Reilly's Return by Tami Hoag Read Free Book Online

what? Me?”
    Yes, she answered inwardly, but it didn’t seem a wise thing to admit to him, so she sought other reasons for her fears. “I don’t know if I’m ready to try another relationship yet. And I don’t want to just leap into one with you. I really hardly know you at all; you were Mac’s friend. And I just don’t believe in purely sexual relationships. The Hindus teach that sex is one of the lower chakras, down there with all the baser animal needs. I think human relationships should be on a higher spiritual plane, don’t you?”
    Reilly stared at her for a long moment, his straight brows lowered over his eyes, his square chin tucked defensively. Pure sex had alwayssounded pretty darn good to him. Who did these Hindu buggers think they were, mucking up a man’s social life with all their mystical mumbo jumbo?
    It seemed important to Jayne, though. This was a test of sorts, he figured. Could he be patient enough to sort through all that chakra crap, or was he just after a good tumble?
    He wanted her, yes. He burned with want of her. He hardly trusted himself to get within an arm’s length of her for fear he’d lose control altogether. But this wasn’t about just sex. Realistically, he could get sex any time he wanted it with any number of very lovely ladies. But he didn’t want them; he wanted Jayne. He wasn’t sure where this desire would lead them, but he knew he had to find out.
    “Are you saying you want to be
friends
first?” he asked, the word making him flinch a bit. He couldn’t honestly say he’d ever had a woman friend before. It didn’t seem natural.
    Jayne nodded, then watched with interest as Reilly rubbed his chin while he mulled the idea over. She would have bet her best quartz crystal he’d never had a woman for a friend in his life. He was from the old school where a man valued his mates, his dog, and his woman—generally in thatorder. If he decided to try it and decided he didn’t like it, she would be well rid of him when he left. And if he decided to try it and it worked … they could have something wonderful. It seemed the safest way to proceed, though she still preferred that he simply leave.
    “All right,” he said. “We’ll be friends first. Get to know each other, then let things follow their natural course.” Which would land her in his bed within the week, he reckoned. Sounded good to him, though he wasn’t keen on waiting that long.
    Jayne nibbled her left thumbnail. Shoot, that had been too easy. There had to be a catch, something she hadn’t taken into account. It was at times like these she regretted being right-brain dominant.
    Reilly watched her carefully. Apparently she hadn’t counted on him being so progressive-minded. She looked wary, hesitant. Maybe he should throw something in to sweeten the deal, a show of good faith, so to speak.
    “I’ll help you out with the play, as well,” he blurted out before he had a chance to consider his impulsive offer.
    A cold wave swept over him at the sound of the words in his own ears. Bloody hell! Had he just offered to be in a play? A play was all acting andno action. He couldn’t be in a play! There wouldn’t be a single car chase or gun battle, no explosions or brawls. He would be forced to really
act
.
    Panic in its purest form gelled in his gut. He took a deep breath and willed it away. This was a community theater group not Broadway they were talking about. It wasn’t
Macbeth
they were doing, it was a little romantic comedy. The other people in the play wouldn’t be actors either—at all, he amended hastily. They would be accountants and supermarket clerks. He could handle this. No sweat. It would be a walk in the park, a piece of cake.
    Jayne studied the play of strange emotions that crossed Reilly’s face, thinking back to his enigmatic explanation of why he wasn’t now in the Mojave Desert shooting
Road Raider Part III
. Once again she caught a glimpse of vulnerability in him, and it touched her.