Free Chance Of A Lifetime 1987 by Unknown Page B

just before the lights went out. I remember thinking something was wrong and that I had
    to move. Instinct, I guess.“
    „You probably moved just enough to save your life.“
    „A miss is as good as a mile,“ he said a little too blithely. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the
    headrest.
    Rachel shuddered. „Barely.“
    „Did you get what you needed in town?“ The question came quietly.
    „Yes.“ She concentrated on her driving.
    He opened one eye. „Where are your packages? I don’t see any.“
    Rachel began to grow uneasy. She shot him a quick, assessing glance. There was considerably more alertness in
    that smoky gaze now than there had been a few minutes ago. Chance was recovering rapidly. „I didn’t buy anything. I
    just made some arrangements.“
    „Arrangements?“
    „For some work I want done at Snowball’s Chance.“
    „What kind of arrangements were you making?“ He sounded vaguely alarmed. „I’m the one who hires people to
    work at Snowball’s Chance.“
    Her uneasiness grew. „I’ll explain it all later.“
    „Good,“ Chance said with soft emphasis. „I’d like to hear a few explanations from you.“
    He closed his eyes and didn’t say another word until they reached the small clinic in town. Rachel had the
    unsettling feeling she had just had some sort of reprieve.
    The doctor’s verdict was reassuring. No, he didn’t think Chance was seriously injured. A possible mild
    concussion, and the scrape on his shoulder required a stitch or two, but that was it. Because Chance had suffered a
    head injury, he was instructed to spend the next day or so in bed. He didn’t take well to the instructions.
    He started protesting the moment they left the doctor’s office, continued the protests while Rachel filled a pain
    prescription at the local pharmacy and kept up his arguments all the way back to Snowball’s Chance.
    „I just need a couple of hours of rest,“ he informed her as she helped him upstairs to his room an hour later.
    „The doctor said two days in bed, and that’s what you’re going to get.“
    „He just meant I should take things easy.“
    „The easiest way to take things easy is in bed.“
    „Depends what a man wants to take.“ His eyes were growing clearer and more alert by the minute.
    Rachel shifted uncomfortably under that gleaming gaze. „Save the wisecracks for later. Right now you’re going to
    get some rest.“
    „Are all housekeepers this bossy?“
    „Goes with the territory,“ she assured him.
    Once she had him in his bedroom she halted, not sure what to do next. She glanced toward the old double bed,
    which was covered with an aging quilt.
    Chance leered at her pleasantly. „Going to stick around and help me undress?“
    „I get the feeling you can handle that much yourself.“
    „Coward.“ His hands went to the first button of his jeans.
    „I’ll go downstairs and fix you some soup,“ Rachel said quickly, and made a fast exit.
    Chance watched her leave while he automatically unfastened his jeans. She was definitely aware of him now in the
    way that a woman is aware of a man. He was making progress. She was not stupid, he decided as he stepped out of his
    dusty jeans. She might try to ignore the physical attraction that was sizzling between them, but she knew perfectly well
    it existed.
    Something crinkled in the pocket of his jeans. Chance remembered the slip of notepaper and reached inside to pull
    it out. Thoughtfully he smoothed the piece of paper and studied the indentations that spelled out the name of the
    restaurant. Rachel hadn’t mentioned having lunch while she was in town making her „arrangements.“ He wondered
    what sort of story he would hear if he confronted her with the evidence.
    He would think about that later, Chance decided. Right now he was tired. Far more tired than he wanted to
    acknowledge. His arm ached, and his head hurt. He headed for the bed.
    He awoke twice during the night, each time to the