Read Online The Secret Life of Bryan by Lori Foster - Free Book Online
Authors: Lori Foster
Ads: Link
I’m not.”
Folding his arms over his chest, he studied her. “Okay. Then what—I mean who —are you? A biochemist? A fighter pilot? What?”
She winced. “I can’t tell you.”
“Right.” A cynical smile curled one side of his mouth. It was obvious he still believed her to be a hooker, but for now, he’d play along. “So why’d you lie?”
She lifted her chin with scathing disregard. “I didn’t exactly lie. I just let you believe what you wanted to believe.”
“Uh-huh.” And then he reiterated, “Why?”
The words rushed out, a little too urgent, a lot too desperate. “Because if I told you the truth, you’d hate me. And you were being so nice to me, I didn’t want you to send me away. I wanted to get to know you better and—”
He took one hard stride toward her, effectively cutting off her rambling explanation. His expression was forbidding, his eyes almost black. Shay started to back up, but it just wasn’t in her nature to retreat. So she braced her legs apart and waited.
Though they were of a similar height, he was all solid muscle, wide shoulders and throbbing power. Their gazes were nearly level, yet he seemed to tower over her. “You actually believe I would have sent you away?”
Shay blinked in surprise. He hadn’t lambasted her for lying. He hadn’t lost his temper. He was just…insulted by her lack of faith in his scruples?
“Answer me, Shay.”
She jumped at the lash of his demand. “Yes.” His tone would have angered her— no one talked to her like that—but with him so close, it was damn difficult not to touch him again. There was no room in her thoughts for anything else. “You would have sent me packing, but I don’t want to go.”
“And I guess that means you won’t tell me why you were really at that bar, dressed the way you were, hanging around outside in a storm?”
“My business is my own,” she said, and before he could start growling about that, she explained. “Until my dress got soaked, it was in the best of taste. It’s just that the rain made it transparent. Otherwise, it would have been fine.”
She thought that might sidetrack him a little, but he wasn’t moved one bit. If anything, his jaw hardened in that now familiar manner of annoyance.
“Shay?”
He managed to say her name without his lips moving. Probably a bad sign. “I can’t tell you.” And then, going on the defensive, she added, “Why does it matter so much? I’d like to stay. Here, at the safe house.” She bit her bottom lip, then really pushed. “And if you wouldn’t mind too much, I’d prefer the other women believe I’m a hooker.”
With droll sarcasm, he said, “You’re not a hooker, but you want everyone to think you are?”
That did sound idiotic, but so what? “Yes. They wouldn’t like the truth any more than you would.” It looked like his eyes might cross. “I’m only telling you this much so you won’t think you’re taking advantage of me.”
He stared at her so long and hard, Shay felt rattled.
“Could I stay? Please?”
It seemed to take him forever to come to a decision. “Shit.” His frown seared her. “Yeah, of course you can stay.” She had just started to relax when his jaw jutted forward. “But your reasons for being here won’t change anything. While you’re here, you’re off limits. So you can just keep your hands to yourself.”
“Oh, but—”
“Just don’t cause any trouble.” Struck by his own words, his back straightened. “Speaking of trouble—you’re not a reporter or something, are you?”
Taken aback, and highly insulted, Shay gasped, “No.”
He leaned closer, his gaze flinty and his manner challenging. “If I find out otherwise…”
The threat went unsaid, but she knew he’d think of something dire. Shay shoved him back a step, out of her personal space. “I’m not, so quit trying to bully me.”
He grunted. “As if anyone could.” He said it more to himself than her, then turned back to the
Folding his arms over his chest, he studied her. “Okay. Then what—I mean who —are you? A biochemist? A fighter pilot? What?”
She winced. “I can’t tell you.”
“Right.” A cynical smile curled one side of his mouth. It was obvious he still believed her to be a hooker, but for now, he’d play along. “So why’d you lie?”
She lifted her chin with scathing disregard. “I didn’t exactly lie. I just let you believe what you wanted to believe.”
“Uh-huh.” And then he reiterated, “Why?”
The words rushed out, a little too urgent, a lot too desperate. “Because if I told you the truth, you’d hate me. And you were being so nice to me, I didn’t want you to send me away. I wanted to get to know you better and—”
He took one hard stride toward her, effectively cutting off her rambling explanation. His expression was forbidding, his eyes almost black. Shay started to back up, but it just wasn’t in her nature to retreat. So she braced her legs apart and waited.
Though they were of a similar height, he was all solid muscle, wide shoulders and throbbing power. Their gazes were nearly level, yet he seemed to tower over her. “You actually believe I would have sent you away?”
Shay blinked in surprise. He hadn’t lambasted her for lying. He hadn’t lost his temper. He was just…insulted by her lack of faith in his scruples?
“Answer me, Shay.”
She jumped at the lash of his demand. “Yes.” His tone would have angered her— no one talked to her like that—but with him so close, it was damn difficult not to touch him again. There was no room in her thoughts for anything else. “You would have sent me packing, but I don’t want to go.”
“And I guess that means you won’t tell me why you were really at that bar, dressed the way you were, hanging around outside in a storm?”
“My business is my own,” she said, and before he could start growling about that, she explained. “Until my dress got soaked, it was in the best of taste. It’s just that the rain made it transparent. Otherwise, it would have been fine.”
She thought that might sidetrack him a little, but he wasn’t moved one bit. If anything, his jaw hardened in that now familiar manner of annoyance.
“Shay?”
He managed to say her name without his lips moving. Probably a bad sign. “I can’t tell you.” And then, going on the defensive, she added, “Why does it matter so much? I’d like to stay. Here, at the safe house.” She bit her bottom lip, then really pushed. “And if you wouldn’t mind too much, I’d prefer the other women believe I’m a hooker.”
With droll sarcasm, he said, “You’re not a hooker, but you want everyone to think you are?”
That did sound idiotic, but so what? “Yes. They wouldn’t like the truth any more than you would.” It looked like his eyes might cross. “I’m only telling you this much so you won’t think you’re taking advantage of me.”
He stared at her so long and hard, Shay felt rattled.
“Could I stay? Please?”
It seemed to take him forever to come to a decision. “Shit.” His frown seared her. “Yeah, of course you can stay.” She had just started to relax when his jaw jutted forward. “But your reasons for being here won’t change anything. While you’re here, you’re off limits. So you can just keep your hands to yourself.”
“Oh, but—”
“Just don’t cause any trouble.” Struck by his own words, his back straightened. “Speaking of trouble—you’re not a reporter or something, are you?”
Taken aback, and highly insulted, Shay gasped, “No.”
He leaned closer, his gaze flinty and his manner challenging. “If I find out otherwise…”
The threat went unsaid, but she knew he’d think of something dire. Shay shoved him back a step, out of her personal space. “I’m not, so quit trying to bully me.”
He grunted. “As if anyone could.” He said it more to himself than her, then turned back to the
Similar Books
