Read Online Shrouded in Darkness (Shrouded Series) by H. D. Thomson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: H. D. Thomson
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ghostly appearance made itself known. “I wish I knew what you wanted. Or why you’re here.”
She sighed in frustration before going into the kitchen and getting a glass of wine and something to eat. When she finished dinner, Jake still hadn’t come back for the day.
She both dreaded and anticipated seeing him again. These last few days, she’d begun to look forward to his company, until, that is, she had slammed into his very male and very naked body last night. The feel of his skin against her hands still burned through her memory.
It had been so very long since she’d been held, kissed or caressed by a man. Her reaction could well be because she’d been celibate since Malcolm, and Jake had been that one match needed to set her system aflame. Then again, she was afraid it might be more than physical. She didn’t like this sudden thirst for someone else’s company. She’d finally become completely self-sufficient.
She wasn’t about to turn back now.
Jake’s door remained shut. Curiosity tunneled into her system and pulled her down the hall to his room. After a moment of listening to her own breathing, she bit her lip, snapped on the hall light, then put her hand on the knob. The door opened silently inward. Light from the hall arrowed into the room.
She stepped inside, and, of course, found the place empty. The bed was neatly made. There were only a few signs of his occupancy. A comb on the dresser, a pair of jeans folded across the back of the cushioned chair. And his scent. A rich, masculine, wholesome aroma that curled around her.
On top of the low slung, bedroom dresser, a laptop computer further illuminated the room in a light blue, artificial glow. A screen saver of ocean wildlife shielded the monitor from view. She touched the mouse and row upon row of numbers and formulas lined the screen. Leaning forward, she peered at it but couldn’t make any sense of it. She would have been better off trying to decipher a foreign language.
With a frustrated sigh, she backed away from the dresser and the computer. Her heel hit something hard. She glanced down and saw a dark object protruding from under the bed. Jake must have dropped it. She knelt down and reached out—
“Can I help you?”
She jerked up from her semi-crouched position and choked back the scream in her throat. Arms crossed, Jake stood with a shoulder pressed up against the doorjamb of the adjoining bathroom.
She slapped a palm against her chest. “God, you scared me. I didn’t hear you.”
“Are you looking for anything in particular?”
He didn’t move away from his relaxed pose, but she sensed a tension, an energy animating from him. His sunglasses hid his gaze and any expression she might have gauged. Alone in the house with him, standing in the shadows of the same room with him, she found Jake suddenly threatening. His whipcord body beneath the dark jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt was hard, muscled and much stronger than her own. The black gloves over his hands made him appear even more sinister. What did she really know of him, other than what he’d told her?
She’d been caught red-handed, snooping where she didn’t belong. “I thought you might need some fresh towels.”
“I’m fine, but thanks.”
He stood unmoving, not giving anything away.
Her explanation sounded far too lame. She gave up any pretense and nodded to his computer. “I was just curious. Is it something you’ve been working on from your old job at Miltronics?
“Yes.”
“Do you mind me asking what?” She was growing more awkward by the second, and his non-committal answers weren’t helping.
“Yes.”
“Talking to you about Miltronics is like pulling teeth.” She sighed. “You sound just like—”
“John?”
She rubbed her upper arms. “Yes.”
His tone gentled. “Well, Miltronics has a way of keeping their employee’s mouths shut.”
“What do you mean by that?” She’d always wondered about Johnny’s work, and maybe now was
She sighed in frustration before going into the kitchen and getting a glass of wine and something to eat. When she finished dinner, Jake still hadn’t come back for the day.
She both dreaded and anticipated seeing him again. These last few days, she’d begun to look forward to his company, until, that is, she had slammed into his very male and very naked body last night. The feel of his skin against her hands still burned through her memory.
It had been so very long since she’d been held, kissed or caressed by a man. Her reaction could well be because she’d been celibate since Malcolm, and Jake had been that one match needed to set her system aflame. Then again, she was afraid it might be more than physical. She didn’t like this sudden thirst for someone else’s company. She’d finally become completely self-sufficient.
She wasn’t about to turn back now.
Jake’s door remained shut. Curiosity tunneled into her system and pulled her down the hall to his room. After a moment of listening to her own breathing, she bit her lip, snapped on the hall light, then put her hand on the knob. The door opened silently inward. Light from the hall arrowed into the room.
She stepped inside, and, of course, found the place empty. The bed was neatly made. There were only a few signs of his occupancy. A comb on the dresser, a pair of jeans folded across the back of the cushioned chair. And his scent. A rich, masculine, wholesome aroma that curled around her.
On top of the low slung, bedroom dresser, a laptop computer further illuminated the room in a light blue, artificial glow. A screen saver of ocean wildlife shielded the monitor from view. She touched the mouse and row upon row of numbers and formulas lined the screen. Leaning forward, she peered at it but couldn’t make any sense of it. She would have been better off trying to decipher a foreign language.
With a frustrated sigh, she backed away from the dresser and the computer. Her heel hit something hard. She glanced down and saw a dark object protruding from under the bed. Jake must have dropped it. She knelt down and reached out—
“Can I help you?”
She jerked up from her semi-crouched position and choked back the scream in her throat. Arms crossed, Jake stood with a shoulder pressed up against the doorjamb of the adjoining bathroom.
She slapped a palm against her chest. “God, you scared me. I didn’t hear you.”
“Are you looking for anything in particular?”
He didn’t move away from his relaxed pose, but she sensed a tension, an energy animating from him. His sunglasses hid his gaze and any expression she might have gauged. Alone in the house with him, standing in the shadows of the same room with him, she found Jake suddenly threatening. His whipcord body beneath the dark jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt was hard, muscled and much stronger than her own. The black gloves over his hands made him appear even more sinister. What did she really know of him, other than what he’d told her?
She’d been caught red-handed, snooping where she didn’t belong. “I thought you might need some fresh towels.”
“I’m fine, but thanks.”
He stood unmoving, not giving anything away.
Her explanation sounded far too lame. She gave up any pretense and nodded to his computer. “I was just curious. Is it something you’ve been working on from your old job at Miltronics?
“Yes.”
“Do you mind me asking what?” She was growing more awkward by the second, and his non-committal answers weren’t helping.
“Yes.”
“Talking to you about Miltronics is like pulling teeth.” She sighed. “You sound just like—”
“John?”
She rubbed her upper arms. “Yes.”
His tone gentled. “Well, Miltronics has a way of keeping their employee’s mouths shut.”
“What do you mean by that?” She’d always wondered about Johnny’s work, and maybe now was
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