Susan Mallery - Irresistible

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

COMING NEXT MONTH

One of the most frequent questions Im asked is how I get my ideas for my books. In truth, they come from everywhere. This particular story was born while I was driving to the grocery store, listening to National Public Radio.

The news had come on and the reporter mentioned how many soldiers had died the previous day in Iraq. Their names were withheld, pending notification of their immediate families.

I remember pulling over, suddenly wondering what happened if the soldier in question had no family. Who would be notified and who would mourn?

In that moment Walker Buchanan was created, and through him, Ben. A hardened solider and a young man with the heart of a soldier. A young man with no family.

This book is dedicated to those who have given the greatest gift to their country. May you live on forever in the hearts of those who have loved you.

T HE GREAT UNWELCOME truth is that there are times when a woman needs a manor at the very least, an unnatural level of upper body strength. Unfortunately for Elissa Towers, this was one of those times.

Something tells me you wont be impressed by my to-do list, or the fact that Zoe has a birthday party at noon. Birthday parties are very important for the five-year-old set. I dont want her to miss this one, Elissa muttered as she leaned all of her weight into the lug wrench.

Shed been lamenting the extra ten pounds she carried for at least three years. One would think theyd come in handy now, say for leverage. But one would be wrong.

Move! she yelled at the lug nut on her very flat tire. Nothing. Not even a whisper of budging.

She dropped the lug wrench onto the damp driveway and swore.

This was completely her fault. The last time shed noticed the tire getting low, shed driven to Randys Brake and Tire Center, where Randy himself had patched the nail hole. Shed sat in his surprisingly tidy waiting room indulging herself in gossip magazinesa rare treat in her worldnot even giving a thought to the fact that he was using some stupid machine to tighten the lug nuts. She always asked him to tighten by hand, so she could take off the flat herself.

Need some help?

The question came from nowhere and startled her so much, she wobbled and sat down right in a puddle. She felt the wet seeping through her jeans and panties. Great. Now when she stood up, she would look as if shed wet herself. Why couldnt her Saturday start with an unexpected tax refund and an anonymous chocolate delivery?

She glanced at the man now standing next to her. She hadnt heard stealth guy approach, but as she looked up and up farther still, until their eyes met, she recognized her semirecent upstairs neighbor. He was a few years older than her, tanned, good-looking and at a casual glance, physically perfect. Not exactly the type who tended to rent an apartment in her slightly shabby neighborhood.

She scrambled to her feet and brushed off her butt, groaning as she felt the wet spot.

Hi, she said, smiling as she carefully took a step back. Youre, um

Damn. Mrs. Ford, her other neighbor, had told her the guys name. Also that he had recently left the military, kept to himself and apparently had no job. It wasnt a combination that made Elissa comfy.

Walker Buchanan. I live upstairs.

Alone. No visitors and he didnt go out much. Oh, yeah. Good times. Still, shed been raised to be polite, so she smiled and said, Hi. Im Elissa Towers.

Under any other circumstances, she would have found another way out of her dilemma, but there was no way she could loosen the lug nuts herself and she couldnt just sit here praying to the tire gods.

She pointed. If you could be burly for a second, that would be fabulous.

Burly? The corner of his mouth twitched.

Youre a guy, this is a guy thing. Its a natural fit.

He folded his impressive arms over a rather impressive chest. What happened to women wanting to be independent and equal in the world?

Hmm, so there was a brain behind those dark eyes and maybe the potential for humor. That was good. Neighbors of serial killers always said the guy was so nice. Elissa wasnt sure Walker qualified as nice, which was, in a twisted way, a bit of a relief.

We should have worked on our upper body strength first. Besides, you offered.

Yes, I did.

He picked up the wrench, squatted down and in one quick movement that left her feeling both inadequate and bitter, loosened the first nut. The other three followed just as fast.

Thanks, she said with a smile. Ill take it from here.

Im already involved, he told her. I can put on the spare in a couple of seconds.

Or so he thought. Yes, well, thats a funny story, she said. I dont have a spare. Its big and bulky and really weighs down the car.

He straightened. You need a spare.

His statement of the obvious irritated her. Thanks for the advice, but as I dont have one, its not very helpful.

So what do you do now?

I say thank you. She glanced pointedly at the stairs leading to his apartment. When he didnt move, she added, I dont want to keep you.

His gaze dipped from her face to the large nylon bag on wheels, lying next to her on the driveway. His mouth tightened in disapproval.

There is no way youre going to carry that tire somewhere yourself, he said flatly.

Definitely not nice, she thought. I dont carry, I drag. Ive done it before. The tire place I go to is less than a mile from here. I walk there, Randy patches it for me and I walk back. Its easy. Good exercise, even. So thank you for your help and have a nice day.

She reached for the tire in question. He stepped between her and it.

Ill take it, he told her.

No, thank you. Im fine.

He topped her by at least seven or eight inches and he had to outweigh her by a good sixty poundsevery ounce of them muscle. As he narrowed his gaze and glared at her, she had the feeling he was trying to intimidate her. He was doing a good job of it, too, but she couldnt let him know that. She was tough. She was determined. She was

Mommy, can I have toast?

Why was life always about timing?

She turned to her daughter standing at the entrance to their apartment. Sure, Zoe. But let me help. Ill be right in.

Zoe smiled. Okay, Mommy. The screen door slammed shut.

Elissa glanced back at Walker, only to find that stealth guy had used her moment of inattention to pick up her tire and walk toward his very expensive, very out-of-place-for-this-neighborhood SUV.

You cant take that tire, she said as she hurried after him. Its mine.

Im not stealing it, he said in a bored tone. Im taking it to be fixed. Where do you usually go?

Im not going to tell you. Ha! That should stop him.

Fine. Ill go where I want. He tossed the tire into the SUV and slammed the back shut.

Wait! Stop. When, exactly, had she lost control?

He turned to her. Are you really worried Im going to disappear with your tire?

No. Of course not. Its justI dont

He waited patiently.

I dont know you, she snapped. I keep to myself. I dont want to owe you.

He surprised her by nodding. I can respect that. Where do you want me to take the tire?