Released to Rapture (Irresistible Inmate) Read Online Free PDF Page B

strolling this way. No,
he turned back.”
    Goldie raked the eggs into a bowl and joined
her parents.

    Duncan turned the spigot on and washed his
face and hands. His stomach tensed after glancing at the man
standing in the kitchen door staring at him. God, he was big.
Filling a water bucket and taking it to Baby to kill some time, he
took a deep shuddering breath. Chill, man, nothing worse can happen
to you than you’ve already experienced. Yeah, but the future I hope
for is probably at the mercy of Goldie’s father. He scratched
between the horse’s ears, spun around, mentally kicked his own
butt, and ambled to the house as if he had not a worry in the
world.
    As he fought to keep his chin up, Goldie
pushed past her father onto the porch and stood waiting for him.
“Put a move on it, Duncan, breakfast is getting cold.”
    Damn, she sounded like a wife. My woman. His
body relaxed and he smiled.
    He took a deep breath and stepped onto the
porch. Goldie waved her hand toward him, saying, “Duncan meet my
parents, Susan and Clinton Stanton. Mom, Dad, Duncan—”
    To cover her stumble, he held out his hand to
Mr. Stanton. “Duncan Elvery, sir.” He ducked his head to Susan.
“Ma’am.”
    Goldie led them into the kitchen. “Okay,
guys. Take a seat. Mom, I’ll fill the plates and you can serve.”
Once everyone was seated, Goldie joined them, placing the basket of
biscuits in the middle of the table.
    Clinton took two biscuits and smeared them
with butter. “Son, have you ever feasted on my girl’s biscuits?”
Duncan shook his head. “Take one. They’ll make your stomach jump up
your throat to get ‘em before you can swallow.”
    “Oh, heck. Forgot the coffee.” Goldie jumped
up, placed cream and sugar on the table, and filled everyone’s cup.
Her hands shook.
    Susan glanced at her daughter and held up the
creamer. “Take cream and sugar, Duncan?”
    “No, thank you, ma’am.” He felt his face
heating. For God’s sake, stop blushing like a kid.
    The woman smiled and patted his wrist. Damn,
just like she thinks I am a kid.
    It became quiet for a moment while everyone
ate. Duncan buttered the top of a biscuit and looked across at
Goldie. Her eyes were fixed on him. Dropping his eyelids, he looked
through his lashes and slowly licked the butter from the bread. She
grinned and glanced at her mother.
    Clinton took a swipe at his mouth with a
napkin. “When did you start working this morning, Duncan? You
managed to do a hell of a lot of work before we managed to get
up.”
    “As the sun rose.”
    “Good. Like a regular farm boy.” He forked
the last of his eggs in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed, his eyes
still on Duncan’s face. “How’d you end up here?”
    “Actually, your brother, down at the store,
pointed me this way.”
    “And before that?”
    Duncan stilled his heart, took a deep breath,
and said, “Simply enjoying the sights while hitch-hiking. Became
tired. Wanted to stay in one place for a while. A farm in
particular.”
    “Why a farm? Doesn’t city life appeal to
you?”
    “Farming’s what I know—what I love.”
    Clinton’s attention went to his daughter.
“Where’s Jumper?”
    “Uncle Carl bought him.”
    Susan laughed. “Carl will break his back on
such a wild beast.”
    “Speaking of which, wife, let’s go down to
the store and visit with Carl. Duncan, when I get back, we’ll do a
tour of the farm. I worked this place for almost fifty years and
know a few things you might find helpful.”
    His wife stood and began gathering the
dishes. “Clint, give me a minute to help Goldie clear the
kitchen.”
    “No, Mom. Run along with Dad—it won’t take me
long to clear.”
    Duncan stood by the sink and watched Goldie’s
parents leave. He sighed in relief. Goldie laughed and put her arm
around his waist. “It wasn’t really bad, was it? I think Dad likes
you.”
    “Yeah, but Mama gave me the hairy
eyeball.”
    “My smart mom knows a looker if she sees
one.”
    He grunted.