Promises by Jo Barrett Read Free Book Online

seen one another in years.
    He took another taste of his soup.   “So, what do you do out here all alone?   I assume it’s just you and Monstro over there.”
    “Yes, it’s just the two of us, and his name is Rocky.”   She patted the large head that landed in her lap at the mention of her guardian’s name.   “I’m an artisan.   I do wood carvings.   Walking sticks, pipes, that sort of thing.   I sell them through the mail and to catalog companies.”   All true.   Her new life was fairly complete.   Jill Proffit simply didn’t have a past.
    “Don’t you get lonely?”
    Scratching behind Rocky’s ear, she said, “Not really.   I like my privacy.   But I do go into town from time to time for supplies and things.”    
    “How long have you been living here?”
    “A while.”   Were they just chatting or was he digging for information?   Something told her it was most definitely a sneaky interrogation.  
    Once an agent, always an agent.   She couldn’t really blame him.   After all, he’d recently been shot and didn’t know anything about her.   Or so he believed.
    “Tell me about Mark Schuster.   What does he do for a living?”   He grinned broadly.   “I mean, what do I do for a living?”
    “He, I mean, you are a journalist for Art Today magazine.”
    “Am I any good?”
    “Fair.”   She grinned at the false look of indignation on his face.   “You’re on vacation and decided to stop by for a visit.”
    “So we parted amicably.   Well, at least I’m noble.”
    She laughed, enjoying the feel of it as the sound bubbled up from her chest.   There hadn’t been much to laugh about for so very long.   “I wouldn’t go that far.   We were friends who tried dating a little and decided not to get serious.”
    “Ah, no fooling around.   So there’s no hope for reminiscing about old times, I take it?”   His mouth turned up at the corners in a teasing grin.  
    She was grateful for the low light as a rush of heat surged into her cheeks.   “No.   There’s absolutely no chance of reminiscing since there’s nothing to reminisce about.”  
    His grin changed into a deliciously sensuous smile.   “My loss,” he said softly.  
    All the air evaporated from Bobbi’s lungs as their gazes locked.  

 
     
     
     
     
     
Chapter Three
     
    A rumble of thunder rolled in from the distance, breaking the tense silence that fell between them.  
    Travis cleared his throat and glanced at the window.   “Sounds like we’re not done with the wet stuff.”
    “No.   We’re under a severe storm advisory.   They’re fairly regular this time of year.”  
    Bobbi turned to the window and watched the leaves spinning in the wind.   It had picked up quite a bit since she’d brought in the last load of firewood.   Maybe with a little luck, something she seemed to be in short supply of lately, the storm would turn back out to sea.    
    The wind whistled around the cabin, and she grimaced.   Bad weather or no, she would be sleeping upstairs in the guestroom.   Alone.   During the storm.   Travis didn’t need her to watch over him any longer.  
    “Please, turn back out to sea,” she whispered.
    “Something wrong?”
    “No, I’m just not real fond of storms.”   She clutched her knees as the light flickered then burned steadily.   No, not the power again .  
    The few minutes the lights had been out the night before had unnerved her enough.   She did not need to be alone with Travis in the dark.   When he was asleep the situation had been bearable, but awake and looking the way he looked?   Uh-uh.   Definitely not a good thing.  
    His spoon clanked against the edge of his bowl.   “You sure you’re all right?”
    “Fine.”   Setting her jaw, she decided to quit fretting over things she couldn’t control.   “I’ll just get my stuff and take it upstairs.”  
    Stepping into the bathroom, she took a long deep breath.   She couldn’t deny being