Free Hawk's Way by Joan Johnston Page A

kind of job.
    When the meal was finished, Angel helped him stack the dishes in the dishwasher. She must have brushed against him a dozen times in the process. Every time she did his body tautened. The hell of it was, she seemed to have absolutely no idea what effect she was having on him. If he didn’t put some space between them, and soon, he wasn’t going to be responsible for the consequences.
    â€œWe’d better get some shut-eye. We have a big day tomorrow.”
    Angel thought getting to bed early was definitely a good idea, especially since she couldn’t leave until Dallas was asleep. She meekly disappeared into the bedroom with the T-shirts he had bought for her. In order to put Dallas off guard, she had to convince him that she was reconciled to staying with him. She stripped down until all she had on was a soft cotton T-shirt, and slipped under the covers. Then she called to him.
    â€œDallas?”
    He answered her from outside the bedroom door. “What is it, Angel?”
    â€œUh…could you come in here a minute?”
    Dallas hesitated, but not for long. He paused a step inside the door. He had expected her to look alluring, but he wasn’t ready for the shock of seeing her looking like that in his bed . He reminded himself she was innocent and walked over to stand stiffly beside her. “What can I do for you?”
    â€œI wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” Angel said.
    â€œThink nothing of it.”
    â€œNo, I’m really grateful. I didn’t want to let that go unsaid.” In case I never see you again .
    â€œIt’s been my pleasure,” Dallas said.
    At that moment he truly meant it. The T-shirt was so big it had slipped down off one shoulder. He could see the dark shadows of her nipples through the thin cotton. He scowled as his body reacted to the sight. He hadn’t been this hard and ready with so little provocation since he was a teenage kid, wet behind the ears. It irked him to think he had so little control around her.
    Seeing the ferocious look on his face, Angel asked, “What’s wrong?”
    â€œNothing,” he muttered. To save his sanity he pulled the blankets up to her neck and said, “Sleep tight,” then turned and left the room.
    Angel smiled and snuggled down under the covers. Dallas Masterson was a nice man. It wastoo bad she wasn’t going to be around to get to know him better.
    Dallas wasn’t worried when the light didn’t go off in Angel’s room. He figured she was sleeping with it on again. He hadn’t any intention of going in to check on her. Because he just plain didn’t trust himself. It wouldn’t take a tiny crook of her little finger and he would be in bed with her. The problem was if that happened he would end up being responsible for her. She had a whole different set of moral values than he was used to dealing with. Bed her and the next step was marriage. Dallas Masterson wasn’t a marrying man.
    He turned out the lights all over the house, checked the doors to make sure they were locked, then went into the guest bedroom and shut himself inside. He wasn’t coming out again until morning—no matter what the temptation. Dallas listened with a sharp ear as, creaking and groaning, the house settled for the night.
    Angel didn’t even have to guess at the time. The electric clock beside the bed told her it was 11:48. She had promised herself she would be out of Dallas’s hair before midnight. That didn’t leave her much time.
    She had long since packed everything she would need and a few odds and ends for good measure. She’d had to make do with what she hadin the bedroom, because she was certain that rooting around in the dark house was liable to wake Dallas. That she couldn’t afford to do.
    As she silently closed the front door of the house behind her, Angel realized she was going to miss Dallas. She hadn’t much