A Place to Call Home Read Online Free PDF Page B

you two, put the pizza in the fridge and take Porkchop out.”
     
    “You’re going to help us with the puzzle like you promised. Right, Daddy?” the youngest boy asked.
     
    “If you do what I said. Now get to it.” He didn’t wait for a reply but turned and walked out of the kitchen.
     
    Mac carried Hannah up the stairs, into a bathroom. Gently, he placed her on her feet, keeping his hands on her waist. He bent his head to look into her eyes. “Think you can take a shower on your own, Hannah, without needing me to rescue you again?”
     
    “Oh, God. I hope so,” she said softly. The thought of him having to help her while totally naked stirred erotic thoughts in her throbbing head. Her face heated.
     
    He smiled slightly. “I’ll be right outside the door if you need me. There are towels in that closet. But there’s only regular soap and shampoo. Sorry. No females in the house means no frilly soaps. You’ll have to make do.”
     
    “It’ll be fine. Thank you.”
     
    His hands slid cautiously from her waist as if he expected her to melt to the floor. “Okay. Just yell. I’m right out here.”
     
    “Mac,” she called when he reached the door. He turned, and her cheeks flamed. “I don’t have any clothes to change into.”
     
    “I know. I’ve got that covered,” he assured her with a grin. “Just enjoy your shower. You’ll feel much better.”
     
    The instant he shut the door, Hannah stripped. She couldn’t stand being in those filthy, sweaty clothes anymore.
     
    Stepping under the warm stream of the shower, she found the soap Mac had mentioned and scrubbed her skin. Ten minutes later and, finally clean, she turned off the faucet.
     
    “Hannah,” Mac called from the other side of the door, after a gentle knock. “Are you okay in there?”
     
    She wrapped herself in a large bath towel. “Yes, I’m doing fine.” She wrapped another towel around her hair.
     
    “Good. I have clothes for you.”
     
    She opened the door a crack and peeked out. How odd and interesting to be staring at such a virile man while only a strip of terry cloth covered her body.
     
    He shot her that killer smile. The familiar feeling of butterflies in her belly returned. Why did she have to have such an automatic reaction to his attentions?
     
    “Sorry. You have to open just a little more for me to squeeze these through.”
     
    She did and he handed her the clothes.
     
    “T-shirt’s mine and will probably fit you like a dress,” he said. “The gym shorts are my oldest son’s. Socks are Ryan’s. Sorry but I have no under things to give you, so you’ll have to go without.”
     
    Feeling her cheeks flame again, she dropped her gaze, taking interest in the clothes she held. “These will do. Thank you.”
     
    She shut the door and dressed. The black T-shirt did go past her knees, so she knotted it at the waist and tied Aidan’s shorts tighter to keep them up. Gathering up her clothes, she opened the door to find Mac keeping his word and standing there waiting.
     
    “Feel better?” he asked.
     
    “Yes. Thank you.”
     
    “Good.”
     
    Before she knew what to expect, he lifted her into his arms again, cradled her to his chest and walked down the hall into a bedroom. She should have been frightened being carried into a strange man’s room, but she believed Mac would cause her no harm. After all, he’d been nothing but kind to her all day.
     
    Mac gently placed Hannah onto the bed, took the dirty clothes from her hands and tossed them into the corner. He pulled up the sheets, tucking her in. Air conditioning cooled the room.
     
    “You know this is completely unnecessary. I don’t need to go to bed this early.”
     
    “Uh huh. Just like you’re going to probably tell me you’re not utterly exhausted and ready to collapse.”
     
    “Of course I’m not. I’m fine. Really.” She cut off a yawn.
     
    He leaned over her, his arms on both her sides. “I’ll make a deal with you, Hannah.