Run the Risk Read Online Free

them flaunted the money, and neither of them
felt content being idle or, God forbid, sitting in boardrooms. They invested
wisely, donated generously and got on with their lives.
    As owner of a construction company, Dash could employ Logan
when necessary, giving him the background he needed in case Rowdy got on to him
and did any checking.
    It was a stroke of luck that he’d found Pepper in a different
county. Anyone who knew him might unwittingly blow his cover, but the different
locale made a chance encounter with cops in the field less likely.
    Logan grabbed his packaged steak, a potato and a six-pack of
beer, minus one.
    He locked the door behind him and stepped over to tap on
Pepper’s door. As if she’d been waiting for him, it opened almost before he’d
dropped his hand.
    Standing before him, shifting her feet nervously, she said,
“Hi.”
    She looked adorably unsure of herself, her gaze avoiding his,
her teeth nibbling on her bottom lip.
    Again flushed.
    “Hi yourself.” Logan took his time looking her over, not that
she’d changed a thing. She still wore the ugly canvas sneakers, long skirt and
baggy pullover top. Her hair remained dragged back in that hideous ponytail.
    But he saw the movement of her chest as she drank in deep,
nervous breaths, and the way her hands trembled a little.
    Emotion, awareness and his dick all swelled. He felt ruthless,
and he felt territorial. “You want to let me in, Sue?”
    She continued to look at him, all over him.
    Logan lowered his voice more and said with certainty, “I’m
coming in.”
    “Oh.” Closing her eyes in embarrassment, she stepped aside.
“Yes, of course.”
    He hadn’t planned to rush things. He’d intended to be smooth,
patient. But the moment just felt right, so as he moved past her, he bent and
put a firm kiss to her soft mouth. “Thanks.”
    The brief contact proved addictive—sparking awareness, firing
his blood.
    Over a simple kiss.
    He made it all the way to her kitchen before he realized she
still stood at her open door, staring after him, frozen in shock. She watched
him set down the beer, the steak and potato.
    She looked ready to flee the apartment.
    Pretending he didn’t understand the reason, Logan asked low,
“Everything okay?”
    She treated him to another intent stare, consuming him with her
innocent gaze. “Yes.” Letting out a long breath, she closed the door, faltered a
second, then stepped forward. “Yes, everything is fine.” Head down, mouth
pinched, she bustled past him. “I already started the grill. Another minute or
two and we can put on the steaks.”
    Logan caught her arm, his fingers wrapping around her. She was
slim, her bones delicate.
    Why hadn’t he noticed that before?
    “You picked up the place.” She’d closed the door on her bedroom
and bathroom, so he didn’t know about those spaces, but the cardboard pizza box,
empty cans and papers were gone. “I hope you didn’t tidy up on my account.”
    “Oh, no, not at all.” Sidling out of his reach, she plumped a
throw pillow at the end of a love seat, putting the entire piece of furniture
between them as a barrier. “That stuff was leftover from last night.”
    Her efforts to distance him only made him feel more predatory.
Alarm filled her gaze as he approached. She jerked around, turning her back on
him, but then just…stood there, waffling, uncertain.
    A defense mechanism? How badly had her damned brother
mistreated her?
    Savage, protective instincts sharpened. She was so damn sweet,
so shy.
    Having her would be sweet, too. Not that it mattered; his
reasons for being here with her now, for using her, had little enough to do with
her growing appeal.
    An appeal he hadn’t noticed before getting close to her.
    Using the back of one finger, Logan stroked the side of her
neck and was rewarded with her shiver. Her incredible softness stirred him more
and roughened his voice. “You ate pizza all alone last night?” The image pained
him.
    “I… Of