Read Online Operation: Endeavor (When The Mission Ends) by Christi Snow - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christi Snow
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to calm down his libido. She’d simply touched his arm and he was ready to take her up against the wall. He was in such trouble. He had enough woman issues just dealing with Dianna. Besides it looked like Penelope was dating Dr. Lopez. She was off-limits. His brain knew it. Now he just had to convince the rest of his body.
* * *
Penelope arrived at Raider Readers with her mind still occupied with Colton. One thing was sure, her body couldn’t survive many more mornings with him looking so sexy and half undressed. She could just work later in the evenings rather than meet up with him in the kitchen. She barely functioned before 9:00 AM on a normal day, but throw in a lust inducing dose of Colton and she didn’t stand a chance of any brain activity happening for several hours.
She was at the bookstore a full hour and a half before opening time, so was surprised when she found the door slightly ajar. Penelope frowned. Alix hadn’t mentioned anything about coming in early today.
She pushed the door inward, but didn’t see anything amiss, so she called out, “Alix, are you here?” The front desk was right by the door and the register didn’t look like it had been touched. She continued into the store. Whoever was here, it had to be one of her employees. A burglar would have gone immediately to that register.
A grinding noise from the New Fiction room startled her, but as she entered the doorway to investigate, she realized it was just the rumbling of the heater starting up. It was always noisier early in the morning.
She jumped as a sudden single bang pounded from above. Her office was on the second story of the old house. Alix probably just hadn’t heard her when she called so she started up the stairs. “Alix? Hannah? Jon? Who’s in here?” She glanced around warily at the top of the stairs, but she still didn’t see anything out of place. When she got to her office doorway, the light was off and she couldn’t see a sign of anyone having been in there since she’d left the night before. Weird.
Maybe they simply hadn’t pulled the exterior door tightly when they closed the night before. Thankfully, it looked like the store was fine, but she’d have to talk to everyone about it to make sure it didn’t happen again. But that didn’t explain why the hair on her arms was still standing straight up. She needed to get all the lights on in the building so she could check all the rooms. There were too many dark corners right now for her to feel completely comfortable in the space.
With one last look around upstairs, she started to head back down to the first floor so she could turn on the lights and lock the door properly before she set to work. She didn’t need anyone walking in on her before opening time. She was jumpy enough already.
She’d made it down two steps when she felt the presence behind her. She turned quickly, but only caught a glimpse of a dark figure before hands roughly pushed her and she tumbled down the curved staircase.
Cha pter 11
Colton stared down at his ringing cell phone and grimaced as he glanced around surreptitiously. He’d forgotten to turn it off when he brought Chris in for his appointment, but it was Penelope so he was going to answer it. The nurse sitting at the front desk flirted with him earlier, but now she glared at him. He tried to look repentant as he mouthed ‘sorry’, pushed the talk button, and slipped out the door of the office.
“Hey, Penelope.”
“Colton, are you still at the hospital?” Something was wrong. Her voice was weak and shaky.
His heartbeat raced as alarm set in. “Yes. What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but I need a ride home. I’m in the ER. Can you come by and get me before you leave?” He could hear her sniffling like she’d been crying.
“I’ll be right there.” Colton took off at a run down the hall before he remembered Chris. He barreled back into the office and toward the reception desk. “My
* * *
Penelope arrived at Raider Readers with her mind still occupied with Colton. One thing was sure, her body couldn’t survive many more mornings with him looking so sexy and half undressed. She could just work later in the evenings rather than meet up with him in the kitchen. She barely functioned before 9:00 AM on a normal day, but throw in a lust inducing dose of Colton and she didn’t stand a chance of any brain activity happening for several hours.
She was at the bookstore a full hour and a half before opening time, so was surprised when she found the door slightly ajar. Penelope frowned. Alix hadn’t mentioned anything about coming in early today.
She pushed the door inward, but didn’t see anything amiss, so she called out, “Alix, are you here?” The front desk was right by the door and the register didn’t look like it had been touched. She continued into the store. Whoever was here, it had to be one of her employees. A burglar would have gone immediately to that register.
A grinding noise from the New Fiction room startled her, but as she entered the doorway to investigate, she realized it was just the rumbling of the heater starting up. It was always noisier early in the morning.
She jumped as a sudden single bang pounded from above. Her office was on the second story of the old house. Alix probably just hadn’t heard her when she called so she started up the stairs. “Alix? Hannah? Jon? Who’s in here?” She glanced around warily at the top of the stairs, but she still didn’t see anything out of place. When she got to her office doorway, the light was off and she couldn’t see a sign of anyone having been in there since she’d left the night before. Weird.
Maybe they simply hadn’t pulled the exterior door tightly when they closed the night before. Thankfully, it looked like the store was fine, but she’d have to talk to everyone about it to make sure it didn’t happen again. But that didn’t explain why the hair on her arms was still standing straight up. She needed to get all the lights on in the building so she could check all the rooms. There were too many dark corners right now for her to feel completely comfortable in the space.
With one last look around upstairs, she started to head back down to the first floor so she could turn on the lights and lock the door properly before she set to work. She didn’t need anyone walking in on her before opening time. She was jumpy enough already.
She’d made it down two steps when she felt the presence behind her. She turned quickly, but only caught a glimpse of a dark figure before hands roughly pushed her and she tumbled down the curved staircase.
Cha pter 11
Colton stared down at his ringing cell phone and grimaced as he glanced around surreptitiously. He’d forgotten to turn it off when he brought Chris in for his appointment, but it was Penelope so he was going to answer it. The nurse sitting at the front desk flirted with him earlier, but now she glared at him. He tried to look repentant as he mouthed ‘sorry’, pushed the talk button, and slipped out the door of the office.
“Hey, Penelope.”
“Colton, are you still at the hospital?” Something was wrong. Her voice was weak and shaky.
His heartbeat raced as alarm set in. “Yes. What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but I need a ride home. I’m in the ER. Can you come by and get me before you leave?” He could hear her sniffling like she’d been crying.
“I’ll be right there.” Colton took off at a run down the hall before he remembered Chris. He barreled back into the office and toward the reception desk. “My
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