Read Online Hard Ride, Part 2 by Opal Carew - Free Book Online Page A

their joined hands and Liv immediately drew her hand from Wild Card’s.
    In the kitchen Shock served her an omelet, toast, and coffee, and she sat with Steele and Tempest and shared small talk, conscious of Shock’s silence. After breakfast she helped Shock with the dishes, wondering if he was going to give her the silent treatment all day.
    â€œI thought we’d do something special today,” he said as he wiped his hands on a towel, the pots all clean in the dish drainer by the sink.
    â€œLike what?” she asked, relieved he was speaking to her.
    â€œThere’s a small island on the lake with a nice beach. I thought we might go over there, just the two of us. Take a picnic lunch.”
    She smiled. “That sounds nice.”
    * * *
    Shock watched her as the light breeze caught her hair and it fluttered around her face as the canoe skimmed through the water. He steered and she paddled in front of him. A pair of loons swam a few yards from them and she turned her head to watch them. His heart thumped at the sight of her profile. Her pert, upturned nose, her lips, parted slightly, the crinkle around her eyes as she smiled at the feathery little creatures.
    She was always so willful, so prone to putting herself into questionable situations, but he’d seen another side of her now. He’d seen the depth of her vulnerability. Yet her strength in spite of that vulnerability impressed him.
    He would have never guessed what had happened to her in college. She was like the loons swimming near them. On the surface, they seemed calm, gliding through the water effortlessly, but beneath them their feet were moving in a mad, fluttering pace to maintain that façade.
    Another loon called in the distance, a lonely, haunting sound.
    What the hell had he been thinking, insisting she be his for a month?
    But he couldn’t help himself. He’d wanted her.
    Hell, he’d wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life.
    So when the opportunity presented itself, he’d jumped at it.
    He steered the canoe around to the other side of the island. When they landed on the beach, he steadied the boat while she stepped onto the sand. He pulled out the cooler they had brought while she carried a couple of bags packed with stuff.
    Shock spread a blanket on the sand and invited her to sit, then handed her a cold bottle of pink lemonade.
    â€œThis is nice,” she said, looking out over the water.
    Maybe he shouldn’t have forced her to be here, but he wouldn’t give up this time with her for anything.
    She glanced at him, catching his gaze on her face. “What?”
    â€œI was just thinking I’m glad you’re here.”
    â€œOn the island?”
    â€œThe whole thing.”
    â€œYou mean you’re glad I needed money and asked you for it?”
    Hell, no. He wished she were here because she wanted to be with him.
    â€œSure,” he answered. If she wanted to keep it flip, so would he. “Why did you borrow the money, anyway?”
    Her gaze jolted to his. “I thought you were okay with not knowing.”
    â€œYou can’t blame me for being curious. It’s quite a lot of money. I can’t help wondering how you got yourself into such a huge mess that you needed that much. You have a good job, yet you don’t even have a decent place to live … and you needed that much cash?” He shrugged again. “I know you’re rash, but I just never thought you’d get yourself in that deep.”
    She shook her head, her eyes taking on a disturbing clarity. “You think I”—she shook her head—“what? Gambled? Lost a ton of money and owed someone? Or maybe you think I’m into drugs?” Her eyes flashed as she held up her bare arms, then ran her hand over each one as if to show there were no needle marks. “You really think I’m a stupid little bitch, don’t you?”
    He didn’t let her anger