Lucky's Lady by Tami Hoag Read Free Book Online Page B

swamp with him.
    Lucky didn't answer. His relationship with Shelby Sheridan had never been shared with anyone, not brother or stranger or priest. He certainly had no intention of sharing the story with Shelby's twin. It had happened in another lifetime, in another place. He preferred to leave the wound scarred over, if not healed. There was no way on earth he was going to tear it open for this woman. In addition to the sin of being Shelby's sister, she was a psychologist. The last thing he needed was some college girl digging around in his psyche.
    He turned his attention to the luggage she carried and the stylish outfit she wore. “Where do you think we're goin',
chère
? Club Med?”
    Serena gave him one of her haughty ice-princess looks. “For your information, Mr. Doucet, my wardrobe doesn't hold an extensive collection of army fatigues and waders. You may find this hard to believe, but I don't particularly care to spend my free time in the swamp.”
    “Oh, I don't find that hard to believe a-tall. I'm sure you're far too busy givin' dinner parties and goin' to concerts to even think of a place such as the swamp.”
    “Why should I think of it? It doesn't require anything from me. It simply is.”
    Not for long. Not if your sister has anything to say about it
. The thoughts passed instantly through Lucky's head, but he didn't speak them aloud. He was as involved as he intended to get, ferrying Serena out to Gifford's cabin and doing the odd reconnaissance job. It wasn't up to him to save the swamp. It couldn't be.
Dieu
, he had his hands full just trying to save himself.
    What would be the point in arguing with Serena anyway? She was a slick, sophisticated city dweller who obviously had no affinity for the area she had grown up in. What would she care if Tristar Chemicals furthered the ruination of a delicate ecosystem man had been bent on destroying for years? For all he knew she was well aware of the situation and was going out to Giff's only to badger him into selling his land. She was her sister's twin, after all. How could he expect anything better of her than deceit and treachery?
    He looked at her now in her prissy little designer sportswear outfit. She was a woman born to money, used to fine things. It stood to reason she would want more. That was the way of women of her class—see to the comfort and luxury of number one and to hell with the rest of the world. She wouldn't listen to him. He was just a means to an end . . . again.
    “Get in the boat,” he said with a growl, his temper rising like a tide inside him.
    She took another step toward him, her chin lifting to a stubborn angle. “You know, Mr. Doucet, we would get along a whole lot better if you would stop bossing me around.”
    Lucky all but closed the gap between them, leaning over her, trying to intimidate her with his size and the aura of his temper. “I don't want to get along with you. Is that clear enough,
Miz
Sheridan?”
    “Like crystal.”
    She tilted her head back to meet his furious gaze, refusing to back away from him. It didn't seem to matter to his eyes that she was everything he needed to stay away from. It didn't matter to his hormones that she represented more trouble than he could afford to handle. For an instant, as he leaned close and the scent of her perfume lured him closer still, desire flared hot and bright inside him and burned away all common sense.
    His gaze drifted over the elegant line of her cheek and jaw, the perfect angel's-wing curve of her brows, the delicate pink bow of her mouth. He wanted to kiss her, taste her, plunge his tongue into her mouth. It was crazy.
    Crazy.
    A shudder went through him and he tore his gaze from her. He turned away from her abruptly, jerking her suitcase from her grasp and climbing down into the pirogue with it. He settled the bag on the flat floor of the boat, up in the bow with the rest of his cargo, and moved back toward the stern, taking up the push-pole. His hands were