Read Online Tornado Allie by Shelly Bell - Free Book Online Page A

had turned a profit, he was eager to hire some fresh blood to run the day-to-day operations, and as he’d learned last night, Jack and Cole felt the same.
    Allie came back into the bedroom, keeping her gaze on the worn beige carpet. She picked her skirt and tank off the floor and dressed like their parents were about to walk in on them.
    He couldn’t stand how quickly the mood had changed since the knock on the door. “What’s your hurry?”
    “You heard Cole. You’ve got to get going,” she said, shrugging on her shirt, “and I want to take a shower before the cab takes us to the airport.”
    “I’ll take you.”
    She still wouldn’t look at him. “No. That’s silly. Taryn and I had already planned on it because you had work to do before the next tour group arrived. Don’t worry about it.”
    How could he explain she already meant more to him than his company? He’d never expected it. Hadn’t thought he wanted it. Now he couldn’t imagine his life without her. “That was before.”
    Her hands stilled on the button of her skirt. “Before?”
    He stalked to her and forced her gaze from the floor to his face. “Before you. Before us.”
    She leaned in, her expression softening. “Drake—” Her cell phone buzzed in the skirt’s pocket. She fished it out and checked the screen. “I have to take this. Hello? No, I’ll be right there.” She paced away from him nervously. “No. Seriously, don’t.” Crouching, she picked up her damp bra and panties and stood, shoving them in her pocket. “We’ll see. Bye.” She disconnected and tucked the phone into her other pocket.
    When she turned around, the softness had disappeared and the detached Allie had returned. Foreboding kicked him in the gut. He hadn’t changed her mind last night. She didn’t want anything more from him than this one-night stand.
    “That was Taryn. She knows I didn’t come back to the room last night.”
    “Does it bother you she knows we slept together?”
    She gave a stiff smile. “No. She’d encouraged me the entire trip.”
    “Yeah, me too.” His sister had definitely pulled both their strings these last few days. He didn’t know whether to thank her or throttle her. Whether or not Allie wanted to pursue a relationship with him, he had to come clean about his new job. “We should talk.”
    “No.” She headed toward the door. “I don’t want to ruin what we had by talking. If things were different…” Her eyes turned glassy as though she held back tears. She shook her head. “Let’s leave it the way it is. One night only.”
    He couldn’t let her go before she learned the truth. Striding to her, he prayed she’d forgive him, and in time, reconsider their future. Because he sure as hell wouldn’t give up on them. “There’s something you should know.”
    Another knock sounded on the door, and he sighed in frustration. “Who is it?”
    “Jack. Open up, man, or your sister’s liable to go all ninja on my ass.”
    “I’m a little busy at the moment.” At this point, he didn’t give a shit what Taryn did to his friend, so long as everyone would give him and Allie a moment alone.
    “Get unbusy ’cause I’m not leaving,” Jack said.
    He let Jack inside the room and maneuvered himself in front of the open door to block Allie from leaving.
    His friend’s gaze shot from him to Allie. He raised a brow and grinned. “Guess Taryn’s matchmaking scheme was a success. I’m happy for you two. Weird how things worked out with you both working at the same station.” He moved to the bed and sat on the edge. “Taryn thinks its serendipity or some shit like that.”
    Allie paled and pressed a hand to her chest. “What did you say?”
    Jack and his big mouth. If Jack and Taryn hadn’t interrupted, Drake would have told her.
    Clueless to his mistake, Jack said, “Serendipity. You know, like fate.”
    Drake reached for her, needing to touch her, to calm her, but she shrank from his touch and dodged him. “No, not