Intimate Strangers Read Free Page A

invariably demanded of himself, returned to the contents of the file on his desk. He worked far into the evening to accomplish the goals he’d set for himself at the start of the day.
    Although the woman who claimed to be Sean’s sister flirted with his consciousness, he devoted little time to planning their next encounter. He knew what needed to be done, and he intended to do it. After confirming her continued presence in the van, he indulged in a late supper and a hot shower to ease the tight muscles in his shoulders and neck.
    Nicholas set out on his mission shortly after midnight. Clad in black trousers and turtleneck sweater, leather boots, and a knit cap, he carried a flashlight and a tool of persuasion that had never failed him. He disliked using terror tactics on women, but he decided to make an exception in Hannah Cassidy’s case.
    Having experienced her stubborn nature, he sensed that fear was the obvious weapon of choice in order to achieve the results he desired. He also reminded himself that once Hannah Cassidy departed, he would regain the serenity and solitude he desired. When his conscience called him a liar and taunted him with the unceasing loneliness that haunted him, he muttered a lethal word and forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand. He exited his home and blended into the ink–dark night.
    Nicholas didn’t intend to harm Sean’s little sister, but he felt justified in raising sufficient doubt in her mind about her safety if she remained on his land. He hadn’t taken a life or fired a weapon in several years. Although still more proficient than most with the tools of death, he savored too completely the life and the peace he’d found in northern Nevada to revert to the violence of his past.
    Amazed that she’d left her van unlocked, he eased open the rear door and crawled inside. Nicholas found her sprawled on her back, encased in a sleeping bag, the top edge tucked beneath her chin, and sleeping soundly. He crouched over her, his knees positioned on either side of her hips.
    Nicholas flicked on the flashlight, positioning it for a clear view of her face. He hesitated, the opportunity to study her features in repose more of a temptation than he intended to resist. His gaze swept over the tousled cloud of black hair that framed her heart–shaped face. Unwilling to fight the impulse, he reached out and ran his fingertip across the wayward lock of hair curled against her cheek. He inhaled, shaken by the silken softness of her dark hair and the honeysuckle fragrance of her skin.
    He froze when she turned her face toward his hand. A soft sigh whispered past her parted lips. Her warm breath grazed his palm. Desire, immediate and incendiary, spiked within his large, muscular frame. Nicholas pulled back, damning himself for a fool as his sex hardened.
    His hand shook as he withdrew it. He held very still, listening to the slow, even cadence of her breathing as he brought himself under control. A hint of a smile lifted the edges of her lips. He stared down at her, amazed by the depth and innocence of her sleep. Nicholas briefly wondered if she was the kind of woman who dreamed happy dreams. If so, he envied her.
    He also recalled a comment he’d once heard about the sleep of angels and innocents. His conscience suggested that she was a heady combination of both, and he felt a momentary urge to absolve her of any negative motives. Even though a part of him wanted to believe that she really was Sean Cassidy’s little sister, Nicholas recalled the duplicity of those who populated his past, and he discarded the charitable impulse.
    He marveled yet again at the peaceful depths of her sleep. Watching her through narrowed eyes, his thoughts shifted with resentment to the insomnia and nightmares that had plagued him for years; haunting by–products, Nicholas supposed, of the life he’d lived and the choices he’d made so long ago.
    Forcing himself past his memories, he refocused on her delicately