Renegade by Diana Palmer Read Free Book Online Page A

my eyes don’t like them. I get infections.”
    He reached out a big, lean hand and caught a strand of her hair in it, testing its softness and bringing her close up againsthim in the process. “Your hair is alive,” he said quietly. “I’ve never seen this color look so natural.”
    â€œIt is natural,” she replied, feeling her knees go shaky at the unexpected proximity. He smelled of cologne and soap—clean, attractive smells. Her hands rested on his shirt, feeling the warm muscle and the faint cushiony sensation of hair under her hands. She wanted to pull the shirt up and touch him there with a fervor that made her breath catch. She’d never felt desire so torrid in her life.
    â€œAnd nothing about you is artificial?” he probed.
    â€œNothing physical,” she agreed.
    His dark eyes searched her green ones for longer than he meant to. His face seemed to clench. She knew he could probably feel her heart racing. She couldn’t help it. He was a particularly masculine man. Every thing feminine inside her reacted to his touch. “I don’t trust women.”
    â€œYou were married,” she recalled.
    He nodded. His fingers curled around the strand of hair he was holding. His eyes were haunted. “I loved her. I thought she loved me.” He laughed coldly. “She certainly loved what I could buy her.”
    She felt cold chills run down her spine. “There’s so much in your past that you don’t talk about,” she said softly. “You’re very mysterious, in your way.”
    â€œTrust comes hard to me,” he told her. “If people can get close to you, they can wound you.”
    â€œAnd the answer is to keep everyone at arm’s length?” she replied.
    â€œDon’t you?” he shot back. “Except for Rory, and briefly Judd Dunn, I don’t recall ever seeing you keeping company with anyone. Especially a man.”
    She swallowed hard. “I have horrible memories of men. Except for Cullen, and there was no physical contact there.He liked women as friends, but found them physically repulsive.”
    â€œDid you love him?”
    â€œIn my way, I did,” she said, surprising him. “He was one of two people in my entire life who were good to me without expecting anything in return.” Her smile was cynical. “You can’t imagine how many times you get propositioned in my line of work. It took years to perfect a line that worked.”
    â€œYou can’t blame men for trying, Tippy,” he said curtly. “You look like every man’s dream of perfection.”
    Her heart jumped. “Even yours?” she asked in a teasing tone. Except she wasn’t teasing. She wanted him to want her. She’d never wanted anything so much.
    He let go of her hair. “I gave up women years ago.”
    â€œAren’t you lonely?” she wanted to know.
    â€œAre you?” he retorted.
    She sighed, studying his strong features with a vague hunger. “I’ve got cold feet,” she said huskily. “Once or twice over the years I took a chance on someone who seemed nice. But nobody wanted to talk to me, to get to know me. They only wanted me in bed.”
    His eyes narrowed. “Can you…?”
    Her gaze fell to his chest, where the muscles were outlined by the close fit of his knit shirt. “I don’t know,” she replied honestly. “I haven’t…tried.”
    â€œDo you want to?”
    She bit her lower lip and frowned, staring at the dinosaur without really seeing it. “I’m twenty-six years old. I don’t risk my heart, and I’m happy enough. I have Rory and a career. I suppose I’ve got all I need.”
    â€œIt’s a half life.”
    â€œSo is yours,” she accused, looking up at him.
    â€œI have an even better reason than yours,” he said coldly.
    â€œBut you won’t share it,” she guessed. “You