JAXON (The Caine Brothers Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

insides.
    “You want something to drink?” She asked. “I have red wine, beer, soda, juice, water, iced tea.”
    “Beer’s good.”
    “It’s in the fridge.”
    He grabbed a beer, popped the top, and took a long drag, then leaned back against the counter. “So why do you have such a huge garden?” he asked. “You can’t possibly eat that much.”
    “Of course not. I freeze and preserve what I’ll need for the off-season, but I donate most of it to food pantries, homeless shelters, or farmer’s markets. Summer uses only fresh, locally-sourced ingredients so I give her a lot of what I grow.”
    “Seems like a lot of work to give stuff away.”
    She shrugged, dismissing the idea. “My uncle pays me to take care of this place, so I don’t need any more money. I like to help other people. And food’s an important issue to me.”
    “Why?”
    She turned the skillet down to low, stirred it one more time, then replaced the lid. “Because it’s the most basic part of survival. Before you can be a rock star or mechanic or doctor or anything else, you have to be able to survive, and that includes feeding yourself.” She looked him in the eye. “You and I have always taken for granted there will be food on the table, regardless of where it came from or how much it cost. Some people don’t have that luxury.”
    “True.” She was right. It had never even occurred to him. As long as he had something to eat, he didn’t think about it.
    “Have you ever wondered where the food on your plate or fridge or cupboards came from?”
    “No.”
    She went to the fridge and poured herself a glass of wine. “Most people don’t.”
    “Why would they? It’s just food.” On some level he knew that wasn’t really true, and when he thought about it, it seemed weird not to have any idea. Food just came from a store or restaurant. Before that, he figured it started on a farm or ranch somewhere. Beyond that, he didn’t even consider it.
    Lily used her free hand to gesture as she spoke, and her face came alive with expression, her passion coming through loud and clear. “A lot of people don’t even cook for themselves anymore. We aren’t connected to our food like we used to be when people grew their own.”
    “Why is that so important?”
    “Having a stake in what you eat and where it comes from makes people more aware of waste, and more responsible stewards. The disconnect between Americans and their food is because they don’t know anything about it.” She opened a cupboard and pulled out a couple of plates.
    She glowed with conviction, her cheeks rosy with it. It had been forever since he’d encountered anyone with that kind of selfless commitment. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time.
    “You’re very…” he paused, searching for the right word.
    “Devoted to my cause?”
    “Well, yes. But I was going to say enthusiastic.”
    The delicate freckles that sprinkled her cheeks and the bridge of her nose stood out against her blush and left him breathless.
    “I am. Food activism is what I do. It’s who I am. I figure someone has to do something to fix the problems of the world. I can’t fix everything, but I can do this in my little corner of it.”
    “You’ll have to show me.”
    A shy smile curled her lips, and she folded her arms over her chest which pushed her pert little breasts up so they swelled above the neckline of her dress, creating the most delicious cleavage. He had no idea what was wrong with him that this intelligent, capable woman had shared her life’s work with him and he could only think about burying his face in her chest. He really did need to get a grip.
    “I’d be happy to,” she said, looking up at him from under her copper lashes. Had she just flirted with him? Played a double entendre with his ‘you’ll have to show me’ words?
    It didn’t matter because, he reminded himself with a mental finger-wagging, he’d taken a break from women, to get his head together and maybe