Unrestrained by Joey W. Hill Read Free Book Online

added the canvas sneakers, blessing his consideration. She wasn’t yet steady enough to handle her three-inch heels.
    She put her bra on under the T-shirt, then knotted the shirt at her waist. The blazer and blouse were far too formal for the situation. That was what she told herself, rather than the possible truth that the scent of his shirt, the indirect connection with his solid body, was another steadying influence she wasn’t yet ready to relinquish.
    Going back into the kitchen, she poured him a coffee. The pleasant smell had been part of what eased her mind when she woke. It didn’t seem reasonable that a kidnapper would indulge in something as reassuring as a morning coffee ritual, right? She snorted at herself.
    He’d told her to bring him coffee. Not “would you bring” but “bring me a cup.” Was that simply his mode of communication, or something else? Still testing?
    She was pouring it, wasn’t she? Though it was the polite thing to do, that wasn’t why she was doing it. She stopped, pressed her palms to the counter on either side of the cup.
Think about what you’re doing, Athena. Don’t be rash. Any more than you’ve already been.
    Since she didn’t know if he used sugar and cream, she brought a sampling of both. A typical bachelor, he had a bowlful of single-sized condiments on the kitchen table from various restaurants. A jar served as a vase for cut wildflowers. She recognized the types from groupings that sprouted up among the cars. The wildflowers and the wedding ring quilt weren’t exactly proof of a woman’s touch, especially given the age of the quilt, but it showed his appreciation of things that could make a home more comfortable for him as well as guests. Roy had possessed that awareness. A man’s man in every respect, he still enjoyed touches of color and would give his opinion on rugs or bedding, or help her decide where to hang a picture for best effect.
    As she moved down the outside steps, she saw he hadn’t used the term
potting shed
randomly. The man gardened. A vegetable plot was fenced off near the shed so the dogs couldn’t trample or dig up the growing plants. To her personal delight, there was also an adjacent flower garden, landscaped in a crescent around the vegetables. It had a profusion of blooms native to the area, as well as some more exotic ones. He’d studied his English gardens, because it looked like one of their cottage styles, the heights of the plantings arranged so the taller flowers in back gave way to shorter plants that drew the eye in a slope toward the vegetables.
    Former military, gardener, dog trainer and junkyard operator. As well as an extraordinary Dom. A man guaranteed to pique the interest of any intelligent, breathing woman, and she fit both those qualifications. If she was giving him his due, she might owe the latter state to him. She wasn’t sure how last night might have turned out if he hadn’t intervened, but in the rage of that moment, she knew her attacker would have had to render her unconscious or kill her to take her rings. It was extraordinary, what a person didn’t know about herself until faced with such a situation. If he was still alive, she could well imagine Roy’s concerned expression, his strong hands holding her. He would have given her a little shake, fussed at her.
Christ, Athena, it was just jewelry. Promise me you’ll never do something that stupid again. You’re more important to me than a bit of glass
.
    Pushing back the sudden tears, she took a breath and moved onward toward the potting shed. The Rottweilers lay in the shade on the western side, tongues lolling. One of them rose to meet her, padding over to sniff at her legs, circle her. After that ritual, he allowed her to stroke his large head, his soulful eyes fixed on the coffee she was carrying.
    “You’ve already had your caffeine fix this morning, Rom. Go lay down with Sheba.”
    The dog huffed, then moved back to the shade, collapsing into a ponderous