Raven's Prey by Stephanie James (Jayne Ann Krentz) by Unknown Read Free Book Online

that crazy quirk in her personality was straightened out, the one that made her grab for unnatural attention and try to manipulate every man in her orbit, she might be one hell of a woman. She didn't lack guts and she didn't give up easily. Furthermore, there was a sensuality about her which intrigued him far more than he wanted to admit.
    What would have happened if he had, indeed, taken her? Judd finally dozed off into a light sleep with that question still burning in his mind and in his loins.

CHAPTER THREE

    The familiar knock of the neighborhood boy who brought her fresh eggs three times a week brought Honor out of her restless sleep the next morning. As she struggled awake she automatically glanced across the room. The bedding Judd had been using during the night was neatly folded and stashed on the crate that served as an end table. From the tiny bathroom she could hear the sound of running water. He must be shaving, Honor decided, pulling herself out of bed and padding barefoot across the floor to open the door.
    "Buenos dias, Paco. ¿Qué tal?" Judd might have been right about her Spanish being lousy but it had been improving daily in this land of strangers who spoke no English.
    The small, black-haired boy on the front step grinned up at her and shyly handed her the carton of eggs. "I am fine," he answered formally in Spanish, remembering to slow down so that she could understand him. "I've brought your eggs."
    "Wonderful. I'll go and get the money." Honor didn't kid herself. This was a poor village and her willingness to pay well for good food and vegetables was much appreciated locally. Solemnly she counted out the proper amount for the eggs, the coins disappearing into the child's grubby little hand.
    "My mother wants to know if you'll be needing more eggs now that your man has found you?" Paco asked gravely, peering unabashedly around the corner to see if he could catch sight of the stranger who had taken the gringa out of the cantina last night.
    "Tell your mother that I'll let her know" Honor told him dryly. In a small town like this the arrival of Judd Raven was hardly likely to go unnoticed.
    "Do you think your man will give me a ride in his airplane?" Paco asked hurriedly.
    Honor didn't catch every word but she got the gist of the question. "You'll have to ask him," she said smiling, and in the back of her mind a glimmering of an idea began to take shape. The airplane was the means ,by which Judd Raven eventually planned to get her out of the country. He would never let her near the Cessna unescorted but he was going to have a hard time keeping all the curious village children from hanging around the exotic machine. If worse came to worst and Raven refused to pay any heed to her explanation, those children might offer her a possible way of sabotaging that damned plane.
    "Ask me what?" Judd's voice cut across her thoughts as he emerged from the bathroom behind her, wiping his neck with a small towel he'd found. The dark shadow of his beard, which had been evident last night, was gone temporarily, but in the bright morning light he reminded her just as much of a black-winged bird of prey as he had the night before.
    Honor took in the brilliant midnight eyes, the emotionless expression on his bronzed face and the hard lines of his body in jeans and a fresh, dark shirt. Her spirits sank.
    "Paco here wants to know if he can have a ride in the Cessna," she explained quietly.
    Judd arched one brow and looked solemnly down at the young boy. He said something in rapid, expert Spanish and Paco's face fell in disappointment. Honor realized Judd must have refused the ride. But the conversation went on for a few more minutes, the language too rapid for her to understand completely. In the end Paco left with an expectant grin on his dark features.
    "What did you tell him?" Honor asked as she shut the door behind her small visitor.
    Judd shrugged. "That I didn't have enough fuel to take all the kids in the village