Read Online Awaken to Danger by Catherine Mann - Free Book Online Page A

brown
    leather and jeans. Better to park her butt at the bar and wait for him to find her.
    A marshy breeze blew in off the beach, cold, but not enough to drive the congregated smokers
    back inside. She charged closer while sailboats bobbed along the nearby marina, lines snapping
    and pinging against masts in a mariner's tune.
    But she wouldn't be lured by that song of Carson anymore. Tonight would be her fresh start. No
    more self-destructive dating losers who happened to resemble Carson.
    One of the first things on her agenda, stop coming to a watering hole populated with flyboys from
    nearby Charleston Air Force Base. Climbing the steps up to the hangout housed in a historic
    clapboard two story, she pushed the rest of the way through, smiling and nodding at familiar
    faces she barely registered. Same old crowd, even on a Sunday evening.
    The bass from the band pulsed through the ground, beach music blending with old rock tunes
    from her parents' day that had round-robined back into modern remakes. She sucked in a bracing
    breath, prepping herself for the upcoming confrontation. Gary had been a little possessive in the
    past when guys hit on her, but not violent. Still just in case, she 'd chosen a public meeting place.
    She parted a circle playing quarters. "Pardon me. 'Scuse me." She ducked around an
    overendowed regular wearing Lycra and no coat in January. "Excuse me, Hannah."
    Finally. The door.
    Nikki dodged another couple between her and her destination — and slammed into a solid body.
    Her senses announced his identity before she even looked up.
    Carson, full of musky scent mixed with fresh ocean air, unmistakably him. She forced her gaze
    upward and her feet to stomp backward when she wanted to stay smack-dab where she was and
    just breathe for a few minutes — or days.
    "Hi, Scorch."
    She refused to duck and run. She had nothing to be ashamed of. He was the one who'd been a
    total jerk and if speaking with her made him a smidge uncomfortable, then too damn bad.
    He hitched a foot on the step back into the main bar, shoulder on the door frame, a white paper
    sack clutched in his hand. "Hey, have you spoken with your father recently?"
    And wasn't that just like him to bring up her dad every time they spoke? Thinking Carson stayed
    away because of her father stung a little less, since at least he had a reason — albeit a really stupid
    one. However if he'd simply been a user-jerk, then getting over him would be easier.
    A lose-lose situation for her.
    "Phone calls have been scarce, but the Internet has been awesome. He talks more through e-mail
    than he would over the phone anyhow."
    "That's your dad."
    "Are you meeting someone here?" Ah hell.
    "No, just grabbing carry out on my way to a meeting." He lifted his hand gripping the paper sack.
    "Nothing like Claire's Southern barbecue wings after a day of sailing."
    Claire McDermott was joint owner of Beachcombers with her sisters. Claire was a single
    attractive woman who happened to cook Carson's favorite food — and didn't jealousy suck? The
    guy was heading to a late meeting at work on a Sunday night, for goodness' sake. "So you're still
    sailing."
    "I finally bit the bullet and replaced my old sixteen-footer with a used thirty-one-foot Catalina a
    couple of months ago."
    She could so see him out on the water, sun bleaching his golden hair white, bronzing his chest
    while they both savored the waves and the day. She'd always admired his way of enjoying silence
    as much as a conversation. "Good for you. Life should be lived."
    He stared back at her with eyes so blue she saw the ocean and really wanted to jump in, headfirst,
    no safety preserver.
    He blinked first — thank God — and looked over her shoulder. "Are you meeting someone?"
    She wanted to say no and see if he asked her to join him for supper, but she was smart enough not
    to act on that "want" with this man ever again. "Yeah, he should be here any minute."
    His sky-blue eyes blanked. "I won't keep