TWICE VICTORIOUS Read Free Page B

remaining from the crash.
Getting back up had been painful and very close to impossible.
    Still, if she fell, she fell. She'd pick herself up and get on with her life. It's no
different from falling in a race. You can't let the pain win.
    In six weeks she'd be back in full training, so she couldn't baby herself now.
    The doorbell chimed. A good excuse. "Look, I've got to go. I'll talk to you
later."
    "You're sure you don't need anything?"
    "Not a thing. Thanks Cindy."
    Stell sighed as she reached for her crutches. Cindy was a good friend, but way too
much of a mother hen.
    She stumped down the hall and peeked through the narrow, sheer-curtained
window before unlocking the door. The form outside was familiar. It had been standing in
that exact same place two weeks ago.
    "Darn," she breathed. She'd deliberately banished all thoughts about Adam
Vanderhook every time they popped into her mind, which they had, far too often. Her
resistance was low, that's what it was. That and his warm, soothing voice had made her
feel...well, cherished.
    She'd always had a weakness for warm baritones. They were comfortable and
restful voices, reminding her of Santa Claus and Grandpa.
    "Yeah, right," she muttered. The trouble was, she got goosebumps every time she
thought of him. Just standing in her living room, he'd reminded her of things that had no
place in her training regimen. He'd bewitched her senses, with his great body, his crooked,
engaging smile, and his shivers-up-the-spine voice.
    Not to mention what he'd done to her libido.
    Adam approached the door to Estelle McCray's house reluctantly, yet with a
certain anticipation. He'd quit resisting KIWANDA's venture into sportswear. Sometime in
the past few days, he had acknowledged that he didn't have to be involved, that Juliana and
Roger were perfectly capable of overseeing that branch of the business. As long as he
concentrated on the OuterWear Division, he didn't have to be constantly reminded of a
period in his life he wanted to forget. He was just helping his sister by keeping tab on
Stell's recovery. It would be too bad if the CycleWear photo sessions were delayed.
    He was still not completely convinced that using amateurs in KIWANDA's
advertising campaign was either practicable or doable. He needed a guarantee from each
and every one of them that they'd fulfil their contracts, contracts that put no cash in their
pockets. And he knew what would happen the first time one of the athletes had to make a
choice between a photo shoot or a personal appearance and competing. If it weren't that
Estelle McCray would look so great in KIWANDA CycleWear, he wouldn't be here.
    The curtain in the narrow window beside the door twitched, and he pasted a
winning smile on his face. Like it or not, he was bringing bad news today, but there was no
reason he couldn't let her down easy.
    She opened the door. "I've still got scabs," she said, before he could say a
word.
    Not the most cordial greeting, but looking at her, Adam understood. She was in
pain. He could read it in the lines around her mouth, the tightness at the corners of her
eyes. And she was still on crutches, which didn't surprise him. He hadn't believed she'd be
back on a bicycle this soon, no matter what she'd told him.
    "Yes, I see you do. Some of them are quite dramatic." He waited a beat, then went
on, "May I come in? I'd like to talk to you."
    Her brows drew together, but she clumsily moved aside. He could see that she was
somewhat more adept with the crutches, but still fighting them.
    Why wasn't he surprised?
    She led him into the living room and waved toward the wing chair where he'd sat
before. Without waiting for him to sit, she lowered herself onto the sofa and stretched out
her leg, wincing as she did so. There were sweat stains on her shirt and her hair was matted
over her forehead. She'd been exercising, and he'd bet she'd overdone it.
    He would have.
    "What was it you wanted?"
    Adam realized he'd been staring at her for several