Read Online Running by Calle J. Brookes - Free Book Online Page B

you.” Why did she feel all of her resolve
slipping? His hands were warm on her back, firm. But she could get
away from him by simply shifting to either the left or the right.
But she didn’t. Why wasn’t she doing that?
    He kissed her, a quick, hot
press of lips on lips and then he was finished. And was rolling her
off of him. “Mmmm. Good morning, baby. Sleep well?”
    Al tried not to shake her head, to
wipe her lips. To not let him know his kiss had affected her in any
way. “Hardly. I’m used to sleeping alone.”
    “ And that is something I do
not understand. A woman like you was made for
snuggling.”
    “ Yeah, and I could have any
guy I want?”
    He grinned again, and did
an exaggerated leer. “You look in the mirror lately?”
    A stab of hurt hit her.
“And that’s what it’s always about, isn’t it?”
    Confusion was in his voice
when he said her name. “Hey, I was only joking.”
    “ Sorry. I’m a bit
sensitive.” She turned and started to climb off the bed. “We need
to get going.”
    “ Baby?” His fingers wrapped
around her wrist and he kept her from walking away from the
bed.
    “ Please don’t call me that.
Sebastian calls Carrie that, and it’s just too weird hearing his
voice coming out of your mouth.”
    “ Alessandra, I didn’t mean
to be an ass…”
    Something he had said had put that
wounded look in those blue eyes. And it made him feel like a total
dick. What had he said? Something about the way she looked. Was she
actually insecure about the way she looked ? Surely not. Surely she knew
that she was beautiful?
    And he didn’t just mean on
the outside. It was in her words, the way she carried herself, and
it was in how she’d spoken of her family, and how she’s treated and
protected Carrie. She was loving and loyal—he had no difficulty
seeing that.
    She was a beautiful and
wonderful woman, regardless of how she looked. Surely she didn’t
think he was that
shallow?
    But then again—what other
impression had he
given her? He’d joked and leered and flirted with her the entire
time they’d been together. Dammit, he really did feel like an ass
now.
    He jumped up from the bed
and spun his girl around. “Listen, I wouldn’t care if you were the
ugliest woman in creation, I’d probably still find you sexy. And you
probably could have any man you wanted—once he got past your snarky
attitude. It’s your one flaw.”
    She just looked up at him.
She wasn’t that much shorter than him—maybe half a foot less than
his six-four. So pretty. So annoying.
    Dammit, he really wanted
this woman.
    But she didn’t do casual
affairs. A man just had to look at her to know that. And that was
all he could do right now. “I didn’t mean to be an ass. And I’m
sorry.”
    “ Don’t worry about
it—you’re not the first guy to try to score just because of the way
I look. Think you’re special?” She tried to look away from him but
he wouldn’t let her. It really bothered her. Stung deep. And he had
never meant to do that.
    “ Whoever made you think
they only wanted you for the way you look was both stupid and
lying. Understand that? If you weren’t so annoying, you’d be the
perfect woman.”
    She smiled but it didn’t
meet her eyes. “Annoying, am I? Maybe you just bring out the worst
in me."

Chapter Twenty-One
    ***
     
    “ They
found Agent Sparks. The sister-in-law. They’re bringing her in
now.” George Keeney had never admired or
respected people who could not control themselves in tense
situations. He had
always worked hard at not letting others know how they affected
him. That was one benefit from the third grade that he had actually
been thankful for.
    This was supposed to be a
routine audit of an FBI division. It wasn’t supposed to have
anything to do with his other problem. The one he’d been trying to get himself out of
for over a month now.
    But George was holding on
to his self control. The situation had changed; he understood that.
Either he provided the