Safe In Your Arms Read Online Free Page A

the right places. He rubbed at the tension in his tight neck as he thought about the way her full breasts had brushed against his chest when she finally stopped trying to kick his ass.
    Oh, yes. She was a problem. He had enough to contend with just trying to survive and take care of his primary responsibility. There was no room in his pathetic existence for another worry. Mina Brady was a big worry. Every second she was on the island with him, there was the chance she’d disregard his warnings and venture onto the beach, in the sights of a Z, or worse. He couldn’t chance having her find the house and the secrets within. His fingers clutched the heavy sack in his hand. It hit against his leg as he walked, making him want to toss it from his body, but he had no choice as he continued to walk up the well-trodden footpath to the house on the very crest of the island.
    The beauty of Dr. Raymond Faucher’s summer home never failed to amaze him. It was a three-story mansion made of gray brick. The third floor was a cupola on top with a widow’s walk all the way around it. One could see all the way around the island from the small room surrounded with windows. That was where he’d spotted her little group and their blazing fire. He’d had every intention of warning them until he saw the weapons.
    Finding the island had been a blessing. It was surrounded by deep enough water to make the Z’s think twice about attempting a crossing and fully stocked with food and fresh water. The generator in the outbuilding would make it possible to have electricity when the time came. He hoped it would be soon, but he wasn’t sure. Establishing the Z’s life expectancy was a test he hadn’t tried yet. He wasn’t sure he had the heart to try it. After all, it seemed the only way to weaken a Z was to starve it out. He wasn’t prepared to do that just yet.
    He threw his shoulders back and tried to keep his attention on the upcoming ordeal. He would need every thought process and observational sense fully on the task he was heading for. One miscue, one mishap because his attention was divided, would be his downfall. It could be the end of his life. Before Mina’s presence on the island, that wouldn’t have been a big concern for him, outside the obvious fear of a painful death and possible grotesque afterlife. Now, her life was also in jeopardy if he screwed up. He had to get her healthy enough to transport her off the island. There had to be other survivors out there. Perhaps he could get her a boat and send her on her way up river or across to Canada. He had to try.
    “Damn, Gabe. Focus.” He was almost to the house, having navigated his way up the stone steps to the white vinyl fence. The gate easily opened for him after he unlocked it. Closing himself inside the back yard, he slid the bolt on the lock and effectively shut off one escape route. The house was quiet, eerily so. Walking around the elegant flower beds, fragrant with the early summer blooms, he edged around the in-ground pool. The water was already green and littered with leaves and algae. It was a shame. The same thought that kept coming to his mind every time he walked along the edge to approach the sliding glass doors leading into the home.
    The house was cool, even though the temperature outside was starting to rise. The sunshine lit the entryway to the sunken living room. He stared at the high-tech entertainment center with a wistful wish that the Z’s would all cease to exist so that he could just once see the huge flat screen television in action. If only there were still cable networks sending out a signal. Which he doubted. Still, it would be nice to play a CD or even the gaming system. He didn’t realize the things one missed when they were no longer available. Like an ice-cold Genny on a hot day like this one seemed to be. He pulled his gaze from the TV and eyed the plush leather couches. He’d taken his shoes off and flopped on the couch the first day on the