Double Dare Read Online Free

available.
    At his nod, Lou stood and prepared to leave.
“Well, if everything’s in order,” she trilled, hastily moving to
the door before he could reconsider, “I’ll leave you to your work
and see you at lunch. Thanks so mu—” Lou turned to bed him good-bye
and slammed into the hard wall of his muscled chest. She blinked
and stepped back. “—much,” she finished lamely, staring at the
bottom button of his polo shirt. Eyes wide, she looked up.
    “ Sorry,” he murmured, lips
tilted slightly upward into that almost-grin, which seemed to be
his trademark.
    This close to him, Lou didn’t seem to be able
to get her breath. “No p-problem,” she squeaked. “See you at
two.”
    With that, Lou ducked her head and quickly
made her escape. Once outside, she leaned against the brick wall
and took a deep breath. Partly because she hadn’t since slamming
into Sam Rawlins and partly out of relief. Head back, she giggled a
little. The absurdity and stress of the past few weeks hit her all
at once, resulting in a stream of laughter that had several people
glancing oddly at her as they walked past.
    Are you ready for the time
of your life? Lou read again.
    Not yet...but she was getting there.
     
***
     
    What in the hell had he just done? Sam
wondered for the umpteenth time since Lou Honeycutt had fled his
office. Well, he supposed it didn’t matter now. He’d taken her on
as a client and, in more than seven years of service, had never
reneged on an agreement. He’d promised her and adventure and, as
soon as she could give him something to on—besides the snorkeling
trip—he’d get to work on it.
    Rather than think about all the possible
consequences of taking her on as a client, Sam chose to focus on
the positive—his magazine.
    Lou Honeycutt’s “additional
compensation” would more than adequately cover the start-up costs
of The Edge . Within
a couple of months, the glossy adventure magazine that had been his
dream for the past three years could be on the stands.
    The idea had originated from the popularity
of Double Dare’s monthly brochure. Mona’s brainchild, the brochure
detailed some of the more adventurous exploits of his clients and
had served to generate a great deal of referral and second-trip
business.
    With a sporadic schedule, occasionally the
circular—which he’d enjoyed putting together as much as the
adventures themselves—got shoved to the end of Sam’s to-do list.
His clients complained. They enjoyed reading about the feats of
fellow adventurers. Many clients didn’t wait until the pamphlet
could be mailed out, but stopped by the office to pick one up
instead.
    Their avid interest in a
company brochure that had been primarily designed to improve
business had given Sam a brainchild of his own— The Edge .
    In addition to cutting back on the necessity
for him to lead adventure tours, he hoped to eventually phase out
of his participation as a guide. A successful magazine would enable
him to start his own permanent adventure—a family.
    When he’d first started his business some
seven years ago, Sam had given little thought as to how he could
successfully manage this particular business and a family. Quite
frankly, he’d never imagined himself as a married man when he’d
been traveling all over the world performing death-defying
stunts.
    But the dreams of the young risk-taker he’d
been then differed greatly form the man he’d become. The glamour
had long since worn off and now left Sam feeling restless and at
odds. He wanted the whole “Honey, I’m home” dream. A grin tugged at
his lips. A modest brick rancher and a barbecue grill. Someone to
share his life with, who would greet him with a smile and a kiss,
and a toddler to tackle him around the knees. Not much by today’s
standards, but everything by his own.
    That’s why, against all reason, Sam couldn’t
send Lou Honeycutt to a travel agent. She’d unwittingly dangled the
means to his dream beneath his nose and he’d