Colters' Daughter Read Online Free PDF

goal.
    He stood for a moment and weighed his options. He had plenty of ammunition, but the one variable was always Callie. He never knew quite what to expect. It was what he enjoyed most about her.
    Finally he decided to wait by her car until she came out. She’d have her arms full—hopefully, though he’d have to be concerned with whether she threw the bags at him.
    He’d never been able to punish her for her impetuousness. To do so would be to quell what made her so beautiful to him. For a little while, she’d been his. She’d submitted to him and given him the gift of her trust. Her love.
    He wanted it back. He wanted her back. In his bed. In his arms. His to command. His to cherish. He simply couldn’t fathom his existence without her.
    Unlike Callie, he was infinitely patient and he never conceded defeat. There was no option for him but success.
    He didn’t have long to wait. He’d barely gotten over to lean against the door of her little SUV before she appeared carrying two bags of groceries.
    She didn’t see him, which was just as well. The further she was from him, the more avenues she had of escape. But the fact that she was so oblivious of her surroundings, even in a town as small as Clyde and as loved as she obviously was, angered him. Anyone could target her, and it would be easy to get close enough to rob or harm her. He wanted to shield her and protect her, even when it was himself who’d caused her pain.
    As she drew nearer, his breath caught in his throat. There were deep shadows under her eyes, shadows that he knew without arrogance he’d caused. There was a troubled set to her mouth, a mouth he’d tasted over and over. And her beautiful blue eyes were clouded as if she were miles away and unaware of her surroundings. Well, that much was evident because she still hadn’t seen him and it wasn’t as if he were a small man.
    “Callie.”
    Her name came out more gruffly than he would have liked. There was a hesitancy that irritated him, and he realized that she did that to him. She made him uncertain when he lived his life in control and with complete confidence.
    She halted so abruptly one of the bags slipped from her grasp. Having anticipated just such a possibility, he was quick to catch it before it fell to the ground.
    She stared unblinkingly at him, hurt crowding the depths of her blue eyes. “Move, please. I’d like to get into my truck.”
    He pressed his lips together. She wasn’t going to make it easy. Okay, he knew that, but her refusal to even allow him to explain pissed him off.
    “I’m not moving until you agree to hear me out.”
    Her eyes flashed and he braced himself for the storm. His body leapt to hungry attention. He was starved for her, an admission that pained him to make, but he was nothing if not honest with himself.
    “You talk to me as if I owe you something.” Her voice was husky and strained as if it took everything for her to maintain her composure.
    “You owe me nothing, Callie. But I owe you something.”
    At that she cocked her head and emotion swamped her eyes. “Yes, Max, you did owe me something. Unfortunately, I’m no longer interested in collecting. Now move or I’ll scream the streets down.”
    He straightened and his nostrils flared as he pushed into her space. His legendary patience was wearing thin. “Scream then, Callie. Get us both arrested. Maybe we’ll share a cell. At least then you’d be forced to listen to me. Now me, I’d rather have our talk in private, but if you insist on our personal business being bandied about in public, then so be it.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “We don’t have any personal business. Not anymore.”
    “The hell we don’t.”
    Not caring if she hauled off and slugged him again—a distinct possibility—he wrapped his free hand around her slim nape and slammed his mouth down over hers.
    The groceries were crushed between them. Hell, he didn’t care if they were ruined. He’d buy her more. All he knew was that