Finding Valor Read Online Free Page B

back to earth. No wonder Ms. Stephanie called it a crotch rocket.
    It took less than an hour to get to Mesquite. He pulled into a 7-Eleven to buy the biggest cup of that frozen red drink he liked so much, even though it always gave him a headache. A girl, sitting on the back of a motorcycle, was playing with her cell phone. Hunter tipped his head in greeting, but she didn’t even look up. Whatever was on that phone must be pretty fascinating.  
    Hunter didn’t know enough about the different brands of motorcycles to know if hers was faster than his. But he wanted to find out.
    A guy charged out of the store just as Hunter reached for the door. He jumped to the side to keep from being knocked over. “Take it easy there, buddy.”
    The guy ignored him and yelled at the girl, “What the hell are you doing with my phone?”
    Hunter set his helmet on the sidewalk, ready to step in if the guy got rough.
    The girl stood up on the buddy pegs then swung her right leg over the back of the bike and hopped to the ground. “I was looking for that picture you took of us yesterday and found this .”
    She turned the phone around and glared at the guy. Hunter couldn’t help noticing there was an awful lot of pink skin on the screen.
    The guy’s eyes widened. “You have no right to invade my privacy.”
    Oh boy. Wrong thing to say.  
    The girl’s energy field pulsed with equal amounts of grief and anger, while the guy just projected guilt.
    “No right ?” The girl’s lips parted as she shook her head. “You cheated on me and you have the nerve to accuse me of invading your privacy ?”
    “Look, Renee, it was just a one-time fling. It didn’t mean anything.” The idiot still hadn’t apologized.
    Renee’s face turned so red, it glowed. “If it didn’t mean anything, why’d you take pictures?”
    “It won’t happen again, I promise.”
    “You bet it won’t happen again. We’re through.”
    “Get back on the bike.”
    “Screw you. I’d rather walk to Vegas.”
    “Fine. Then walk. Nice knowing you.” The guy got on the motorcycle, revved the engine and took off down the highway.
    Hunter couldn’t believe it. They were out in the middle of nowhere. What kind of scoundrel abandons a pretty little thing like that in the middle of the desert? He touched her shoulder. “Pardon me, miss, but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. Can I give you a lift?”
    Renee blinked then looked at Hunter. Tears clung to the thick lashes framing her big, brown eyes. “I don’t know you.”
    “Is there someone you can call? To come get you?”
    She shook her head then froze. Panic lit up her energy field.
    Hunter never used magic to seduce women, and he wasn’t going to start now. But this girl was in trouble. He used the tiniest bit of power he could and cast a weak come-hither spell on her. Just enough to get her to trust him.
    She licked her lips and swallowed. “You don’t look like a serial killer.”
    “I’m Hunter.” He smiled and held out his hand. “And I promise you, Miss Renee, you’re safe with me.”
    Her smile lit up her face. “I don’t know why, but I believe you.”
      “Where would you like to go?”
    “Anywhere. Anywhere at all.”
    Hunter took Highway 169 to the east entrance of the Valley of Fire State Park. Renee’s arms around his waist felt…safe. She was a beautiful young woman, tall and thin, but athletic. Her straight black hair whipped around her shoulders and flicked his neck. He couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to have a normal girlfriend. Someone that wasn’t twice his age or married to someone else. Someone that didn’t look down her nose at him, even if she was knocked up with someone else’s baby. Damn it. He didn’t want to think about Kassie.  
    When they got back to Vegas, Hunter tried three different restaurants before he found one that would serve them without a reservation. He felt a twinge of guilt as he used the credit card Ms. Stephanie had