Read Online Summer Rain (Lightning Strikes Book 3) by Barbara Freethy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Freethy
Tags: Romance
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him.
Her call had definitely perked up his day. He'd woken up tired and achy from his wounds, frustrated that he wasn't getting anywhere, and then unsure of where he was actually trying to get. Did he want to prove his mom was having an affair? Did he want to prove the plane crash wasn't an accident? Were those facts going to make anyone happy?
The problem was he couldn't un-hear what he'd heard from Stuart's daughter. Nor could he ignore it. So he'd go a little further and see where that got him.
He was thrilled to have someone new to speak to, but inwardly he knew it wasn't just the upcoming meeting that had him on edge; it was Dani. She'd gotten under his skin and she'd definitely spent a lot of time in his dreams the night before.
Images of her as his avenging angel had mixed in with images of her mouth pressed against his. He hadn't kissed her yet, but he really wanted to. The electricity between them was palpable. Every time they were together, the air sizzled. She could deny it all she wanted, but that didn't make it false. The attraction did, however, complicate things—for both of them. It wasn't the right time to start anything. He needed to remember that.
His phone vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was his father. He was tempted not to answer it, but after Sunday's events, he couldn't disappear on his dad. "Hey, Dad."
"How are you feeling, Patrick?"
"I'm fine. Better every day."
"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight and prove that to me in person? I can grill us some steaks. I want to show you the pictures the photographer took on Sunday. They're pretty good."
"I'd like to see them. Unfortunately, I can't make it tonight."
"Why not? What are you doing?"
"I had to go out of town."
"Out of town?" his dad asked in surprise. "You're supposed to be resting. Where are you?"
"I'm in DC. I'm doing some research for my next story." He hoped his dad wouldn't ask any more questions.
"You're a workaholic, just like your mother. Sometimes you have to take a break, let yourself breathe, heal, play some basketball, go to a baseball game—just relax."
"I plan on doing all that in a few days. I'll call you when I get back to town."
"You better. Have you heard from the police? Has there been any progress in finding out who attacked you?"
"Nothing yet. I spoke to the detective on the case this morning. They're checking surveillance video in the area to see if they can pick up anyone matching the description I gave them leaving the neighborhood or the park."
"I still can't believe what happened. It was such a great day. I thought we were turning things around for that part of town. Now everyone is talking about whether or not the park is safe."
Which might have been the sole point of his attack.
"Anyway, I'm very grateful you're all right," Harris continued. "I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you, Patrick."
"I'm okay, Dad. You don't have to worry about me."
"I hope not. But I didn't think I had to worry about your mother, either."
"I know." He saw Dani heading down the street. "I have to go. I'll be in touch."
"I'll email you some of the photos."
"Great." He slipped his phone into his pocket as Dani reached him. Today, she wore a sleeveless pale-yellow dress. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her legs bare, and on her feet were a pair of strappy sandals. She looked like a summer dream and was even prettier than he remembered.
"You're right on time," he said.
"I usually am."
"Me, too. I like it when people don't keep me waiting, so I try to return the favor. How was work?"
"Busy. I should still be there. I never leave this early."
"I appreciate you doing this. I rented a car." He waved his hand toward the white Volkswagen Passat. Maybe she'd relax a little once they got away from the city. "Do you need to go upstairs first?"
"No. I'm ready."
He opened the door for her, noting her large bag filled with weighty-looking reports. "Is all that homework?"
"It is. There's
Her call had definitely perked up his day. He'd woken up tired and achy from his wounds, frustrated that he wasn't getting anywhere, and then unsure of where he was actually trying to get. Did he want to prove his mom was having an affair? Did he want to prove the plane crash wasn't an accident? Were those facts going to make anyone happy?
The problem was he couldn't un-hear what he'd heard from Stuart's daughter. Nor could he ignore it. So he'd go a little further and see where that got him.
He was thrilled to have someone new to speak to, but inwardly he knew it wasn't just the upcoming meeting that had him on edge; it was Dani. She'd gotten under his skin and she'd definitely spent a lot of time in his dreams the night before.
Images of her as his avenging angel had mixed in with images of her mouth pressed against his. He hadn't kissed her yet, but he really wanted to. The electricity between them was palpable. Every time they were together, the air sizzled. She could deny it all she wanted, but that didn't make it false. The attraction did, however, complicate things—for both of them. It wasn't the right time to start anything. He needed to remember that.
His phone vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was his father. He was tempted not to answer it, but after Sunday's events, he couldn't disappear on his dad. "Hey, Dad."
"How are you feeling, Patrick?"
"I'm fine. Better every day."
"Why don't you come over for dinner tonight and prove that to me in person? I can grill us some steaks. I want to show you the pictures the photographer took on Sunday. They're pretty good."
"I'd like to see them. Unfortunately, I can't make it tonight."
"Why not? What are you doing?"
"I had to go out of town."
"Out of town?" his dad asked in surprise. "You're supposed to be resting. Where are you?"
"I'm in DC. I'm doing some research for my next story." He hoped his dad wouldn't ask any more questions.
"You're a workaholic, just like your mother. Sometimes you have to take a break, let yourself breathe, heal, play some basketball, go to a baseball game—just relax."
"I plan on doing all that in a few days. I'll call you when I get back to town."
"You better. Have you heard from the police? Has there been any progress in finding out who attacked you?"
"Nothing yet. I spoke to the detective on the case this morning. They're checking surveillance video in the area to see if they can pick up anyone matching the description I gave them leaving the neighborhood or the park."
"I still can't believe what happened. It was such a great day. I thought we were turning things around for that part of town. Now everyone is talking about whether or not the park is safe."
Which might have been the sole point of his attack.
"Anyway, I'm very grateful you're all right," Harris continued. "I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you, Patrick."
"I'm okay, Dad. You don't have to worry about me."
"I hope not. But I didn't think I had to worry about your mother, either."
"I know." He saw Dani heading down the street. "I have to go. I'll be in touch."
"I'll email you some of the photos."
"Great." He slipped his phone into his pocket as Dani reached him. Today, she wore a sleeveless pale-yellow dress. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her legs bare, and on her feet were a pair of strappy sandals. She looked like a summer dream and was even prettier than he remembered.
"You're right on time," he said.
"I usually am."
"Me, too. I like it when people don't keep me waiting, so I try to return the favor. How was work?"
"Busy. I should still be there. I never leave this early."
"I appreciate you doing this. I rented a car." He waved his hand toward the white Volkswagen Passat. Maybe she'd relax a little once they got away from the city. "Do you need to go upstairs first?"
"No. I'm ready."
He opened the door for her, noting her large bag filled with weighty-looking reports. "Is all that homework?"
"It is. There's
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