Unleashed: Volume 1 (Unleashed #1) by Callie Harper Read Free Book Online Page A

never know, but it still would be fun,
sitting across the table from him with my little secret.
    I paid, and that about
did it for my credit card. I was surprised it didn’t spontaneously
burst into flames after the transaction went through, including a
generous tip. My card’s swan song.
    Then I took myself,
little black dress plus a whole bunch of butterflies in my stomach,
on up into my old pickup truck, Bessie. I wiped down the front seat
first with a towel, laughing as I did it. We sure made a contrast. I
might be dressed up to enter into Declan’s world for the night, but
I’d drive home in Bessie afterwards, heels kicked off in the back
as I stretched out my toes.
    She started up with a
few sputters, shudders and a lurch. I drove toward the restaurant as
if into battle, my stilettos my weapon. Actually, they’d do pretty
well in a pinch.
    What I really needed
was a full coat of armor. Seeing Declan, my body had responded like
he was water and I’d been dying of thirst. In his office at 11
o’clock in the morning, he’d turned me into a hot, quivering
mess. How would I handle sitting across from him at night in a
romantic setting, soft music, maybe a candle burning between us?
    I could hear Declan’s
low voice, “I name the terms.” Why did that make me tingle with
anticipation? Excitement. I shouldn’t think that way. But what
would his terms be?
    There were things I
wanted to do with him, to him, for him. Things I never let myself
think about during the light of day. Those fantasies I kept for late
at night when I couldn’t sleep, when I lay awake in my bed
frustrated. I’d give in, stroking myself until I dripped with need,
until I shuddered and cried out his name.
    Would those kinds of
things be his terms? I hoped not. God help me, I didn’t know that I
could resist.

CHAPTER 4
    Declan
    Then
    The first time I saw
Kara I knew I had to have her. I was talking with Harlan, her daddy,
about working at his ranch over the next few months. He’d grilled
me some, but seemed to size me up quick and decided to take a chance.
I’d work hard for him and he knew it.
    “That’s it, down
there.” He was talking about where I’d be living over the summer,
pointing to a cabin. At 21 years old I’d have my own place for the
first time in my life. No more crashing on couches or sharing a room
with other ranch hands, four of us up on bunks. It looked small,
simple and just right.
    Then she pulled up, her
truck barreling into the yard like she was being chased by the cops.
The dirt plumed up so I couldn’t see her full on when she first got
out of the cab.
    I swear, the cloud of
smoke parted and she stepped out like something in a movie. Like it
was slow motion, she shook out her hair in a blonde waterfall.
    She had the hottest
body I’d ever seen. I’m not joking. I had to keep my tongue from
rolling out of my mouth like a cartoon character. She had perfect
curves, the kind of hourglass figure you fantasized about. Full, ripe
breasts, rounded hips and a tiny waist you needed to get your hands
around.
    Like I needed anything
else to complete the fantasy, she was wearing a tight little
cheerleading outfit. Right out of a skin flick, her short, pleated
skirt gave me a mile-long view of her long, shapely legs. It ended
right before the action really began, not more than an inch or two
below the tops of her thighs. Her shirt stretched taut across the
full, tempting curve of her breasts. Big, round and perky, pressing
against the fabric, I could tell she was tamping them down in a jog
bra. I wanted to set them loose, see them in something that really
showed them off. Or, better yet, naked and all mine for the taking.
    Struck as I was by the
rest of her, I still noticed that she had the prettiest face. Sweet,
pink pouty lips, bright blue eyes and that mane of thick, golden hair
like in a fairy tale. She smiled and I swear the sun broke free of
the clouds in the sky above like in a Disney movie.
    My eyes narrowed and