Read Online Deep Autumn Heat by Elisabeth Barrett - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elisabeth Barrett
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around. Val snapped a blanket open and arranged it on the ground. Within moments, everything went dark.
“What are we seeing tonight?” Seb whispered.
“
Casablanca
,” Val responded.
“Isn’t this the one where she goes off with the wrong guy at the end?”
Lexie gave a loud sniff of disapproval as the opening credits began to roll.
Seb chuckled in the growing darkness.
The crowd grew quiet once the dialogue started. Lexie tried to relax and enjoy the movie, but soon she felt an uncomfortable prickling sensation at the back of her neck. She rubbed it gently, but the feeling wouldn’t go away. It was almost like someone was watching her.
Lexie stiffened and her eyes narrowed.
It was
exactly
like someone was watching her.
Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head around. Sebastian’s face was bathed in the dim glow from the large movie screen and a nearby lamp. His panther eyes were trained directly on her and he had a hungry expression on his face.
He wasn’t even pretending to watch the movie.
Stop it
, she mouthed.
Seb raised an eyebrow.
No
, he mouthed back.
Lexie’s brow furrowed slightly.
Why not?
Instead of mouthing back a response, the corners of Seb’s mouth curled up into the wickedest grin Lexie had ever seen. The look in his eyes changed from a challenge to one of sensual promise. The man was sex personified. Lexie’s mouth dropped open and she snapped her head back to the movie screen. As if she could actually concentrate on the film now.
Lexie didn’t trust herself within two feet of that man. She had to get away from him. “Buster,” she whispered urgently. “Buster, I have to go now.”
Buster gave her a questioning look, then immediately turned to look at Seb. “I’ll come with you,” he said gruffly, as he returned his gaze to Lexie.
“No, no. I’m just going home. I brought my car today. I’ll be fine walking back to the restaurant by myself.” Buster gave her a searching look. “Really. I’ll be fine,” she said firmly. “Can you bring the cooler back to the LMK after the show?” Buster nodded his assent, but hedidn’t look happy. Lexie ignored his expression. “Great. I’ll see you on Tuesday, okay?” He nodded again.
Lexie stood up from the blanket and quickly walked away without looking at Seb. She’d made it thirty yards away from the Green when she heard footsteps coming up fast behind her.
Whirling to confront Sebastian, she realized too late that it wasn’t him. A stranger wearing a black ski mask bore down on her. Caught off balance, Lexie stumbled in surprise and the stranger shoved her back hard. She fell to the ground and within seconds, the figure was on top of her, gripping her shoulders. Then, the stranger’s gloved hand began to reach for her throat.
CHAPTER 7
When Lexie stalked off into the night, Seb rose to follow her. He didn’t want to ruin her movie night—
that
certainly hadn’t been his intention. As he walked, he saw someone emerge from the shadowy trees and he immediately sensed that something was wrong. His concerns were justified when the figure started to advance on Lexie. He was too far away to prevent Lexie from getting tackled to the ground, but not too far to try distracting her attacker with noise. “Get away from her!” he yelled, racing forward.
Seeing that Seb was larger and more muscular, Lexie’s attacker sized the situation up in an instant and chose to run. By the time Seb reached Lexie’s side, the stranger had disappeared into the darkness. Seb’s shouting had attracted the attention of the other moviegoers, who were now turning around to see what all of the commotion was about. It was too late for anyone to pursue the attacker; it was dark and he was long gone.
Lexie sat up slowly, still slightly stunned. Seb held out his hand. When she didn’t immediately take it, he bent down.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
Lexie swallowed and moistened her lips before speaking. “I … I think so,” she
“What are we seeing tonight?” Seb whispered.
“
Casablanca
,” Val responded.
“Isn’t this the one where she goes off with the wrong guy at the end?”
Lexie gave a loud sniff of disapproval as the opening credits began to roll.
Seb chuckled in the growing darkness.
The crowd grew quiet once the dialogue started. Lexie tried to relax and enjoy the movie, but soon she felt an uncomfortable prickling sensation at the back of her neck. She rubbed it gently, but the feeling wouldn’t go away. It was almost like someone was watching her.
Lexie stiffened and her eyes narrowed.
It was
exactly
like someone was watching her.
Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head around. Sebastian’s face was bathed in the dim glow from the large movie screen and a nearby lamp. His panther eyes were trained directly on her and he had a hungry expression on his face.
He wasn’t even pretending to watch the movie.
Stop it
, she mouthed.
Seb raised an eyebrow.
No
, he mouthed back.
Lexie’s brow furrowed slightly.
Why not?
Instead of mouthing back a response, the corners of Seb’s mouth curled up into the wickedest grin Lexie had ever seen. The look in his eyes changed from a challenge to one of sensual promise. The man was sex personified. Lexie’s mouth dropped open and she snapped her head back to the movie screen. As if she could actually concentrate on the film now.
Lexie didn’t trust herself within two feet of that man. She had to get away from him. “Buster,” she whispered urgently. “Buster, I have to go now.”
Buster gave her a questioning look, then immediately turned to look at Seb. “I’ll come with you,” he said gruffly, as he returned his gaze to Lexie.
“No, no. I’m just going home. I brought my car today. I’ll be fine walking back to the restaurant by myself.” Buster gave her a searching look. “Really. I’ll be fine,” she said firmly. “Can you bring the cooler back to the LMK after the show?” Buster nodded his assent, but hedidn’t look happy. Lexie ignored his expression. “Great. I’ll see you on Tuesday, okay?” He nodded again.
Lexie stood up from the blanket and quickly walked away without looking at Seb. She’d made it thirty yards away from the Green when she heard footsteps coming up fast behind her.
Whirling to confront Sebastian, she realized too late that it wasn’t him. A stranger wearing a black ski mask bore down on her. Caught off balance, Lexie stumbled in surprise and the stranger shoved her back hard. She fell to the ground and within seconds, the figure was on top of her, gripping her shoulders. Then, the stranger’s gloved hand began to reach for her throat.
CHAPTER 7
When Lexie stalked off into the night, Seb rose to follow her. He didn’t want to ruin her movie night—
that
certainly hadn’t been his intention. As he walked, he saw someone emerge from the shadowy trees and he immediately sensed that something was wrong. His concerns were justified when the figure started to advance on Lexie. He was too far away to prevent Lexie from getting tackled to the ground, but not too far to try distracting her attacker with noise. “Get away from her!” he yelled, racing forward.
Seeing that Seb was larger and more muscular, Lexie’s attacker sized the situation up in an instant and chose to run. By the time Seb reached Lexie’s side, the stranger had disappeared into the darkness. Seb’s shouting had attracted the attention of the other moviegoers, who were now turning around to see what all of the commotion was about. It was too late for anyone to pursue the attacker; it was dark and he was long gone.
Lexie sat up slowly, still slightly stunned. Seb held out his hand. When she didn’t immediately take it, he bent down.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
Lexie swallowed and moistened her lips before speaking. “I … I think so,” she
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