Safe Haven by Renee Simons Read Free Book Online Page A

sign of weakness. Most times, he kept his distance. This night, he left the shadows, coming close enough for her to see the saliva dripping from his jaws, to smell his hot breath, fetid from old kill, to hear the low fearsome growl that rumbled up from his belly and grated at the back of his throat. Close enough to imagine his sharp fangs tearing into her flesh.
    Afraid he might attack, she searched frantically for a weapon and finally picked up a piece of tree branch and held it in front of her like a sword. The tip burst into flame reflected in his eyes. For a long, terror filled moment, he paced back and forth, looking for some way past the threat. Finally, as if unwilling to chance the danger, he backed away and melted into the dark forest.
    Sweat prickled on Jordan ’s skin, a cold, numbing moisture that ran down her face and soaked her tee shirt and the sheet covering her. She felt the wetness before hearing the long, haunting wail that roused her from the dream to lie shaking with fear until she recognized the siren of a fire engine passing in the street below.
    Neither asleep nor fully awake, she stripped off her wet clothes, took a lukewarm shower and wrapped herself in a terry robe before getting back into bed. Comforted by the faint sandalwood scent of a man's after-shave and freed of her nightmare pursuer, she slept until ten o'clock when the telephone woke her.
    "You loafin', love?"
    "Sleeping in. What's wrong?"
    "Would you have dinner with me tonight?"
    She started to say no, then remembered her promise to Drew. "No disagreements?"
    "I’ll watch my mouth. Promise."
    "Then how can I refuse?"
    "Come over at five, but take a cab. Parking's rough."
      The house stood on a street whose buildings formed a U surrounding a small park on three sides. The ride up the hill revealed bow fronts, red brick, cobblestones, and multi-paned story-high windows glowing with the last light of the fading afternoon. Like the others, Drew's house appeared more than a hundred years old, but seemed solid and well kept.
    The brass door knocker brought Mrs. Willis, who ushered her through a marble-floored gallery big enough to hold a dance and into the dining room. Formal and elegant, its sage green walls found echoes in the drapery framing ceiling high windows. Matching damask seats covered twelve Queen Anne chairs arranged around the banquet table and bracketing a highboy and buffet. That the mahogany furnishings were authentic antiques was obvious from their lustrous finish and fine workmanship.
    "Do you like this room?" Ethan stood in the doorway as if reluctant to join her.
    "Very much."
    He motioned with a lifted chin. "All this came from the house where we grew up. Our Mum paid storage on it for years hoping we'd get back to it someday. Andy bailed out the lot when he bought this place."
    "Family heirlooms make the room special."
      "I'm glad you’re here."
    His hesitant smile turned her knees to mush and his strong presence drew her like a magnet. Beige slacks and a matching turtleneck sweater emphasized his slim length and broad shoulders and brought out pale lights in his blond hair. Devastating, she thought. Unmistakable pleasure lit his eyes, leading her to wonder what her own eyes gave away.
      "Ethan, I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I overreacted and..."
    "Don’t apologize. If my admiration for you is unwelcome, I can keep it to myself. Your friendship is too valuable. I missed you like hell - especially when I came back from the building site."
    "What happened?"
    They walked to the head of the table where Mrs. Willis had set their places with crystal, silver and fine china.
    He shrugged. "I tried talking to the contractors and was shown the door."
    "The direct approach doesn't seem to work very well with those people."
    He pulled out a chair for Jordan before seating himself. "Probably a clue to how much they have to hide."
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
    Jordan looked at Ethan over her coffee cup.