Untamed Desire by Lindsay McKenna Read Free Book Online

to her shoulders, resting there.
    “Look, it’s my way of apologizing for upsetting you earlier. You look tired, and I pushed you too hard about your past.” His hands fell from her and he straightened. “I’ve got to watch what I say to you. I can see that. But let’s get this straight, Storm. I’m not going to deliberately try to make you look bad. I would never do that.” His features clouded as he watched her. “Learn to trust me.”
    His nearness was overwhelming, and she had to step away from his tense, hard body. Her eyes glinted with hurt. “Trust you?” Her voice went low with feeling. “When you’re after my job? Tell me, how can I trust you?”
    Jim ran his hand through his hair in a distracted motion. “Okay, okay, you have a point. Damn, you’re sensitive!”
    “Well, you’ve made me that way!” she flung back. She didn’t want to cry again. Not in front of him! She bit down on her lower lip.
    Jim’s features softened. “I’ll try very hard to change your opinion of me. For now, get some sleep. I’ll meet you in the dining room for breakfast at 5:30. a.m. Good night.”

Chapter Four
    STORM WAS AWAKENED at one o’clock in the morning by noise in the corridor outside her room. Loud whoops and the squeal of several women made her sit up. She frowned, rubbing her eyes. The din continued even when the noisemakers seemed to have gone into one of the rooms. Finally, she decided further sleep was impossible.
    After pulling on a pair of comfortable jeans and a long-sleeved sweater, Storm slipped into a light wool jacket and peeked out the door. It was momentarily empty of the merrymakers, and she walked silently down the exit stairs. Jamming her hands into the jacket pockets, she saw that she had to walk by the bar area in order to get to the front door, which led to the lakefront. The music was raucous and hurt her ears. A few members of Rickson’s group sat at a table, all slumped happily over glasses. Storm caught sight of Jim Talbot and instantly froze. What was he doing here? But that was really none of her business, she admonished herself, and hurried outside and down to the edge of the lake.
    The lapping water soothed Storm’s tattered nerves, and she breathed in deeply, pulling her jacket more tightly about her to ward off the dampness of the early morning. Overhead, scattered clouds shone clearly in the light of a full moon. She picked her way along the sandy shore, glad to be away from all the activity at the lively motel. Stopping, she found a delicate shell lodged in the sand and picked it up, rubbing her fingers over its smooth surface. She was so immersed in the sounds and smells of the lake that she didn’t hear the crunch of footsteps in the sand until she realized someone was standing just a few feet away from her.
    Storm swung around with a soft gasp, her eyes wide with fright. At the sight of Jim Talbot, her startled expression vanished, and she frowned instead, putting her hands back in her pockets.
    “Oh, it’s you.”
    Jim smiled easily, his long-sleeved shirt rolled up to the elbows. He stood quietly staring at her. “You wouldn’t be saying that if it were Rickson or one of his bunch,” he chided.
    Storm scuffed the toe of her shoe in the sand, confused by Jim’s easy, off-hand tone. His eyes were hooded and dark, and one corner of his mouth was pulled into a slight smile. He reminded her of a wolf who had sighted his prey and knew it was only a matter of time until he entrapped it.
    “No, I’d probably be saying a few rough things to them,” she agreed, and then turned, continuing to walk slowly. Jim accompanied her, his shoulder barely inches from hers. Storm looked guardedly at him. “Why don’t you go back and join the clients? It looked like you were having fun.”
    “Do I detect a note of accusation in your voice?” he teased.
    “No.”
    “Socializing is part of the job, you know.” He looked down at her meaningfully. “In order to keep the