Read Online Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online
Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
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trouble than you can handle you’ll call Nick, first, because he’ll be the closest. And right after you call him, you’ll call me. I’ll be on the next plane back to Seattle.”
“I promise,” Abby said.
Neither of them mentioned the possibility of her going to her family for help. It was not an option, and they both knew it. Gwen and Nick Sawyer constituted her real family, Abby thought. The bond among the three of them had been forged in the fires of their years together in the Summerlight Academy. Nothing could sever it.
She was about to add more reassurance, but a flash of intense awareness stopped her cold in the middle of the sidewalk.
“Abby?” Gwen stopped, too, concerned. “Are you okay?”
“He’s here,” Abby said quietly.
“Who?” Gwen asked.
Abby watched a shadowy figure detach itself from a darkened doorway and walk forward into the light. The man wore a black leather jacket open over a dark crewneck pullover and dark trousers. The collar of the jacket was pulled up against the chill and the rain, shadowing his features.
He carried a black leather gym bag in one hand. With her senses on alert, she had no difficulty at all perceiving the faint heat in his eyes. A thrill of excitement fizzed through her veins.
Sam looked at her, eyes heating a little. “I’ve been waiting for you. You know the old saying.”
“What old saying?” Abby asked.
“You can run, but you can’t hide.”
Abby looked at Gwen. “Meet Sam Coppersmith.”
8
SAM HEARD THE CLICKS OF DOG CLAWS ON A WOODEN FLOOR before Abby got her door unlocked.
“That’s Newton,” Abby explained. “He isn’t keen on strangers, especially strange men.”
“I’ll try to make a good impression,” Sam said.
She turned the key and pushed the door open. A scruffy gray dog of uncertain ancestry lunged forward to greet Abby as if she had been gone for a year.
“Sorry I’m late, Newton.” Abby leaned down to scratch the dog affectionately behind the ears. “We’ve got company.”
Newton regarded Sam with an expression of grave misgivings.
“I’m with her,” Sam said.
“Generally speaking, he doesn’t bite,” Abby said.
“You don’t have to make that sound like a character flaw,” Sam said.
Newton was on the small side, but that was about all he had in common with the typical condo dog, which, in Sam’s experience, tended to come in two versions: tiny, white and fluffy or chunky pug. Newton was a condo-sized version of a junkyard dog.
“Where did you get him?” Sam asked.
“The animal shelter.” Abby gave Newton an affectionate smile. “It was love at first sight, wasn’t it, Newton?”
Newton spared her a brief glance, acknowledging his name. Then he turned his attention back to Sam.
Sam set the leather duffel bag on the floor, crouched and extended his hand toward Newton. The dog tilted his head slightly to the side and pricked up his ears. He sniffed Sam’s hand and then condescended to allow himself to be patted a few times.
“Congratulations,” Abby said. She slipped out of her coat and turned to hang it on the red enamel coat tree. “Newton approves of you. He doesn’t take to everyone.”
Sam got to his feet. “I think it’s more a case of tolerating me.”
“Well, yes, but at least he doesn’t look like he’s going to go for your throat.”
“He’s a condo dog,” Sam said. “The most he could go for is my ankle.”
Abby glared. “Do not, under any circumstances, underestimate Newton. He picks up on vibes in the atmosphere. He knows when he’s being insulted.”
Sam looked at Newton. “Is that so?”
Newton gave a disdainful little snort and trotted off down the hall.
Sam looked at Abby. “Since your guard dog has decided to allow me over the threshold, is it okay if I take off my coat?”
Abby flushed. “Yes, of course. Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude, it’s just that I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.”
“I
“I promise,” Abby said.
Neither of them mentioned the possibility of her going to her family for help. It was not an option, and they both knew it. Gwen and Nick Sawyer constituted her real family, Abby thought. The bond among the three of them had been forged in the fires of their years together in the Summerlight Academy. Nothing could sever it.
She was about to add more reassurance, but a flash of intense awareness stopped her cold in the middle of the sidewalk.
“Abby?” Gwen stopped, too, concerned. “Are you okay?”
“He’s here,” Abby said quietly.
“Who?” Gwen asked.
Abby watched a shadowy figure detach itself from a darkened doorway and walk forward into the light. The man wore a black leather jacket open over a dark crewneck pullover and dark trousers. The collar of the jacket was pulled up against the chill and the rain, shadowing his features.
He carried a black leather gym bag in one hand. With her senses on alert, she had no difficulty at all perceiving the faint heat in his eyes. A thrill of excitement fizzed through her veins.
Sam looked at her, eyes heating a little. “I’ve been waiting for you. You know the old saying.”
“What old saying?” Abby asked.
“You can run, but you can’t hide.”
Abby looked at Gwen. “Meet Sam Coppersmith.”
8
SAM HEARD THE CLICKS OF DOG CLAWS ON A WOODEN FLOOR before Abby got her door unlocked.
“That’s Newton,” Abby explained. “He isn’t keen on strangers, especially strange men.”
“I’ll try to make a good impression,” Sam said.
She turned the key and pushed the door open. A scruffy gray dog of uncertain ancestry lunged forward to greet Abby as if she had been gone for a year.
“Sorry I’m late, Newton.” Abby leaned down to scratch the dog affectionately behind the ears. “We’ve got company.”
Newton regarded Sam with an expression of grave misgivings.
“I’m with her,” Sam said.
“Generally speaking, he doesn’t bite,” Abby said.
“You don’t have to make that sound like a character flaw,” Sam said.
Newton was on the small side, but that was about all he had in common with the typical condo dog, which, in Sam’s experience, tended to come in two versions: tiny, white and fluffy or chunky pug. Newton was a condo-sized version of a junkyard dog.
“Where did you get him?” Sam asked.
“The animal shelter.” Abby gave Newton an affectionate smile. “It was love at first sight, wasn’t it, Newton?”
Newton spared her a brief glance, acknowledging his name. Then he turned his attention back to Sam.
Sam set the leather duffel bag on the floor, crouched and extended his hand toward Newton. The dog tilted his head slightly to the side and pricked up his ears. He sniffed Sam’s hand and then condescended to allow himself to be patted a few times.
“Congratulations,” Abby said. She slipped out of her coat and turned to hang it on the red enamel coat tree. “Newton approves of you. He doesn’t take to everyone.”
Sam got to his feet. “I think it’s more a case of tolerating me.”
“Well, yes, but at least he doesn’t look like he’s going to go for your throat.”
“He’s a condo dog,” Sam said. “The most he could go for is my ankle.”
Abby glared. “Do not, under any circumstances, underestimate Newton. He picks up on vibes in the atmosphere. He knows when he’s being insulted.”
Sam looked at Newton. “Is that so?”
Newton gave a disdainful little snort and trotted off down the hall.
Sam looked at Abby. “Since your guard dog has decided to allow me over the threshold, is it okay if I take off my coat?”
Abby flushed. “Yes, of course. Sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude, it’s just that I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.”
“I
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