Read Online Sarah McCarty by Slade - Free Book Online Page A

through the space between the wood, you need to be somewhere safer than this SUV”
    Material scraped against leather. Warm breath stroked her neck.
    “You’re not damaging my truck are you?”
    She gripped the steering wheel, irritation flashing through her at her reaction to that incidental caress. Being turned on in this situation would make her the cliché she simply refused to be—the sex-starved researcher.
    Air woofed past her ear in a grunt of pain, or a chuckle. Again, as with everything about this man, it was hard to tell. “The one thing I don’t need right now is a backseat driver.”
    “You’re doing fine.”
    She glanced over her shoulder, took in the impression of Slade’s profile, absorbed that ever so pleasing scent that surrounded him, and flexed her fingers. “If that’s the case, you should be more focused on your preference for comfort than on my driving.”
    Several small breaths puffed past her ear. Definitely a chuckle. Even under pain and pressure, the man could find humor. Was there anything about him that wasn’t pleasing? “Just how small is this box.”
    She pulled up as close as she could to the stall and to the right of the box before killing the lights. “Let’s just say that I hope you’re very limber.”
    He groaned.
    “I’m taking that as a yes.”
    “Take it as whatever you want.” Leather creaked as he sat back. She hopped out of the car. “It isn’t safe for you here.”
    She went around to the back door. “I’m getting the impression that it isn’t safe for me anywhere.”
    She opened the door. His hand caught hers, the hard calluses on the palm rough against her skin. A shiver went through her as his gaze met hers.
    “You need to get in that car and drive like hell out of here.”
    “Because the wolves are coming.”
    “Yes.”
    She stood back, giving him room to come out. “I don’t believe you.”
    “The hell you don’t.”
    She’d always been a lousy liar. “Do you realize that you swear a lot when you’re upset?”
    The only thing to come out of the back of the SUV was his growl. “Do you realize that you change the subject when you don’t like the way a conversation is going?”
    “Yes. It’s called ‘being tactful.’”
    “I’d call it ‘running away.’”
    He would. The man seemed to love conflict.
    “I beg to differ. May I ask you a question?”
    “Shoot.”
    “Do vampires feel pain?”
    “All vampire senses are heightened.”
    She glanced down at his fingers, which were wrapped around her wrist. The ravaged flesh split to the bone. “Then how come you’re not screaming?”
    “I’m trying to impress you.”
    As if any man oozing that much testosterone needed to worry about impressing a mousy little scientist with zero man-killer skills.
    Leaning forward, he cocked his brow and asked, “Is it working?”
    Rolling her eyes, she said, “Consider me impressed.”
    “Good.” He tugged her forward, into the darkness of the car interior. The hairs on the back of her neck rose in warning. She braced her feet.
    “What?” he asked.
    “I’ll wait out here.”
    “Afraid?”
    Even though she couldn’t see it, she bet the arch of his brow was higher. “Not at all. I’ve just got a weak stomach.”
    The length of the next pause made her feel guilty. She heard the pass of his hand over the scruff of his beard.
    “Guess I do look like something the cat dragged in.”
    “You look like you need to be in a hospital,” she countered.
    And that was her fault.
    “I’ll improve.”
    She glanced at the box again. A beam of sunlight from the open doors had reached it. “Wait here.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Amazing how much sarcasm could be put into two syllables. Mr. Slade, whoever he was, did not like taking orders, but that was just tough. Right now she was in charge, and while she didn’t know how long she could maintain that control, it was something she wasn’t giving up. Especially since she gave orders much better than she took