Read Online 01 - The Heartbreaker by Carly Phillips - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carly Phillips
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to this one moment with this one woman.
He threaded his hands through her hair, pulling her close at the same time he heard a deliberate cough. “Excuse me, but did someone call the police?”
Sloane jumped out of Chase’s grasp and his surroundings returned.
Chase forced his gaze away from Sloane, who’d taken to kicking at the dirt on the ground. He met his middle brother’scurious stare. “Thanks for coming so quickly,” he said, and now that he’d come to his senses, he meant it.
“I’m part of Yorkshire Falls’ finest.” He grinned and tipped his head. “We aim to please.” He extended his hand toward Sloane. “Officer Rick Chandler,” he said, introducing himself.
She stopped grinding her toe in the dirt and looked up. “I’m Sloane—” She cut herself off. “I mean, I’m Faith. I . . .” She hesitated as if unsure which persona to use.
“Sloane Carlisle,” Chase supplied, and didn’t miss her shock upon realizing he knew her real identity. He had no option but the truth.
Rick needed to know about Sloane if he was going to help Chase figure out how to keep an eye on her while she was in Yorkshire Falls. And now that Samson’s house had blown up with her nearly in it, keeping a low profile would be even more difficult. Chase would do his best, starting with a news blackout on Sloane’s presence at the scene of the explosion.
His brother didn’t register any obvious recognition at hearing Sloane’s name, which wasn’t surprising. Even though he was covering Carlisle’s story, Chase hadn’t figured out her identity that night in the bar. The vice presidential candidate’s daughter wasn’t that much of a public figure. Yet.
Sloane breathed a sigh of relief, obviously coming to the same conclusion Chase just had. Then she planted her hands firmly on her hips and glared at Chase, something the dog took as a sign to begin his barking once more.
“How do you know who I really am?” she asked as she bent down to pick up the mutt and calm him down with smooth pets over his head. “Come to think of it, why did you follow me all the way from D.C.?”
Confusion and shock crossed her features, and he realized he was really seeing her for the first time. Smudges of dirt stained her cheeks from their fall to the ground.
“It just so happens I live here.” Not much of an explanation, but then he didn’t know how much detail to give just yet.
“You live here. In that inferno?” She pointed toward Samson’s old home, or what was left of it.
“I live in Yorkshire Falls.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustration filling him. He wanted to explain, but he needed answers from her.
Rick remained suspiciously silent, while Sloane shifted the dog to her other hip and narrowed her gaze, studying Chase. “You being from Yorkshire Falls is quite a coincidence, and one that doesn’t explain how you found me at this house.”
He glanced over his shoulder, gratified to see the fire department had surrounded the place and hopefully would have things under control soon.
He wished he’d have this situation with Sloane under control nearly as fast. Turning back to her, he said, “It’s a small town. No one can go anywhere without someone passing along the news. And a new face is definitely news.”
“Especially such a pretty one.” Rick spoke at last. He stood, hands on his hips, a wry grin on his face. “I hate to interrupt this very interesting conversation, especially when you two seem to have a lot to catch up on. But in case you haven’t noticed, there’s a fire going on over there, and Chase told me on the phone that you witnessed the start.”
A group of firemen and the large chief of police headed toward them, causing Sloane to back up, her fear obvious.
“I’m going to need some answers,” Rick said.
Chase nodded. “I agree.”
She started pulling at the dog’s collar, trying to detach him from the tree. “I can’t talk here,” she said, working at the knot.
He threaded his hands through her hair, pulling her close at the same time he heard a deliberate cough. “Excuse me, but did someone call the police?”
Sloane jumped out of Chase’s grasp and his surroundings returned.
Chase forced his gaze away from Sloane, who’d taken to kicking at the dirt on the ground. He met his middle brother’scurious stare. “Thanks for coming so quickly,” he said, and now that he’d come to his senses, he meant it.
“I’m part of Yorkshire Falls’ finest.” He grinned and tipped his head. “We aim to please.” He extended his hand toward Sloane. “Officer Rick Chandler,” he said, introducing himself.
She stopped grinding her toe in the dirt and looked up. “I’m Sloane—” She cut herself off. “I mean, I’m Faith. I . . .” She hesitated as if unsure which persona to use.
“Sloane Carlisle,” Chase supplied, and didn’t miss her shock upon realizing he knew her real identity. He had no option but the truth.
Rick needed to know about Sloane if he was going to help Chase figure out how to keep an eye on her while she was in Yorkshire Falls. And now that Samson’s house had blown up with her nearly in it, keeping a low profile would be even more difficult. Chase would do his best, starting with a news blackout on Sloane’s presence at the scene of the explosion.
His brother didn’t register any obvious recognition at hearing Sloane’s name, which wasn’t surprising. Even though he was covering Carlisle’s story, Chase hadn’t figured out her identity that night in the bar. The vice presidential candidate’s daughter wasn’t that much of a public figure. Yet.
Sloane breathed a sigh of relief, obviously coming to the same conclusion Chase just had. Then she planted her hands firmly on her hips and glared at Chase, something the dog took as a sign to begin his barking once more.
“How do you know who I really am?” she asked as she bent down to pick up the mutt and calm him down with smooth pets over his head. “Come to think of it, why did you follow me all the way from D.C.?”
Confusion and shock crossed her features, and he realized he was really seeing her for the first time. Smudges of dirt stained her cheeks from their fall to the ground.
“It just so happens I live here.” Not much of an explanation, but then he didn’t know how much detail to give just yet.
“You live here. In that inferno?” She pointed toward Samson’s old home, or what was left of it.
“I live in Yorkshire Falls.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustration filling him. He wanted to explain, but he needed answers from her.
Rick remained suspiciously silent, while Sloane shifted the dog to her other hip and narrowed her gaze, studying Chase. “You being from Yorkshire Falls is quite a coincidence, and one that doesn’t explain how you found me at this house.”
He glanced over his shoulder, gratified to see the fire department had surrounded the place and hopefully would have things under control soon.
He wished he’d have this situation with Sloane under control nearly as fast. Turning back to her, he said, “It’s a small town. No one can go anywhere without someone passing along the news. And a new face is definitely news.”
“Especially such a pretty one.” Rick spoke at last. He stood, hands on his hips, a wry grin on his face. “I hate to interrupt this very interesting conversation, especially when you two seem to have a lot to catch up on. But in case you haven’t noticed, there’s a fire going on over there, and Chase told me on the phone that you witnessed the start.”
A group of firemen and the large chief of police headed toward them, causing Sloane to back up, her fear obvious.
“I’m going to need some answers,” Rick said.
Chase nodded. “I agree.”
She started pulling at the dog’s collar, trying to detach him from the tree. “I can’t talk here,” she said, working at the knot.
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