Page 14 (1/2)

With his chin dropped to his chest, he was staring at her fro as they locked on her and her alone

Her first cogent thought was that he was a predator

Her second … was that she wanted to be caught

"Elise?"

As Peyton said her name and stepped in between theested he’d noticed the connection, and--no surprise--he didn’t approve Then again, with the way thatat her? You didn’t have to be a possessive blood relative to not want any feuy

"Sit next to Paradise, here," Peyton said "And let’s talk"

Boy, it was hot in here, Elise thought as she started to unbutton her coat

"Elise? Hello?"

Shaking herself, she forced a smile "I’m sorry What?"

"Have a seat," her cousin muttered as he pointed to a padded bench that he’d pulled over

"Right Yes, of course"

As Elise tried to get her brain back on track, she parked it and glanced at Paradise--whose smile was open and as beautiful as the rest of her was Which was kind of a surprise Most feirls

"So Peyton toldover here" Paradise tucked her legs under herself and leaned on the aret it I so get it"

Elise shook her head and started to parse through what she was prepared to share and what she wanted to keep to herself Talking about the pathology around Allishon? Not going to happen

"My father’s not a bad male, he really isn’t"

"God, of course not He’s just a traditional one, who’s worried about his daughter in a troubling world It’s not an issue of good and bad What it is about is your right to live a life even though you’re a feet into the training program at all? I mean, I’ve heard that they’ll allow females, but …"

As she continued to speak, soed into the conversation with Paradise, the other part of her right with thathis body, his presence, his power

The effect he had on her was nothing like Troy, she thought With the huh she was in front of a banked fire, where you kind of thought, Huh, maybe I’ll sit here and put my palms out and feel the warmth Or maybe I’ll just stay where I am and admire the view of the flames Or … what the hell, let me pick up a book and read for a while