Read Online Crazy in Chicago by Norah-Jean Perkin - Free Book Online Page A

success with women. But she was worried. Cody’s symptoms of insomnia and nausea, while common to victims of alien abductions, could also indicate any one of dozens of other conditions or diseases. Alien abduction or not, he needed to see a doctor. Any extraterrestrial investigator would recommend the same thing.
    Cody inserted his key in the passenger door lock. Without warning he jerked his arm upwards and covered his eyes. He moaned and staggered against the car.
    Roberta ran to his side. “Here,” she said, “lean against me. You’ll be all right in a moment.”
    She slipped her hand under his arm, then staggered as his weight settled against her. Struggling to stay upright, she helped him across the sidewalk to the wall of the building in front of them. Roberta pressed him back against the wall, using her own body to anchor him there, through one shudder after another. She felt the clamminess of his skin, and prayed that this spell would pass quickly. Finally, after what seemed minutes and minutes but was likely only seconds, his heartbeat and breathing returned to normal. He grew quiet.
    Roberta sighed. Now that the attack had passed, she knew she should back away. Maintaining her resolve to keep Cody at arm’s length was hard enough under any circumstances. Now she was far too conscious of his lean, muscular body pressed against hers, of his warm breath on her neck, of his enticingly masculine smell. But he moved before she did, his hands resting lightly on her waist.
    â€œYou were right.”
    â€œRight?” Roberta squirmed away so she could look into his face. “About what?”
    â€œAbout me seeing something. Something different during the attack in Allie’s apartment. It happened again here, when I tried to unlock the car.”  
    â€œWhat . . . what did you see?”
    Cody frowned. “Not all that much. Just a flash of blinding blue light. I don’t know why, but it terrified me. As if . . . as if . . .”
    â€œAs if what?”
    â€œThat’s just it. I don’t know. Like something bad was about to happen. I don’t know what.”
    Roberta listened with mixed feelings. Despite her suspicion that Cody had been abducted by aliens, she didn’t know what to make of this new information. She’d never heard anything like this before. Abductees often cited bright light in recounting their abductions, but never a blue light.
    She didn’t have time to puzzle it out now. Instead she concentrated on the man in her arms, and how he was doing right now. “Are you okay?”
    â€œYes. Thank you.”
    â€œFor what?” His closeness was addling her brain.
    â€œFor holding me. Someone else might have just let me slide to the pavement.”
    â€œI couldn’t do that. I . . .” Roberta started to step back but Cody’s hands locked around her waist.
    His eyes gleamed. “Can I assume that this means you like me? At least a little?”
    Roberta couldn’t help it. She grinned. “I guess so. A little.”
    Cody sighed dramatically and pulled her closer until her head pressed against his chest and his chin rested on her head.
    â€œI wonder,” he said softly, “if I passed out now and fell to the ground, would you perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on me?”
    Roberta stifled a giggle. “Maybe.”
    â€œIf I got so cold that I developed hypothermia, would you take off all your clothes and warm me with your body?”
    â€œWhat? Give me a break!” Roberta shook his chin off her head and looked up into his eyes. Deep, dark eyes, full of laughter. And something else much more serious. Something that made her heart speed up and her throat parch. She swallowed and licked her dry lips.
    â€œYou don’t give up, do you?” she whispered.
    His gaze held hers. “No. Not when there’s something—or someone—I want.”
    Silence reigned as awareness of each other