That Touch of Pink by Teresa Southwick Read Free Book Online

trauma of that could be worse than winding up in Oz.”
    Riley ran a hand through his hair. “It’s your call. But you have to make it quick. If we wait too long, it’ll be dark. And hiking back to the car under those conditions would be more dangerous than riding out the storm.”
    â€œKimmie,” Abby said. “You need to really think about this. If we don’t stay, you’re not going to get your badges.”
    After a rumble of thunder that sounded a little closer, Kimmie looked up, her lips trembling. “I wanna go home.”
    Abby held her close. “The thing is, she’s been up since oh-dark-thirty. And she’s not used to this much prolonged activity. She’s not capable of a rational decision. But I won’t force her to do this.”
    â€œOkay.” He nodded. “Let’s go back.”
    Abby took care of the blisters and they were out of there quickly. Adrenaline moved them along, and there was little dissension in the ranks. They made prettygood time back to the car, then headed for Charity City. It seemed a short time before Riley pulled up in front of the house. He carried their backpacks to the front porch and set them down. Abby unlocked the door and Kimmie raced inside.
    â€œThanks for trying,” Abby said, looking up at him.
    â€œI’m sorry.” He didn’t look sorry. He still looked tall. “For the record, I did take you. That fulfills my obligation.”
    â€œYeah.” She cocked her thumb over her shoulder. “I better make sure Kimmie’s okay.”
    He nodded and jogged down the steps to his car. Biting her lip, Abby watched his taillights as he slowed for the Stop sign at the end of her street. It bothered her that he thought of them as an obligation. She didn’t like being a burden to anyone. But she had her own burdens to worry about. How was she going to make sure Kimmie got her badge now? And how many cold showers would she have to take to freeze out memories of a man like Riley Dixon?

Chapter Three
    C harity City High hadn’t changed much since he’d been a student there. Riley was back, this time to work up a detailed security recommendation since he had a signed contract from the Board of Education. After they approved it, he’d install all the systems on campus. The library was his last stop and he scoped it out, vaguely remembering the last time he’d seen it. Scoping out had been his mission then, too—a girl, a cheerleader. He’d been pretending to study for finals.
    Tall shelves of books still lined the perimeter of the room with more shelving taking up space in the center. Tables and chairs filled the rest of the area. One difference was the cubicles with computers against one wall. But the librarian’s work station was still an oblong area just inside the door. That was going to have to be moved to make room for metal detectors.
    It was about 4:45. The principal had told Riley thatclass let out around three and by five the campus would be locking down for the night. The fewer students around for his evaluation, the better. Right now, the library was empty.
    Maybe not so much, he thought as a familiar slender figure rounded one of the book shelves. Abby. The sight of her spiked his pulse as surely as shouts of incoming enemy fire. At the same time, he felt all the blood in his body head for points south of his belt. It had been a week since the aborted camping trip and just that morning he’d flattered himself that stray thoughts where she was concerned were nearly under control. One brief glimpse of her put the lie to that fantasy. Which begged the question: what the heck was she doing here?
    She looked up from the book she was scanning and faltered momentarily before continuing to the librarian’s area. “Riley. Hello,” she said, moving into the center of the work station. “What are you doing here?”
    â€œI was about to ask you the same