Read Online Vision of Darkness by Tonya Burrows - Free Book Online Page A

to muffle her frightened shriek as he dragged her out of the pool of headlights.
    “Shh, it’s okay,” he said in her ear. “It’s Alex.” She sagged against him as he opened the Jeep’s door. He lifted her inside and climbed in behind.
    “What the hell’s the matter with you?” She shoved herself into the passenger seat to make room for him, then beat on his arm with her fist. “Sneaking up on a woman in the middle of a storm is not the best way to endear yourself to her! Idiot!”
    He dodged another blow and felt around for the gearshift. He bumped the lever for the wipers and they sped up, squeaking as they swiped at the rain. “Can you beat me up later? We have to get outta here. There’s a fucking maniac running around out there.”
    Her fist stopped mid-flight. “Oh. Oh, God.” She pushed open the passenger side door and jumped out before he could snag her jacket.
    “Dammit.” He slammed a hand into the steering wheel and shoved open his door, catching the sleeve of her slicker. She shook out of the coat and kept going, rain soaking her diner uniform, pasting the polo shirt to her breasts as she skidded down the hill.
    “Pru!” He tossed the coat aside and went after her. “Jesus, are you insane? Get back in the car.”
    She ignored him. “Wade! Wade, you come here this instant. God, your brother’s going to kill me. Wade!”
    Alex skidded to a halt beside her and watched the Hulk’s shoulders stiffen, then fold in as he dropped his head like a chastised child. “You know that maniac?”
    “Don’t call him that. Wade,” she said again and the huge man approached in reluctant, shuffling steps. She pointed at the Jeep. “You are in so much trouble. In the car. Now!”
    Wade obeyed, but glared daggers at Alex as he passed.
    Once Wade was safely in the car, she whirled and poked a finger at Alex’s chest. “What exactly are you doing out here in a storm, in a tent, in the middle of October? Are you out of your flippin’ mind?”
    He opened his mouth to reply. She cut him off with an impatient gesture. “Don’t answer that. Get your stuff, get in your car, and follow me.” She stalked toward her Jeep, rain plastering her hair to her head.
    Alex watched her go, feeling small and put in his place. Admiration mixed with lust—a dangerous concoction. He usually tried to avoid women he admired when it came to sex. Too complicated. If he admired them, respected them, it made it harder to walk away unscathed.
    He shouldn’t be so turned on by her temper. No doubt she’d skin him once they got someplace dry and warm, and yet he was so eager to follow he tripped over his own feet trying to get his stuff packed up.
    Yup, no doubt about it. He was a masochist in every sense of the word.
     
    ***
    God save her from testosterone!
    Pru fumed as she navigated the hill to the lighthouse, her fingers opening and closing around the steering wheel. Wade, she’d deal with. His outbursts weren’t entirely his fault. He just wasn’t smart enough to control his impulses. But Alex—sneaking up behind her, ordering her around like he had a right? She should have left him on the beach to face the storm like the idiot macho man he thought he was. Serve him right to let Mother Nature have a go at him. Except Wade had destroyed his tent and, even as satisfying as it would have been, she couldn’t wittingly leave him without shelter.
    “Damn that man,” she muttered. It was becoming a mantra when it came to Alex.
    Behind her, the lights of his ostentatious Lexus bounced over the unpaved road. If she looked hard enough, she could see an outline of his broad shoulders and square face behind the steering wheel.
    Strange that he would drive a Lexus. He didn’t strike her as the type. Too flashy. Then again, she didn’t really know him, did she? He could come off as modest and low key at first, but then turn out to be exactly like her ex, Owen. Arrogant and fussy, always worried about the bottom line.
    Ugh. Owen,