Born to Be Wild Read Free

gliding off of glaciers, for crying out loud.”
    “Don’t forget diving in shark-infested waters,” he added with sincerity. The padded leather creaked as he leaned forward. “You keeping tabs on me, Dart?” Another lazy grin curved his lips. “I didn’t think you cared.”
    Talk about shark-infested waters.
I won’t let him get to me
, she repeated silently like a mantra.
    Of course, it would be a whole lot easier if he didn’t sit there looking so damn … healthy. And if that deep voice of his didn’t make her feel so incredibly … aware. And just when she’d get him pegged as nothing more than an outrageous flirt, that sharp edge would appear in his eyes, making her wonder just what sort of thoughts were really lurking behind them.
    She gave herself a mental shake, and forced herself to remember the first time she’d let him goad her into acting rashly. She’d been six when Zach had dared her to climb to the top of the monkey bars. He’d waited until she was balanced on the top rung to comment on what apretty dress she had on, and that he couldn’t recall her ever wearing a dress before.
    Of course, it was Dara who got sent to the principal’s office for decking Zach in the eye. She could still recall the devilish gleam winking out of the other one as she was escorted from the playground. She was looking at the adult replica of that gleam right now.
    “No,” she said firmly, “I haven’t been keeping tabs on you. But Dane forces me to listen to a blow by blow description of the insanity you drag him on every summer.”
    “You weren’t exactly the tame sort, if I recall,” he said. “Weren’t you the one who used to dare me to climb old Mrs. Prubody’s tree and toss rocks at her window? And what about the time you conned Dane, Jarrett, and me into papering the houses of the two head cheerleaders after you were cut from the junior squad?” The gleam in his eyes briefly erupted into a devilish twinkle as he added, “And what was the reason again?” He snapped his fingers. “Oh yeah, something about a catfight you had with a cheerleader from our rival high school, wasn’t it?”
    She worked hard not to squirm as memories she’d purposely ignored flooded back into her brain. “First of all, she deserved more than getting her hair pulled,” Dara retorted, unable to curb her tongue. “And you weren’t much of a champion. You took her to the homecoming dance if I recall.” She clamped her mouth shut when his grin widened. Then after a deep, calming breath, she said, “But that was a long time ago. We were kids. I’ve grown up.”
    The twinkle disappeared. “So,” he said too quietly, “based on the assumption that I’m an immature, irresponsible lunatic, you want me to back out of this?”
    She shivered. And any hope she had that he’d assume it was simply a result of the cold coffee soaking her blouse was removed by the deepening curve of his mouth. His smile didn’t reach his eyes, though. The combination was downright disconcerting.
    “It isn’t just an assumption,” she stated, determined to regain the control she’d somehow lost the moment he’d sat down. “I did some preliminary investigating, and I don’t think your company is suitable for the job.” She held up her hand to forestall his imminent rebuttal. “Zach, come on. Most kids think they’re going to live forever.”
    “We sure as hell did.”
    “That’s just my point. These kids have known almost right from the start just how precious life is, and they struggle every day just to maintain their grasp on it. You, on the other hand, still think you are immortal. You’re like …” She lifted her hand, then flattened it palm down on her desk. “You’re like Peter Pan with an American Gladiator complex.” She leaned forward. “Do you seriously think you’re the man to chaperon four children with very special needs on a mountain excursion?”
    “To hear you tell it, I can’t take anything seriously.