blond hair on the right. Samuel is the other.”
    “Are they worried about me?”
    “They’re just here to enjoy the view.”
    She didn’t like being in a fishbowl, exposed to speculation and possibly ridicule. “They can see the view better if we’re not blocking it. Come on. Let’s swim along the beach. If we get tired, we can walk in the sand the rest of the way back.”
    “It’s not a good idea.”
    “Are you worried about the mugger?”
    “I don’t think he’s coming back, but I want to be careful.”
    “Then your friends are watching us.”
    He looked out to sea.
    All right, he could play the game anyway he wanted. But she wasn’t buying it. She walked into the ocean up to her shoulders, enjoying the silky feel of the warm water as it caressed her skin. So far so good. But when she attempted to swim up the beach a ways, he grasped her ankle and pulled her in like a fisherman reeling in his catch.
    Now this was more like it. Some playful swimming maneuvers to get the juices worked up? When he let go of her, she figured what was the use and swam off again. Their relationship definitely had some kinks they’d have to work out, if they even had much of one to begin with. She was beginning to wonder.
    He grabbed her again, only this time he pulled he r close and held her tight. His arms wrapped securely around her body, pressing her against his, hard and totally appealing. The tide pushed at them, threatening to pull them back and forth. But Allan served as an anchor and kept his