Read Online Gift of Fire by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online

waiting for him. Good to share a bed and breakfast with her. Good to have his books crammed into her bookcases. Good to feel he had a place where he belonged. He liked the thought of spending the rest of his life like this. He wondered how Verity would respond to that idea.

                She never said much about their future together, and lately that had begun to bother him. Women were supposed to instinctively seek a sense of permanence in a relationship. They were supposed to want rings, and vows, and all the other symbolic bonds that spelled marriage and commitment.

                But Verity had never once brought up the subject of marriage. That seemed strange, now that he considered it. Jonas frowned.

                Last night she had accused him of acting like an enraged, no, an irate husband. Jonas let the word husband trickle through his mind again. He wondered if Verity ever visualized herself as a wife.

                Probably not, he told himself realistically. Emerson had given his daughter a highly unorthodox upbringing. His main goal as a father, he'd explained, had been to teach Verity how to take care of herself in a rough world. The result had been a smart, self-reliant, fiery-tempered young woman who had managed to do just fine without a man in her life—until Jonas had arrived on the scene.

                Jonas didn't kid himself about how she had managed to remain single for so long. She had driven off every eligible male with a tongue that had been honed to a fine, sharp edge. She was as good with her tongue as he was with his knife, he reflected wryly. The lady didn't hesitate to use her mouth. Jonas grinned at the thought, finished his coffee, and rose to his feet.

                Verity stuck her head around the kitchen door. "You might put on a tie," she suggested brightly. "Wouldn't want the Warwicks to think I'm trying to impress them, now would we?"
                "Jonas," she said firmly, "a tie would be appropriate. You're supposed to be a professional."

                He walked over to her, bent his head, and kissed her roughly on the mouth. "Like I said, lady, don't press your luck."

                Verity held her breath during the formal introductions but after a few minutes she relaxed. It was obvious that Jonas was going to behave himself. After Doug Warwick realized that Jonas was apparently far more civilized in the light of day, he put out a friendly hand, which Jonas accepted with casual ease. The four of them, Jonas and Verity, Doug and Elyssa, were seated in the resort's solarium. The glass walls provided an expansive view of Sequence Lake shimmering in the cold sunlight. Elyssa was dressed in white again, Verity noticed—white pants, white sweater, white shoes. Her jewelry sparkled in the sunlight.

                "Sorry about the misunderstanding last night," Doug said. Verity thought it was very generous of him. She smiled at him warmly.

                "I appreciate your helping Verity last night," Jonas said somewhat grudgingly. Then he sprawled in a lounger and eyed his potential clients.

                "How are you feeling today, Verity?" Elyssa examined the now famous ankle. "Can you put any weight on it yet?"

                "A little. It's still sore, but it should be back to normal in a few days. Laura found this cane for me and it's been a great help." She waved a hardwood staff aloft. "It's left over from two years ago, when Rick threw his back out."

                "I have a friend," Elyssa went on helpfully, "someone I met in one of Preston's seminars. He works with crystals. He could probably do something for you."

    "I should warn you, my sister is really involved in this crap," Doug Warwick said in an aside to Jonas.

                "Pay no attention to Doug," Elyssa retorted gently. "He's still very linear in his thinking.