Cupid's Treasure - Mystery of the Golden Arrow Read Online Free Page A

Understood?” With that she turned to Jonathan. “Are you going to get over here and let me take a look at your boo-boo, or are you going to try to make my day?” Charlene tilted her head when she spoke, daring him to defy her.
    Jonathan sighed as she tried to work the sleeve that was too tight on his bicep up to his shoulder.
    “Off with it,” Charlene said.
    In one smooth movement he swiped the T-shirt off of his well-muscled frame and stood looking like a living statue of a Greek masterpiece. Amber was glad the monitor for blood pressure hadn’t started yet, but the one taking her pulse through her finger started beating faster.
    “You can say that again.” Charlene smiled at the sound of the increased rhythm.
    Amber knew she was going to die of embarrassment when the finest example of male flesh she’d ever seen smiled and winked at her. She looked away, pushing her glasses up.
    “What were you doing in the park?” Charlene asked as she wiped the scratch on his arm with alcohol. “ Dressed in black , at night, in a storm?” she added.
    Admittedly, Amber was curious about that too. And why the puncture from the arrow she had seen was now just a scratch.
    “Actually, I’m here because of the storm,” he said.
    “Uh-huh,” Charlene replied doubtfully.
    “What?” Jonathan laughed outright. “You think I make a habit out of skulking around in dark parks looking for men in diapers?”
    “ Hm-mm-mm,” Charlene tsked.
    “For your information, I got a call from my mother to check on the library,” he corrected with a chuckle.
    “Listen to you,” Charlene said as she put the bright neon pink Band-Aid on his arm. “How is Momma Mavis doing?”
    “She’s . . . her usual self.” He looked at her finished ministrations. “Nice touch.”
    “I figured you’d go for the extra manly one.” Charlene grinned at the sight.
    “Well—I would have,” he said as he pulled his shirt back over his head and tucked it in.
    Amber looked away and practiced breathing regularly so that the beeper on her finger and the band that was starting to tighten on her arm wouldn’t give her away again. So this is the electrician? At least she now had the missing pieces of that puzzle. That at least made her breathe easier. . . . She’d almost wondered if he was in league with them .
    Amber tried to breathe methodically as the band squeezed tighter. She imagined herself running across a field of flowers, crossing a stream, and dipping her feet in a cool pond. The band relaxed as she continued to fantasize about languishing on the bank, but the illusion took on a life of its own when she looked up into the face of an imaginary lover. . . . It was his face! Her heart lurched and her eyes flew open. Thank goodness the test was over, or I’d be headed to the hospital for sure! she thought .
    “You passed it this time,” Charlene said skeptically.
    Amber glanced over to the back of the ambulance and noticed Jonathan watching her with that same puzzled look on his face. He masked it quickly.
    “I guess you’re free to go home now,” Charlene said. “I need you to sign this release first, and you need to be aware of some symptoms of shock.” She handed her some papers. “Here, read this, sugar.”
    “Thank you,” Amber said to Charlene who had actually done much to quell her fear.
    “Think nothin' of it, darlin'.” Charlene smiled. “That’s why I am here.”
    Amber moved toward the back door where Jonathan still stood and extended her leg as she stepped out of the ambulance, exposing the lovely hole in the knee of her muddy stocking. She pulled the edge of her skirt down as Jonathan waited patiently for her. Why do I feel so self-conscious around him?
    Over his shoulder Amber could see the news crew standing near the squad car. The younger officer who had been left to guard the prisoner in the back waved his hands excitedly as he spoke to Tom.
    “Wait here for a second while I see what is going on,” Jonathan said