Read Online Target by Stella Cameron - Free Book Online Page A

to me.”
    A large tongue traveled from his chin, over his mouth and nose to his forehead. Hoover snuffled at an ear then set about doing water-damage control all over Nick’s torso.
    Aurelie’s laugh didn’t amuse Nick. “Don’t you ever do what you just did again,” he said. “Got that?”
    â€œNo.”
    He straightened up, pausing long enough on the way to rest a hand on the dog’s sopping head. Poor Hoover, he just did what came naturally.
    The feelings Nick had for Aurelie weren’t so gentle. They weren’t gentle at all. He reached for her. “Dammit, quit fooling around. We can’t afford to be careless. I’m telling you that, and Matt said the same thing. Don’t you understand?”
    â€œCalm down,” she told him. A hooded, snap-fronted rain slicker covered everything but the lower half of her face. A hand showed only when she pulled the hood back far enough to let her see him. “Would you rather I didn’t take Hoover out? This is the safest time of the day. No one hangs around looking for victims this late…early. It’s that sort of no-man’s hour. Why don’t you have clothes on?”
    â€œI do,” he said through his teeth. “But I’ve always thought it would make sense to go naked in the rain so you wouldn’t get any clothes wet.”
    Aurelie giggled. “I bet your jeans weigh a ton.”
    Hoover howled, raised his majestic head and bayed at a spot where a moon might have been.
    â€œShh!” Nick arranged his fingers into two sets of claws and jabbed them at the dog. “You’ll wake up the neighbors, dammit. Inside. Now. Both of you.”
    Inside entailed another slosh through the mud to retrace his steps.
    Aurelie made sucking noises when she walked. A look showed the toes of rubber boots shining in a streetlight.
    â€œSorry I shocked you,” she said. “I didn’t think, I just left. Hoover always goes between four and five. You could set your clock by it. I never need an alarm.”
    â€œHoly…Are you saying you get up at this time every day?”
    â€œYes. I go to bed early. Works for me.”
    â€œWouldn’t work for me,” he said.
    â€œIt doesn’t have to.”
    â€œIt does if you’re staying at my place. I don’t want you out here on your own. I already told you that.”
    â€œI’m not staying at your place, Nick. As soon as the rental office opens I’ll look at the Quarters. If I don’t like it there, I’ll find something else. I won’t disturb you this early in the morning again.”
    â€œSure,” he said, and gave Hoover a push. The dog had decided he needed to lean on someone while he walked. “Now I know you take risks like this, how much sleep do you think I’ll get after four? No matter where you live.”
    Hoover kept right on leaning.
    They reached the entrance to Oakdale and turned right.
    â€œNick,” Aurelie said, “we’re trying to pretend everything isn’t falling apart when it is.”
    â€œI’m not going to let that happen,” he said, and realized she wasn’t sucking along at his heels anymore. He turned around. “What are you doing, Rellie?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œThen do something . Get up.”
    She sat on the curb with her head down. “Baily was so miserable she jumped off the building.”
    â€œHey, hey, I know.” He decided not to remind her that Baily might well have been pushed. “Let’s get in and take a hot shower.”
    She didn’t answer.
    Hoover waddled over beside her and set his rump down in a good inch of dirty water.
    â€œDon’t do that,” Aurelie said. “Now I’ll have to put you in the bath.”
    That was a picture Nick didn’t want to contemplate. “He’ll shake most of it off.”
    â€œYou talked to Matt on your own,” Aurelie said. “What did