Jamie Read Free Page A

silly beard dripped. He’d changed so much....
    Faith blanked her mind, wiped it clean and returned his enigmatic gaze with insouciance.
    Quirking one ebony eyebrow, he lowered his attention to her mouth, then her legs.
    â€œI-I’m cold.”
    â€œI know.” His gaze darted up to hers and then away. “I’ll be quick.” He ran his hands over her thighs, behind her knees, down to each foot. He checked her wet toes, between each one, then straightened and did the same to her hands.
    Met with the sight of his tall frame, his lean strength, Faith shook her head. With his disreputable beard and ponytail, he now resembled a hermit more than a highly intuitive genius. If it hadn’t been for those eyes, so deep and intelligent, so caring, she might not have recognized him.
    Teeth chattering, she stammered in indignation. “What do you p-possibly think I could have h-hidden between my fingers or toes?”
    He didn’t pause in his inspection. “There are devices invisible to the naked eye, as small as the head of a pin, that can give off a powerful signal.”
    â€œNot up here. Not in th-these woods.”
    He snared her gaze with his. “Depends on how determined the hunter is.” He watched her a moment, then smoothed her wet hair back and pressed his palm to her forehead. Scowling, he said, “Don’t move. I’ll get you some towels so you can dry off.” With fluid grace, he rose to his feet and started away.
    Faith squeezed her eyes shut. Damn him, he spoke without feeling, as if he hadn’t just touched me more intimately than any man had in—
    Abruptly turning, Jamie narrowed his ebony eyes on her face. Faith gulped; his look was so tactile she felt again the intrusion of his hands on her body. Shocked by her own wayward thoughts, Faith emptied her mind. Nothingness, she chanted to herself, nothingness, nothingness. She would not blow this by thinking things she couldn’t think.
    After a long, inscrutable silence, Jamie walked away, and Faith slumped, so emotionally and physically depleted she didn’t know how much longer she could stay awake. Every muscle ached, every breath hurt. Considering her worry and her strain and the exhaustion of her trip, she didn’t have much left in her.
    To help keep awake, she looked around Jamie’s small cabin. Made of logs and planks of wood, so natural, it seemed grown from the mountain instead of built by men. Square, with a wraparound porch, it boasted several curtainless windows—none with locks. A rustic ladder led to a loft where she could just barely see Jamie moving around the footboard to a full-sized bed.
    Beneath the ladder, a door led to a tiny bathroom that appeared to have only a toilet, sink, and minuscule shower. Before too much longer, she’d make use of that shower. But right now, she just wanted to be warm.
    She glanced at the large stone fireplace dominating one wall. It appeared to have been cold for a very long time. Not even a hint of ashes remained in the grate. Faith wrapped her arms around herself and prayed Jamie would hurry.
    On the opposite side of the room, open kitchen shelves, holding only a few dishes, flanked a double-bowl ceramic sink situated beneath a window. She imagined Jamie there, rinsing a coffee cup while staring out at nature. Contemplative. Alone.
    She shook her head again, refusing to get maudlin.
    But still, the sight of his neat, tightly situated kitchen made her heart ache. He owned a squat refrigerator, a tiny freezer, a two-burner stove, and a stacked washer and dryer. A single chair rested beneath his round wooden table.
    She couldn’t imagine eating alone night after night.
    Obviously, he had electricity. He also had lamps. But they weren’t on. Deep shadows and a dreary chill filled the cabin.
    She feared they might fill Jamie’s heart, too.
    She was just about to give up and lie down, cold or not, when Jamie reappeared with towels, a