Taken: A One to Take Primer Read Online Free Page A

chest. Whatever it was doing for him, it was sending all kinds of sensations through me.
    “Now it’s ours?”
    That brought him up short. “No.”
    He took my arms from around his neck, but when he turned, I felt something hard and stiff brush against my hip. His erection made me giggle.
    “I felt that.”
    He didn’t respond. He was back to being broody and distant, and it was pissing me off. “What’s the matter with you?” I pushed against him, and he flashed.
    “Dammit, Mariska.” We were both angry now, our voices raised, but I wasn’t afraid anymore. I knew he wanted me.
    “Do you remember that day in the barn?” he said. “After we rode back from the lake?”
    “The day you kissed me?”
    He was undeterred. “I told you I would leave. It hasn’t changed. I’m going to leave.”
    Nodding, I traced my finger through the water. “It seems I remember suggesting you take me with you.”
    “When I go, I go alone.”
    Blinking up at him, I tried to understand this. Here we were, granted it was only Day 2 of our getaway. Still, we had this connection. We talked about everything. We could barely keep our hands off each other. It was hypnotic and passionate, and it had all the makings of something real and lasting… And this is what he did.
    “What’s so great about being alone?”
    His eyes narrowed, but he took the question as seriously as I put it. “No one gets hurt except me. I have no weaknesses.”
    “You’re thinking like a soldier.”
    “A Marine.”
    My mind filtered through everything I knew. “Derek’s a Marine. He’s also a daddy and soon to be a husband.”
    “Derek’s always been different from me.”
    “So I’m a weakness.” Pressing my lips together, I wouldn’t argue with him any more. I was mad.
    I swam back to the shore and climbed out of the water. It was warm and delicious running down my legs, but I scooped up my bikini bottoms and stepped into them, quickly pulling them over my hips. Next was the loose-knit top I’d worn. It was over my head in a quick swipe.
    “What are you doing?” Stuart’s voice was level, but I could sense a change.
    Looking back at him, my braid flipped over my shoulder. “More than one of us can leave.”
    With that, I set off toward the cabin. We’d strolled here at a leisurely pace, but I took a fast, determined stride. Minutes later, I was back, pushing through the door and grabbing my bag. When Stuart made me drive over in the truck, I’d been sad because I’d wanted to ride with him again. I wanted my back pressed against his chest, his strong arms around my waist, our hands clasped. We were at the start of this mini-escape, and my brain was full of romantic dreams.
    Today, I realized my head was just as hard as his, and I was glad I had a truck to drive back to the ranch. I almost wished I had a plane ticket as well. All of my things were quickly shoved into the duffel I’d brought, and I reached for the door when it opened on its own.
    Stuart stood in my way, water dripping from his hair, eyes blazing. “You’re not leaving.”
    As angry as I was, my breath still caught at the site of him, towering over me, seeming twice his normal size.
    “Yes, I am.” My voice was annoyingly small.
    He surveyed me a moment before stepping into the cabin and pulling the door closed behind him with a slam. I was trapped. “Why?”
    My brow lined. All the reasons I should go and never look back crowded together in my mind fighting each other to get out. The result was me stuttering. “You… Are you? Seriously…?”
    In one quick move, Stuart caught me, pulling my face to his.
    “Stop!” I cried out, slapping his hand off my cheeks.
    I was angry. He was angry. I pushed at him, trying to get past, and he caught my arm, jerking it behind my back.
    “Ow!” I shouted, twisting to get free. “Let me go!”
    “No.” His eyes were dark, and something wicked, low in my stomach tingled in response.
    I pushed and fought harder. He blocked every