Web of Lies by Candice Owen Read Free Book Online Page B

long way to go.”
     
    She hurriedly sucked up the rest of the treat while he went to pay the bill.  By the time he was finished, she was out the door standing by the truck.  She was wearing a simple black dress that was sleeveless.  It fell just below the knee and caressed her curvy body sweetly.  He had studiously avoided looking at her all day. But now, walking towards her, he looked his fill and willed his body not to react.  She was an inferno in his blood that he had to put out before it burned them both alive...
     

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    Four weeks earlier--Faith
     
    Jack drove the whole night, and Faith was glad he didn’t try to talk to her.  It had been difficult sitting across from him, watching him eat, listening to his voice, wishing she could stop the way she felt around him.  She hated to admit that she admired his air of calm assurance, his self-possession.  Not that it surprised her.  He had to be at least ten years older than she was, maybe more. 
     
    It was clear that he had lived a life she could only imagine.  He had been with her father for a very long time, and she could tell he had loved him, though she was sure he would never use that word to describe his feelings.  She was grateful, too, for his restraint. She had been a fool, driving off without him, especially after the threat in the parking garage two days earlier. 
     
    She had grown so used to fending for herself and not trusting anyone that she found it difficult to let go enough to see whether or not Jack was on the up and up.  She thought, After all, my dad wouldn’t have asked him to look out for me if he were a bad guy, would he?  
     
    Even though she had not been around Grant Lee for six years, she knew in her gut that he would not knowingly endanger her.  So really, she would need to be cautious, but she could relax a bit more and let Jack show himself to her.  At least he could rest assured she wouldn’t run off again.  She may be independent, but she wasn’t really a fool.
     
    She let her mind wander over the time she had spent with him but skirted around the kiss by the roadside after the accident.  She hadn’t been expecting it, but he had blown her away.  She had been kissed before, but never like that.  That had been the kiss of an experienced man, not a mewling boy out to satisfy his own needs.  Jack’s kiss had promised the type of pleasure that she had never done more than fantasize about in her bed alone at night with her Jack Rabbit between her legs.
     
    A chuckle escaped her at the thought of the vibrator’s name, and Jack turned his head questioningly.  She was glad for the darkness inside the cab because her face immediately burned with embarrassment.  Pretending she hadn’t noticed his silent query, she turned her eyes to the darkness outside her window and tried not to squirm at the thoughts she had unleashed. 
     
    Suddenly, the idea of spending the night with him loomed large in her mind.  What the hell am I going to do if we are in the same room?  Please God, let him get separate rooms.  I’ll promise him I won’t run off. I’ll do anything not to have to sleep in the same room with him.
     
    When he finally stopped, they were at a typical highway chain hotel.  He asked if they had adjoining rooms, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they said they did.  He paid and took the keys and their luggage up to the third floor.  He set her case down in one and walked through the adjoining door to the other. 
     
    She noticed he didn’t close it, but she decided against arguing about that.  She would sleep in her own bed, which was out of his line of vision, and that would have to be enough for her.  After her display earlier, she knew he had no reason to trust her, either.
     
    “We’re leaving at eight.  Do you need me to wake you?”  His tone was impersonal, but Faith could feel the thrum of something more lurking just below the surface.
     
    “No, I’ll manage, thank