What the Outlaw Craves by Samantha Leal Page B

in all this. At least all this had taken her mind off of Brad.
    She went back to her room and packed her things. She had an hour before she had to check out and even though she didn’t want to be wandering around the streets of Blakestone Ridge, she felt as if she owed it to him, and to herself, to find out what had happened once he had left her. She needed to thank him for being so kind and for making sure she was alright. She probably wouldn’t find him, but at least she could try.
    As she went out into the sun and walked down the street she passed a lovely little row of shops. Some of them sold bric-a-brac and some had local produce, but they were all unique and she loved the fact that there wasn’t a single chain store. They were all independently owned and everyone seemed to know one another. It was almost enough to help her forget the incident the night before. She had been thinking maybe she should go to the police, but she just wanted to get out of there at that point. Seeing a convenience store she forgot her musings and went inside. She had felt tempted all morning to buy a packet of cigarettes. After what she had been through, she really didn’t feel she needed an excuse. She stood a moment looking for her brand behind the cashier but instead of asking for any, turned and went to the drinks refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. As she was walking back to the desk to pay, something caught the corner of her eye. It was the smiling face of someone familiar. She turned to the magazine rack and her jaw almost hit the floor. She couldn’t believe it.
    There on the front cover of one of the glossy magazines on the shelves was her mysterious stranger. He was the epitome of dark and handsome and his blue eyes pierced her all over again. He was standing straight and tall in an immaculate suit. Laurie crept forward and picked it up. Surely it couldn’t be …?
    It was a business magazine and it was most certainly him. She flicked quickly through to the article and scanned it furiously. Her eyes picking out specific words as she went.
    Aiden Cooper… International businessman… Risk taker… Billionaire …
    Laurie lowered the magazine and swallowed hard. If this wasn’t the man who had come to her rescue the previous night, then he had an identical twin running around. An identical billionaire twin. She shook her head and laughed. She looked at the cover again, not believing her eyes.
    “Did they get my good side?” came a voice from right behind her.
    She spun around, her heart jumping up into her throat. It was him. She was starting to feel like she had stepped through the looking glass like Alice. His beautiful eyes drilling holes into her soul. He looked down at the magazine with an uncomfortable and slightly amused gaze. Laurie sheepishly lowered it before replacing it on the shelf entirely. It felt somehow like she was snooping or spying on him, although that was obviously not the case at all. It had been right there in front of her. Anyone would have been more than intrigued.
    “I don’t even know what to say…I was just…I mean I wanted to…” she began.
    “How about we get a cup of coffee,“ he said simply. There was a warmth and caring about him that lit her up inside. It was starting to light her up in other ways too, she realized.

 
    5.
     
    They sat opposite each other in a small café a block down from the hotel. Laurie couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was exactly as amazing as she had remembered and she realized she was both excited and nervous just to be around him. Along with what seemed like his innate sensitivity to her needs, there was something about him that screamed power and danger, and even after all she had been through, she found the combination intoxicating.
    “Last night…” he began, “Well, this morning when I woke up, I knew I had to make sure you were okay.”
    “I’ve felt better,” she said, “but I’m not as stunned and in shock as I was last