Read To Love a Man for Free Online

skin-tingling vividness.
    “Who—who are you?” she asked faintly, suddenly feeling apprehensive. After all, embarrassing as she would find Sam’s presence, he was at least a known quantity. This man was a stranger—and after her recent experiences she didn’t feel overly trusting.
    “Name’s Riley Bates.” He stepped inside as he answered. His tone could in no way be interpreted as friendly, but the familiar name allowed Lisa to relax. She had heard Sam call him last night, before . . .
    “What do you want?” Keeping the blanket well up around her neck, she cautiously sat up. Her eyes went over Riley Bates assessingly. He was skinny and stooped and looked to be at least fifty years old. Like Sam, he was dressed in a khaki uniform.
    “You hungry?” he asked brusquely. Lisa considered, then nodded. “I’ll bring you something to eat.”
    While he was gone Lisa puzzled over his attitude. He was positively hostile—but why? To her knowledge, she hadn’t done anything to offend him. Maybe he resented having to wait on her. Or maybe he just didn’t like women.
    Before she had arrived at an answer, Riley was back, carrying the same kind of tin plate she had eaten out of before. Unspeaking, he held it out to her. Lisa found herself in a quandary. To take the plate she would have to let go of the blanket, and that was clearly impossible. She bit her lip. Seeing her problem, Riley snorted and set down the plate on the overturned box along with a fork and a mug of what she hoped was coffee. Then, still without a word, he turned and left.
    This time Lisa didn’t bother to puzzle over his motive. The sight of food had set her stomach to rumbling, and she could feel her mouth watering hungrily. Quickly she stood up, wrapping the blanket around her body sarong-fashion, then sat down again on the cot and pulled the plate toward her.
    The contents of the plate would have daunted a less eager stomach than Lisa’s. There was a rubbery, whitish-looking mound that she tasted gingerly—scrambled eggs? If so, they were without doubt the worst she had ever eaten, and the sausages—she hoped—that went with them were just as bad. If she hadn’t been absolutely starving she wouldn’t even have attempted to get it down. But she had a sneaking suspicion that she would get nothing better, so she mastered her squeamishness as best she could and ate. The coffee at least was passable, hot and strong and liberally sugared.
    “Them’s for you.”
    Riley was back, carrying some limp-looking clothes. His attitude was, if anything, more surly than before. Lisa eyed him doubtfully as he threw the clothes down on the cot beside her.
    “Thank you.”
    Riley snorted again. “Don’t thank me, missy. This here’s an army camp, and you can’t run around it naked, no matter what you’re used to. Fact is, you can’t run around it at all. You’re to stay in this tent, right inside, ’cept for a certain time of the day when I’m with you. Otherwise, you ain’t to step a foot outside. You got that?”
    Lisa stared at him. She was to stay in the tent—he had to be kidding! Already it was stuffy in here, and she had a feeling that as the day wore on it would get positively unbearable. He couldn’t be serious! Anyway, who the hell was Riley Bates? She couldn’t believe he was the one who gave the orders.
    “Where’s Sam?” she asked coolly, lifting her chin. Despite the embarrassment the thought of seeing him again brought, he at least had been kind. And he had to have more authority than this little runt. . . .
    “Sam’s busy.” Riley’s reply was openly gloating. “He ain’t got no more time for you. Besides, them orders came from him. He ain’t a man to let his judgment be warped by a little slap and tickle.”
    Lisa stared at him with dumb shock, her cheeks slowly suffusing with crimson. From his words and tone, it was clear that he knew what had taken place between her and Sam the night before. Good Lord, had the