Tender Savage by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

night.”
    “No.” She unbuttoned the shirt and let it slide down her arms. “How did you know?”
    “I didn’t sleep well either.”
    She pulled the gown over her head and settled it over her hips. “You said it wouldn’t bother you to sleep on the floor.”
    “It seems I was wrong.”
    “You can open your eyes now.”
    His lids flicked open and he smiled at her. “I think I like you in my shirt better.”
    She avoided his eyes as she picked up the shirt and tossed it to him. “Neither of us has a large wardrobe here. You can’t afford to give me your clothes.” She sat down on the cot and raised her arms and began to run her fingers through her hair, trying to comb out the tangles. “I don’t suppose you have a brush?”
    He shook his head.
    “I didn’t think so.” She made a face. “It’s funny how we take things like brushes for granted and never realize how—” She broke off as she looked up to see him watching her. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
    “Like what?” He pulled his gaze away and shifted it to the floor. “I was just looking.”
    She glanced down at herself and suddenly realized her raised arms had pulled the bodice of the gown taut, revealing the shadowy outline of her nipples pressed against the gauze. She hurriedly lowered her arms and searched desperately forsomething to break the silence. “Aren’t you going to put on your shirt?”
    “Not yet.” He slowly raised his gaze to meet her own. “It still has your scent.”
    A wave of heat tingled through her, and the breath left her body.
    He glanced away again, one hand clenching the material of the shirt. “Why don’t we play word games?”
    What else had they been playing? she wondered wildly. “Word games?”
    He sat up straighter. “It will give us something to do. Take our minds off …” His brow furrowed in a frown. “Twenty Questions. We’ll play Twenty Questions. I’m thinking of something. Try to guess what it is.”
    She hoped it wasn’t what she was thinking about.
    His frown vanished and his sudden smile held a hint of mischief. He pursed his lips reprovingly and silently shook his head.
    Drat the man, it was clear he had guessed exactly what her thoughts had been. Still, the amusement had lightened the atmosphere betweenthem and that change was certainly welcome.
    She sat down on the cot and smiled back at him. “Is what you’re thinking about animal, vegetable, or mineral?”

THREE
    “Y OU CHEATED.” L ARA sat back on her heels and glared accusingly at Ricardo. “Everyone thinks of a whale as a fish.”
    “It’s a mammal,” Ricardo said with a complacent smile. “You didn’t ask the right questions. Don’t blame me if you think of a whale as a fish. What the devil did they teach you in that college?”
    “A whale swims in the sea. Why shouldn’t I think of—” She stopped and broke out laughing.
    “Boy, was that a dumb mistake. All right, you got me.”
    “It’s about time you admitted it. I’ve never seen a woman as stubborn as you are.”
    She wrinkled her nose at him. “I don’t like to lose.”
    “Obviously.” He gazed at her thoughtfully. “And you don’t lose often. You’re very bright. I think we broke about even for the day.”
    Lara nodded. “But I would have tipped the scales my way if you hadn’t come up with that blasted whale.”
    The rays of the sun streaming through the window onto the stone floor had lengthened and she noticed in surprise that it must be late afternoon. The hours had flown by at light speed while they had played a variety of word games before finally returning to Twenty Questions. She had become so involved, she had almost forgotten where she was and the danger surrounding them.
    Ricardo had made her forget. In the past hours he had shown her another side of his character entirely. His wit had made her laugh, his cleverness had aroused her admiration, and his zestfulenthusiasm had swept her up and away from their depressing