Read Online To the Limit by Cindy Gerard - Free Book Online

always said, she was like an elephant. She didn't forget. Anything.
     
    "And you don't forgive," Nolan had once accused her. "Just see where that's going to get you."
     
    A lot he knew, she thought grumpily as the elevator passed the tenth floor. Just because her two semiserious relationships—one her senior year in college, the other her first year in the Service—had ended in near bloodlettings didn't mean she didn't forgive. She was passionate, that was all. Passionate and particular.
     
    Specifically, she was very particular about the men in her life adhering to the same philosophies as she did. Like monogamy. Yeah. She'd been real particular about that. Just her good luck that the men she ended up getting involved with in her personal life always turned out to be triple-A's. Like McClain.
     
    Life lesson: there are no good guys out there for her— either that, or she was destined to draw the bad boys who couldn't or wouldn't commit. Either way, she'd finally wised up. She wasn't going there again. Sure, she dated, but as soon as a guy started making noises that smacked of exclusivity, she was gone—saved her the pain of his letting her down later. Besides, long-term was a myth. And love—if there truly was such a thing—was overrated in the bliss department but deserved its reputation for pain. She'd concentrate on her career, thank you very much, and leave that rocky ground to those with a higher pain tolerance than hers.
     
    When the elevator doors opened with a space age whoosh, she grounded herself back in the present, stepped out onto the intricately designed marble in the nineteenth floor's outer lobby—and walked directly into McClain.
     
    "Whoa." He steadied her with the firm grip of his hands on her upper arms. "We've got to quit meeting like this."
     
    He was all flashing brown eyes and five o'clock shadow— even at nine in the morning. He met her gaze with a cocksure grin as she tipped her head back to look up at him. She hated being short. Really, really hated it. Hated it more that she felt a slight stirring of an old memory when it registered that he still wore the same musky male scent she remembered from high school.
     
    "But hey, at least you aren't holding a cannon on me this time," he added with a look that made her realize she'd been staring.
     
    She took her anger at herself out on him. "That can be arranged. What are you doing here?"
     
    He dropped his hands and the corners of his eyes crinkled; his tanned cheeks dimpled. "And here I was hoping a good night's sleep would cure that bad case of the crankies. Any more random bombings I need to know about?"
     
    Eve smoothed a hand over her hair and headed for Edwards's office door, refusing to let McClain rile her. "Tell me you were just leaving."
     
    "Sorry. Just got here. Now I'm serious. You had any more run-ins with the bad guys?"
     
    "Only you," she said, and headed for the reception area.
     
    "Wait. Wait just a sec."
     
    She stopped, expelled an impatient breath. And went rigid when he reached out and hooked a strand of her hair with his pinkie. Their gazes locked and for the longest moment held. His eyes were mocha brown, warm, and just a little bit sleepy.
     
    Bedroom eyes, she'd always thought. Sexy eyes that appeared to see more than they should.
     
    With a gentle caress and a slow, intimate smile he drew the hair back and away from her face. Let his hand linger at the shell of her ear, let his fingers brush against her cheek as he finally pulled away. "There. All neat and tidy for the big showdown."
     
    It took a moment, maybe two, for her to remember that she had no time for this man. Another to stall a shudder the heat of his touch had elicited.
     
    She drew herself up to her whole five foot two—stretched to five-five in her open-toed bone pumps. "What makes you think this is going to be a showdown?"
     
    He lifted a shoulder, a lazy, limber motion on a six-foot frame that was all lean muscle and corded sinew.