Free Seduction by the Book by Linda Conrad Page A

had come to mean so much to him over the past few months. The woman who had been more than compassionate and patient while she retrained his muscles. The woman who had taught him to laugh again.
    When she’d asked about regrets earlier, the mere thought that she might not stay by his side had caused him to panic and reach for her again. It might be too much to hope that she would stay his personal trainer forever. After all, he had nearly all his mobility andstrength back. Someday soon he would be completely healed and she would go.
    But he was determined to think of a way to keep her with him just a little longer. He vowed to find every respectable reason to keep her on the island for as long as physically possible. If not in his bed, at least near enough that he could be sure she was okay.
    And in the meantime… He grabbed her free hand, turned it over and placed a whispered kiss into her palm. They still had time. The storm wasn’t over yet.
    Â 
    The hurricane rains had died down hours ago, and Annie’s mind was filling with regrets once again.
    She swung her legs over the edge of the sofa in Nick’s office and set her teacup down next to her empty bread plate on the side table. Everything had been so free and easy while the storm raged on. What would happen now that it had passed over them?
    The idea that they would have each other for however long the storm continued had sounded good last night. She’d thought afterwards they might be able to go back to the way it was before. Now, however, everything looked different.
    Annie was achy all over. Interesting muscles she’d forgotten she had were shrieking in protest. Still, if Nick reached for her again right now, she’d jump him without so much as a second thought.
    Unfortunately, he wasn’t here. He’d gone outside to start up the generators and check for damage. He’d said he wouldn’t try to go down to the dolphin lagoon until he could be sure the house was not in danger of collapse.
    She found her shorts and top in a heap behind the sofa and slipped them on. Wondering absently what she would do if she couldn’t find a way to make him want her to stay on the island, she moved over to the wide office desk and sat in his huge armchair, trying to comfort herself.
    It made her feel like a doll, sitting at his desk. But the chair smelled of him. All leather and musk and masculine scent.
    Her back was to the pictures of his wife and she wanted to will them out of her life forever. No, that wouldn’t be right. Nick had loved his wife once and she had died. Annie couldn’t hate a dead woman who had no more choices left. Their story was such a tragedy.
    Annie had wondered if the intense attraction she knew Nick felt for her would be enough to help him overcome some of his old pain so he could find a new life. She’d wanted to help him capture a little bit of happiness again. And if that happiness could be with her, well, all the better.
    Sighing, Annie had to admit she had no training in psychology and no way to help him get over his pain and guilt. Life seldom turned out like it did in novels.
    Running her gaze over his clean desktop to keep her thoughts from becoming overwhelming, she wasn’t the least surprised at how neat he was. Papers were stacked and filed in proper folders. Nothing was out of place or messy. But it also appeared to be rather somber and isolated—just like the man who lived and worked here.
    Something shiny at the edge of the desk stood out from the rest and caught her attention. She reached for it and discovered it was a book with a heavy gold-and-ivory cover.
    This must be the magic book Nick had mentioned yesterday. Annie ran her fingers over the inlaid ivory and closed her eyes. Yes, with her eyes shut she could definitely feel a special vibration there. Maybe the book was indeed filled with magic.
    She started to open it, to see what sorcery the pages might contain. But Nick