Paradise Read Online Free PDF Page B

there something wrong with it? It’s one of the favorite backpacks around here.” he said, filling his voice with innocent reproach. Yeah, if you’re under the age of six. He chewed his lower lip to keep from grinning.
    “Um, no, no, it’s just fine. But er, don’t you have something a little bigger? I didn’t pack the kitchen sink, but I do need a few things to get by this week.”
    “Hey, this is perfect. After all, you’ll have to carry it yourself at different points on the trip. You won’t want it too heavy then.”
    He handed her a box of Ziploc baggies. “Here, seal anything that can be damaged by water in one of these.”
    She gave him a closed-lipped grimace, placed her suitcase on the desk and opened it. When he came to stand beside her and watch as she transferred the contents to the Ziplocs and backpack, he got a raised eyebrow and her lip line thinned.
    “Don’t you need to see to the rigging or something?”
    He fought back a laugh but only succeeded in choking on it. Oh yeah, I’d like to see to the rigging, all right, but I promised my brother I’d leave you alone.
    Sitting on the corner of the oak desk, he scrutinized every article she shifted to the backpack, trying to get a feel for what type of person she was.
    When she glared at him, he backed off and pretended to peruse the weather forecast on the computer but not before catching a glimpse of some brightly colored silk and lace. Nice. None of that white cotton granny stuff. Miss Priss is a sexy Victoria ’s Secret girl.
    Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her glance furtively at him before palming a small white plastic box. Unless they’d re-designed those boxes, she was on the pill. So what were those smoldering looks about if she was sleeping with her boyfriend? She slid the box into a Ziploc then rammed it into the bottom of the backpack.
    His eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you’ve gone camping before?” The crammed backpack overflowed with garments and Ziplocs, but the suitcase was only half empty.
    “Yes, of course I have,” she snapped, trying to jam a blow dryer into the pack. “I camp out every chance I get.”
    “Hmm, well then if I can offer a suggestion…” He scrubbed his face to hide the smile. “Lose the blazers and the high heel sandals. We haven’t been invited to any cocktail parties with the raccoons this week. You can also ditch the hair dryer. No juice where we’re going. It’s strictly propane.”
    A becoming shade of cherry crept up her neck and blossomed across her cheeks. My God, she was delicious. All that innocence wrapped up in a blanket of bravado. He turned away before she caught a glimpse of the straining zipper of his cargo shorts. Crap. He promised Nick he wouldn’t touch her and he’d keep that promise, but damn, it was going to be tough.
    Without warning, she pulled items from the backpack and stuffed them back into the suitcase. “Fine. Just fine. I don’t need this. I don’t need that.”
    “No need to beat those clothes to death, darlin’, er, Ms. Miller. Here, mind if I help?” Without waiting for an answer, he selected one pair of jeans, a bright orange University of Florida sweatshirt, a few shirts and shorts, and a sweet canary yellow, fuzzy jogging outfit. Thank goodness her underwear was in a side pocket. He wouldn’t survive if he had to go picking through that. He neatly rolled each item and packed it snugly into the little pink backpack.
    “There, everything the well dressed camper needs for a week in the Okefenokee. And you, Ms. Miller, will be the best dressed of them all.” He raised one eyebrow. “By the way, love that fuzzy yellow thing. Is it Versace?”
    He grinned when she rolled her eyes at him. A mental picture surfaced of her all cuddly and warm and fluffy yellow. Lust heated his flesh as an unbidden image formed of his hands sliding down inside those soft pants to cup her warm butt and pull her against him. At Maisie’s, the feel of that butt pressed