Any Thursday (Donovans of the Delta) Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Peggy Webb
propped his elbow on his bended knee, and leaned closer to her. He was still smiling.
“Is that why your face is flushed and your eyes are bedroom languid? Because I don’t appeal to you?”
She felt as if she were smothering. She wanted nothing more than to take a big gulp of air, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he bothered her. “You’ve assessed me wrong. It’s the heat.”
His left hand reached out and lightly cupped her face. “Yes. It’s the heat.” There was a vibrant urgency in his voice that made her shiver. “Body heat. Yours and mine.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to be strong, steeling herself to resist temptation. She snapped them open and looked at him. “Remove your hand.”
Laughing, he pulled back. “What’s the matter, Hannah? Don’t you like to play?”
“I like to choose my playmates.”
“So do I. And I’ve already chosen you.”
His eyes gleaming, he bent down and trailed his hands through the water. She held her breath as his fingers stopped only inches from her breast.
She could imagine how his hands would feel on her. She wanted it, she ached for it, but she knew she couldn’t have it. Jim Roman was a roaring blaze that would consume her. “If you touch me again, I’ll black both your eyes.”
His hand moved a fraction of an inch closer. “When I touch you, it will be because you want it. You’ll ask me for it.”
Their eyes locked in a battle of wills. Rage and excitement boiled through her. There was something else too. Something so powerful, so basic and primitive, she recognized it immediately. It was lust, her old enemy.
Her chin went up. “I wouldn’t ask you to touch me if you were the last man on earth.”
He merely smiled and lifted a brow. Then, leaning closer, he blew away the bubbles that covered her breasts.
His eyes gleaming, he whispered, “You’ll ask me, Hannah.” Abruptly he stood up. “Sleep well.”
He was gone as quickly as he had come.
Hannah went limp. Leaning her head back against the cold porcelain, she put her hand over her racing heart.
With the scientific mind that was accustomed to analysis, Dr. Hannah Donovan came to a startling conclusion. At the precise moment he’d blown the bubbles away and looked at her with raw passion in his eyes, she’d wanted him as she’d never wanted another man.
“Nothing but chemisty. The mating call of two healthy mammals. It’s totally meaningless.”
She reached for her book and jerked it open. But the words were a jumble. Throwing her book onto the cabinet, she turned the hot water faucet on full force. Her water had gotten cold. Her bubbles were deflating too. Dripping water all over the floor and not caring, she got out of the tub, opened the cabinet, and took out the bubble bath. She dumped half the bottle in and climbed back in. Then, repenting over the puddle she’d left on the floor, she got out again and wiped it up with a dry towel.
When she straightened back up, she noticed Jim’s shirt wadded onto the corner of the vanity. Against her better judgment she reached for it, clasped it in her hands, and brought it to her face. His scent clung there, the strong, masculine smells of sweat and spice and desire. She inhaled deeply. When her passion flared, she knew she was close to letting her emotions get out of hand.
“Hell’s bells.”
She tossed the shirt away, got back into the tub, leaned her head on the cool porcelain, and shut her eyes. For the first time in her life she was going to ignore a problem instead of trying to solve it.
o0o
Jim leaned against the bathroom door. The sounds of Hannah’s fury filtered through.
All he’d meant to do was go into the bathroom to take a leak. What was it about Hannah that always brought out the West Coast Warrior? Jim Roman, dangerous and deadly, always gets his woman, any woman, no strings attached. It was an act that had kept him safe for years. Was he losing himself? Was
“Is that why your face is flushed and your eyes are bedroom languid? Because I don’t appeal to you?”
She felt as if she were smothering. She wanted nothing more than to take a big gulp of air, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he bothered her. “You’ve assessed me wrong. It’s the heat.”
His left hand reached out and lightly cupped her face. “Yes. It’s the heat.” There was a vibrant urgency in his voice that made her shiver. “Body heat. Yours and mine.”
She closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to be strong, steeling herself to resist temptation. She snapped them open and looked at him. “Remove your hand.”
Laughing, he pulled back. “What’s the matter, Hannah? Don’t you like to play?”
“I like to choose my playmates.”
“So do I. And I’ve already chosen you.”
His eyes gleaming, he bent down and trailed his hands through the water. She held her breath as his fingers stopped only inches from her breast.
She could imagine how his hands would feel on her. She wanted it, she ached for it, but she knew she couldn’t have it. Jim Roman was a roaring blaze that would consume her. “If you touch me again, I’ll black both your eyes.”
His hand moved a fraction of an inch closer. “When I touch you, it will be because you want it. You’ll ask me for it.”
Their eyes locked in a battle of wills. Rage and excitement boiled through her. There was something else too. Something so powerful, so basic and primitive, she recognized it immediately. It was lust, her old enemy.
Her chin went up. “I wouldn’t ask you to touch me if you were the last man on earth.”
He merely smiled and lifted a brow. Then, leaning closer, he blew away the bubbles that covered her breasts.
His eyes gleaming, he whispered, “You’ll ask me, Hannah.” Abruptly he stood up. “Sleep well.”
He was gone as quickly as he had come.
Hannah went limp. Leaning her head back against the cold porcelain, she put her hand over her racing heart.
With the scientific mind that was accustomed to analysis, Dr. Hannah Donovan came to a startling conclusion. At the precise moment he’d blown the bubbles away and looked at her with raw passion in his eyes, she’d wanted him as she’d never wanted another man.
“Nothing but chemisty. The mating call of two healthy mammals. It’s totally meaningless.”
She reached for her book and jerked it open. But the words were a jumble. Throwing her book onto the cabinet, she turned the hot water faucet on full force. Her water had gotten cold. Her bubbles were deflating too. Dripping water all over the floor and not caring, she got out of the tub, opened the cabinet, and took out the bubble bath. She dumped half the bottle in and climbed back in. Then, repenting over the puddle she’d left on the floor, she got out again and wiped it up with a dry towel.
When she straightened back up, she noticed Jim’s shirt wadded onto the corner of the vanity. Against her better judgment she reached for it, clasped it in her hands, and brought it to her face. His scent clung there, the strong, masculine smells of sweat and spice and desire. She inhaled deeply. When her passion flared, she knew she was close to letting her emotions get out of hand.
“Hell’s bells.”
She tossed the shirt away, got back into the tub, leaned her head on the cool porcelain, and shut her eyes. For the first time in her life she was going to ignore a problem instead of trying to solve it.
o0o
Jim leaned against the bathroom door. The sounds of Hannah’s fury filtered through.
All he’d meant to do was go into the bathroom to take a leak. What was it about Hannah that always brought out the West Coast Warrior? Jim Roman, dangerous and deadly, always gets his woman, any woman, no strings attached. It was an act that had kept him safe for years. Was he losing himself? Was