Close Your Eyes Read Online Free PDF Page B

was an unnecessary luxury she was willing to forgo. She opened her mouth to say it, only to clamp it shut as she looked at his elegant profile illuminated by the fire. His face was wet , and tiny glistening droplets hung from his water - darkened hair. He was probably freezing as well, and she was sorry to have caused his detour. If it hadn’t been for Megan , Matt could have just ridden back to the house.
    She shook her jacket, surprised at its cold, stiff weight . Thankfully, her jacket had protected her shirt and jeans , keeping it dry . Unable to resist the temptation of the heat from the crackling fire, s he stepped closer to Matt , admiring his nimble efforts.
    ‘ Here , this is all yours . ’ Matt grinned up to her, his upturned features softened by the flickering light of the flames. He got up, dusting his knees , and gestured to the chair in front of the fire. She followed his invitation . T he fire’s warmth radiated towards her cold fingers and lured her to lean closer. She closed her eyes for a moment, listening lazily to the crackling fire. She could hear him walk ing around, and the sound of his footsteps was reassuringly familiar.
    ‘It’s bloody cold out there . ’ Matt ’s cheerful voice sounded from the kitchen . A half-wall that reached Matt’s hips separated the open kitchen from the main area . He bustled around , collecting things on a silver tray . A tea kettle whistled. ‘ So , how warm do you want to get?’ H is question confused her, then, with a mischievous grin, he held up a bottle of whiskey. ‘ Care for a splash of something extra?’
    She should have said no. S he had practically invited herself in , and that was bad enough . Sitting and drinking with Matt somehow made things even worse. She could just imagine what Henry Harper would say if he caught them . H is severe face rose before her eyes. H e would probably blame her for pushing his already bad - boy grandson into an even deeper abyss of self-destruction . Matt had managed to tarnish the family’s name in more ways than one , and enjoying hard liquor was one of them. She remembered Ry an telling her how Matt would sneak out with his friends and then return , reeking of booze and cigarettes. It had happened often enough for their father to ground him, cutting off his allowance.
    She was too cold to care right now . The promise of the warmth of the amber- colored liquid easily tempted her , and she nodded, her wet hair hanging in dark rattails down her back.
    ‘ Just a bit . ’ Her voice was still a bit hoarse from the cold. ‘ Go easy on the extra part, all right?’
    ‘No problem.’ He flashed her a grin with his perfect set of teeth as he brought both steaming mugs and some crackers. He had shrugged off his soggy jacket , as well, and a dark - blue sweater clung to the broad planes of his chest. ‘ Be careful, it’s hot.’
    His warning made her smile . It reminded her so much of Ry an . They might look quite different , with Ryan t aking the better looks and suave ness that eluded his younger brother, but the similarity in the way s they acted and behaved was unmistakable .
    ‘Thank you . ’ She sipped some of the tea, almost choking as the strong taste of alcohol hit her throat. ‘ Matt , exactly how much did you put in here?’ she asked, her eyes wary. ‘I said a bit, remember?’
    ‘Yes , madam . ’ He grinned unrepentantly, sitting down in front of the fire and stretching out his long, muscular legs. With a satisfied sigh , he watched her . She hesitated to drink any more .
    ‘Go on, Meg , ’ he prompted, his eyes sparkling mischievously. ‘I swear I won’t get you drunk, if that’s what you ’re worr ied about. Just a wee bit to get you warmer . Y ou look like death, you know.’
    ‘Thank you very much.’ Indignation colored her voice as she took another sip . This time , she was already prepared for the taste. ‘It’s a lways nice to be compl i mented, Matt .’
    He laughed . T he rich , warm