Sterling's Reasons Read Online Free
out. I want dinner, Mr. MacDaniels, and I want you to go with me.”
“Sterling…” He tested her name. “Why do you want to have dinner with me?” His eyes traveled the length of her and back up.
She headed for the door, carefully avoiding the broken glass. “It’s almost three now. How about six-thirty? That’ll give me time to unpack and take a bath.
I had a rotten start this morning, a worse flight, and now I find I have a troll for a neighbor. So, think of it as an act of mercy. You’re a policeman. Look at it as your duty, if you must.” She flashed another smile at him and was gone.
He stood there a full five seconds. “What the hell was that?” he questioned the thin air. Whirling, he flung himself back on the couch and muttered, “An act of mercy…look at it as your duty? A cold day in hell!”
20
www.samhainpublishing.com
Chapter Two
He was bored enough to waste one evening on the broad. After all, his social calendar wasn’t that full. Wiping the steam from the shower off his mirror, he sneered at himself. Leaning his hands on the sink, he examined what he saw. His eyes were darkened by shadows underneath. His face was almost gaunt. He looked like hell. He sure felt like hell. He ran a hand down his rib cage and his flat stomach. Besides, he hadn’t had a decent meal since he’d arrived. Hadn’t wanted one. Still didn’t. Joe slapped aftershave on his face from a nearly empty plastic bottle. He ignored it when he bumped it and it fell on the floor to twirl into a corner.
Naked, he stalked from the bathroom to his room and rummaged through the clothes he’d thrown in a suitcase before he left. He grabbed black jeans from the pile and pulled them on. He could play along with her until he found out what she was up to. He peeled a shirt from a hanger and shrugged it on. He was good at pretending to do one thing while actually doing another. Yanking a sport coat from the post of his bed, he flung it on.
In the living room, he searched for his keys, growing frustrated with the clutter. One swipe of his hand cleared the end table of several magazines, an ashtray, and his keys. He grabbed them and stuck them in his pocket. After checking his wallet and assuring himself he had cash, he steamed to the door and jerked it open. He wasn’t a man to be tricked or manipulated. And she’d know that before this evening was over.
Joey Light
She heard him start his Jeep and drive it to the front of her cottage. She glanced in the mirror one more time and then pushed through the front door. It was precisely six-thirty.
“Hi,” she said brightly, and slid onto the seat. So, he had showered and shaved. She could smell the soap and the spicy aftershave. He had put on a light gray corduroy sport jacket over a black shirt and black jeans. In short, he looked wonderful.
“Where do you want to go?” He slammed the Jeep in first and spun out in the sand onto the asphalt road without waiting for her answer.
“Anywhere they serve big burgers and greasy french fries. I love junk food, you might as well know that now.” She sized him up. “I figure you for a steak and potatoes man. Gravy all over, right?”
He looked straight ahead and drove. Idle chatter wasn’t his way. Not before and certainly not now. He turned west and headed toward the highway. He’d find someplace decent and get this over with.
She cast a quick glance at him. He hadn’t even said she looked pretty and she had deliberately put on her black silk slacks with the white blouse and black lace around the cuffs.
He remained silent as she made comments on the passing landscape or the shops and restaurants. He turned right over a wooden bridge and then into a parking lot half full of cars. The gravel grated beneath the tires as he came to an abrupt halt.
She opened her own door thinking he wouldn’t do it, only to almost collide with him when he came around to do just that. She let him take the door and hold it for her. Sterling
“Sterling…” He tested her name. “Why do you want to have dinner with me?” His eyes traveled the length of her and back up.
She headed for the door, carefully avoiding the broken glass. “It’s almost three now. How about six-thirty? That’ll give me time to unpack and take a bath.
I had a rotten start this morning, a worse flight, and now I find I have a troll for a neighbor. So, think of it as an act of mercy. You’re a policeman. Look at it as your duty, if you must.” She flashed another smile at him and was gone.
He stood there a full five seconds. “What the hell was that?” he questioned the thin air. Whirling, he flung himself back on the couch and muttered, “An act of mercy…look at it as your duty? A cold day in hell!”
20
www.samhainpublishing.com
Chapter Two
He was bored enough to waste one evening on the broad. After all, his social calendar wasn’t that full. Wiping the steam from the shower off his mirror, he sneered at himself. Leaning his hands on the sink, he examined what he saw. His eyes were darkened by shadows underneath. His face was almost gaunt. He looked like hell. He sure felt like hell. He ran a hand down his rib cage and his flat stomach. Besides, he hadn’t had a decent meal since he’d arrived. Hadn’t wanted one. Still didn’t. Joe slapped aftershave on his face from a nearly empty plastic bottle. He ignored it when he bumped it and it fell on the floor to twirl into a corner.
Naked, he stalked from the bathroom to his room and rummaged through the clothes he’d thrown in a suitcase before he left. He grabbed black jeans from the pile and pulled them on. He could play along with her until he found out what she was up to. He peeled a shirt from a hanger and shrugged it on. He was good at pretending to do one thing while actually doing another. Yanking a sport coat from the post of his bed, he flung it on.
In the living room, he searched for his keys, growing frustrated with the clutter. One swipe of his hand cleared the end table of several magazines, an ashtray, and his keys. He grabbed them and stuck them in his pocket. After checking his wallet and assuring himself he had cash, he steamed to the door and jerked it open. He wasn’t a man to be tricked or manipulated. And she’d know that before this evening was over.
Joey Light
She heard him start his Jeep and drive it to the front of her cottage. She glanced in the mirror one more time and then pushed through the front door. It was precisely six-thirty.
“Hi,” she said brightly, and slid onto the seat. So, he had showered and shaved. She could smell the soap and the spicy aftershave. He had put on a light gray corduroy sport jacket over a black shirt and black jeans. In short, he looked wonderful.
“Where do you want to go?” He slammed the Jeep in first and spun out in the sand onto the asphalt road without waiting for her answer.
“Anywhere they serve big burgers and greasy french fries. I love junk food, you might as well know that now.” She sized him up. “I figure you for a steak and potatoes man. Gravy all over, right?”
He looked straight ahead and drove. Idle chatter wasn’t his way. Not before and certainly not now. He turned west and headed toward the highway. He’d find someplace decent and get this over with.
She cast a quick glance at him. He hadn’t even said she looked pretty and she had deliberately put on her black silk slacks with the white blouse and black lace around the cuffs.
He remained silent as she made comments on the passing landscape or the shops and restaurants. He turned right over a wooden bridge and then into a parking lot half full of cars. The gravel grated beneath the tires as he came to an abrupt halt.
She opened her own door thinking he wouldn’t do it, only to almost collide with him when he came around to do just that. She let him take the door and hold it for her. Sterling
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