The Lawson Boys: Alex by Angela Verdenius Read Free Book Online

sound reassuring. “Pick your times?”
    He didn’t
answer, so she didn’t ask anything more, but her nerves were
starting to jangle. Alex was speaking in riddles, revealing little
things, but she hadn’t a clue what he was going to go for -
something normal, or her jugular. She had to get out of the car and
away from him.
    “You can drop
me off here,” she said casually.
    He didn’t move
a muscle, his gaze staying on the road. “We’re nowhere near your
house.”
    “I like to
walk.”
    “Not at night,
and not on your own.”
    “I’ve done it
before.”
    He didn’t
hesitate. “No you haven’t.”
    A little
flicker of anger burned to life. “How do you know?”
    “Because you’re
not stupid.” This time he did glance at her again, one look from
eyes that were narrowed, that much she saw in another passing
street light. One brief, hard glance before he returned his gaze to
the road again. “In some things, anyway.”
    That stung
enough to make her retort sharply, “You don’t know me, Alex.”
    “You’re right,
I don’t. I mean to rectify that tonight.”
    That scared
her. What, exactly, did he mean? She stared at him, but his profile
revealed nothing as yet another street light flashed past.
    Part of her
wanted to stay silent, to sink back in the seat and pretend she
hadn’t heard anything, but the mature side of her made her ask
stiffly, “What, precisely, do you mean by that?”
    “You’ll find
out.” Flicking on the indicator, he steered the Jeep off the road
onto the track leading to her house.
    She
straightened. “You can drop me here.”
    “I’ll see you
inside.”
    She hoped that
meant staying in the car but when he pulled up outside her house,
he got out as fast as she did and met her at the front of the Jeep,
where he held out his hand. He wanted her key.
    “You’ve got to
be kidding me.”
    “The key,
Harly.”
    Her heart was
thumping a mile a minute and her hands shook. “No.”
    Keeping his
gaze on her, he took a step in front of her and moved forward.
    Instinctively
she retreated only to find the front of the Jeep nudging the backs
of her legs. He’d deftly trapped her, the idea becoming reality
when he leaned forward to place one hand on the warm bonnet while
the fingers of his other hand slid into the pocket of her
pants.
    He was so close
to her that she fancied the warmth of the car at her back almost
matched the heat from his body.
    Quickly she
grabbed his wrist, stopping his fingers in their quest for her
house keys. “Stop.” Breathless, she stared up at him,
    His eyelashes,
so dark in the glow from the outside light of the house, swept down
to hide his eyes as he gazed at her mouth. The seconds stretched
between them and she could feel his fingers against her, the thin
material of her pants the only thing separating flesh from
flesh.
    So close,
yet so far .
    The thought
shook her, the sudden, unexpected yearning hidden deep inside
making her jerk back.
    Closer he
moved, closer still until his mouth hovered inches above her own
and they were breathing almost in unison, only her breathing was
ragged while his was deep and steady.
    His lashes
lifted, revealing the intensity of his eyes, the blue glitter
almost mesmerising. He caught her gaze, holding her attention.
    A movement at
her hip, fingers moving fast, deftly snagging her keys deep in her
pocket, his hand firm against her hip, then he stepped back and
held up her house key. “Let’s go.”
    Reality hit
hard when he turned away. “Alex! No!”
    “It’s cold out
here, Harly. Now come on.”
    She stared at
his broad back as he crossed the small distance to the house and
stepped up onto the veranda. Unlocking the security screen, he
swung it open and unlocked the wooden door, stepping inside to
flick the switch on.
    Like he’d done
sixteen years ago.
    Only this time
it was different, this time he wasn’t the comforter, this time he
was the threat.
    Did it really
matter? She blinked, her breathing still coming