Texas Lightning. Gerry Bartlett

Чтение книги онлайн.

      LYRICAL PRESS

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

       www.kensingtonbooks.com

      Lyrical Press books are published by

      Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018

      Copyright © 2018 by Gerry Bartlett

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

      All Kensington titles, imprints, and distributed lines are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotion, premiums, fund- raising, and educational or institutional use.

      To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

      Special book excerpts or customized printings can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write or phone the office of the Kensington Special Sales Manager:

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

      119 West 40th Street

      New York, NY 10018

      Attn. Special Sales Department. Phone: 1-800-221-2647.

      Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

      LYRICAL PRESS Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

      Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.

      First Electronic Edition: October 2018

      eISBN-13: 978-1-5161-0715-5

      eISBN-10: 1-5161-0715-2

      First Print Edition: October 2018

      ISBN-13: 978-1-5161-0718-6

      ISBN-10: 1-5161-0718-7

      Printed in the United States of America

      Dedication

      For Pattie and David Spradley, who survived a lightning strike in their own truck and have proved that love can last for over fifty years. I love you guys.

      Acknowledgments:

      Thanks to my awesome editor, Esi Sogah, for steering this ship, my incredible agent, Kim Whalen, for still believing in me after all these years, and my critique group. Nina Bangs and Donna Maloy, you are the epitome of patience. Your help through a hurricane and every other meltdown possible means the world to me.

      Chapter One

      Someone was watching her. She could feel it. Had since she’d moved to Texas, the so-called land of opportunity. Paranoid much? Maybe, maybe not. She knew what she’d created was valuable. And today she’d finished it. Almost. Just a few more tweaks and… Anyway, it had seemed like a cause for celebration. So she’d come out of her cave to finally explore her new city.

      Anna Delaney scanned the vast room around her but couldn’t concentrate. Black dots danced in front of her eyes. Her favorite pink sweater had become her enemy, itchy and so hot she wanted to rip it off and let the world see her in the last clean bra in her underwear drawer. Sweat gathered between her breasts and under her arms. Hello, Austin, didn’t you get the memo? It’s winter!

      Swaying where she stood, she dragged in a breath and almost passed out. Would anyone care if she just dropped to the cool marble floor? She’d lay her burning cheeks against it and… Someone grabbed her arm.

      “Move aside, make way. Sorry, ma’am.” The deep voice had that Texas twang she was trying to get used to. His grip was firm as he dragged her through the crowd.

      What the hell? Anna opened her mouth to scream for help, but nothing came out. Her efforts to jerk loose were feeble. Through a blur she saw a tall man in a suit, boots, and a cowboy hat. Where was he taking her? Why didn’t anyone stop him? He shoved her onto a hard bench, his hand firm on the СКАЧАТЬ