Read Online Renegade by Rochelle Alers - Free Book Online

eyes—large gold-flecked and penetrating. It was as if they missed nothing, and there were times when she believed he could see what she managed to hide: a sensual longing she had never felt before. And she was mature enough to know that if she did sleep with Gabriel it would only elicit a physical dependence on him—a dependence she could not risk because of her dangerous masquerade.
    She felt lethargic after eating a cup of flavorful lobster bisque, a whole grilled red snapper with grilled asparagus spears, cherry tomatoes, husked sweet corn and shiitake mushrooms in yellow bell peppers. She had barely touched a green salad of endive, watercress, romaine, and spinach leaves tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
    Gabriel hadn’t permitted her to assist him when he prepared everything in half the time it would have taken her. She had sat on a high stool watching him move around the spacious kitchen with the same familiarity and ease he had exhibited when playing an instrument.
    Summer took a sip of sparkling water, musing.
He doesn’t need a woman, not when he can take care of himself
. Gabriel had a home built for his personal needs and professional specifications. He was a more than competent cook, and he had the resources to go anywhere he wanted and whenever he wanted. He had it all: looks, talent, and money.
    Gabriel raised his head and caught Summer staring at him. His gaze dropped from her eyes to her throat, where a pulse throbbed with her increased respiration, and down to the soft outline of her breasts under the long-sleeved polo.
    “Tell me about Summer,” he said in a quiet voice.
    She stared over his shoulder. “There’s not much to tell.”
    Gabriel put down his fork. “Tell me what little there is.”
    “I was born thirty-three years ago on the first day of summer. Hence my name.” She watched Gabriel’s expressive eyebrows flicker with this disclosure. “My parents met in medical school and married during their third year. After their internship and residency, they decided to join the Peace Corps. They were assigned to a remote village somewhere in Peru. Once my mother discovered she was pregnant, she came back to the States, while my father stayed. Six months after my birth, my mother rejoined my father, leaving me in the care of my grandmother.”
    Leaning forward, Gabriel shook his head in disbelief. “Are you saying your grandmother raised you?”
    An expression of hardness settled into Summer’s delicate features. “She fed me, combed my hair, taught me my prayers, attended the parent-teacher conferences, and encouraged me to pursue a career in theater.”
    “When did you see your parents?”
    “They returned twice a year for short visits. They came back to stay the year I turned five. Mother was pregnant again. I suppose the impending birth of a second child quelled her wanderlust. Mother and Father bought a large house. I didn’t want to leave my grandmother, so Mother asked her to come live with us. The happiest day of my life was when Mother brought Charles home from the hospital and we all gathered around the crib to tell him how beautiful and special he was.
    “My mother stayed home for four years. Once Charles was enrolled in a private nursery school, she joined my father on staff at a municipal hospital. They worked long hours and different shifts, so it was Gram who stepped in once again, becoming my surrogate mother.
    “All of my friends thought it was cool that I had two parents who were doctors. What they didn’t know was that I would’ve given anything to have a mother and father who worked a nine-to-five. At least I would’ve seen them more than I did.”
    Lowering her head, she stared down at her plate, struggling with the resentment that surfaced when she least expected it. She lifted her chin, meeting Gabriel’s stunned gaze across the table. “After Charles was killed my parents contacted the World Health Organization for an overseas assignment. They’re