Renegade Read Online Free PDF

remarkable woman in his arms. “I called earlier.” He deliberately implied he’d been up to the house to call on her. “And found Becks and Miss Pearl down here. Of course we joined right in.” Mac’s drawl was getting thicker, to make him sound like a good ol’ Charleston boy. He wanted Creel to think of him as an opponent for Becks’ affections, and not suspect him of anything else.
    “Then Miss Middleton certainly cannot be blamed for you pushing your company on her.” Creel was stiff with outraged propriety. “Nor for the fact that I found her in such company, with no chaperone besides your two Negros.”
    Mac felt Becks go stiff against him, and he couldn’t help his own tensing muscles. He was daily surrounded by people who seemed incapable of seeing Robert as a man, who relegated him to “that nigra.” Robert minded, but had spent a lifetime ignoring the hate and ignorance. Mac didn’t have to. He could lash out at the people who saw his closest friend as less than human.
    But she beat him to it. Beck’s voice was too even to be anything but carefully contained anger. “ My sister and I are perfectly capable of being alone on our land, Major Creel. A man’s presence makes no never-mind to us.”
    And just like that, Mac’s shoulders relaxed. It was an odd reaction to be sure, and one he’d have to study later. But seeing—and feeling—her stand up to Creel, to defend Pearl as a person, had inexplicably made Mac proud. He tightened his hold on her, and when she glanced up at him, he smiled at her.
    She blinked, and then smiled shyly back, as if she could sense his approval. He couldn’t help himself; he was going to kiss her. He knew it, but he told himself it was just part of the charade he was playing for Creel’s benefit.
    Of course, at that point, he would have told himself any lie, just to taste her. He was already leaning down when he realized that fact, and smiled, right before their lips met.
    It was just a quick peck, a kiss between acquaintances, and over before she could blink again.
    It wasn’t enough. Mac wanted more, and did he dare to hope that was curiosity in her eyes? Did she want—need—more as well? His other arm snaked around her, pulling her chest to his, and he reveled in the feel of her breasts plastered against him. It didn’t feel like she was wearing a corset, and that aroused him more than he’d expected.
    He was drawing her closer when Creel’s voice—icy with anger—finally choked free. “Your name, sir .”
    It wasn’t a question, but a demand, and Mac couldn’t help his response. He’d never done well with authority; he’d never listened to demands. He wouldn’t start now. Raising his head just enough to throw a cocky grin in Creel’s direction, Mac answered. “Come now, Major. I did my research. You’ll have to do yours.”
    And then he kissed her. It wasn’t deep, or passionate, but he pressed his lips to hers for a moment longer than before. Pearl made a sound of protest, but Becks didn’t say a thing. He felt her softness and tasted her sweetness, and when her lips parted slightly, he was hard-pressed not to accept the invitation to slip his tongue between them. Then she made a sexy little noise in the back of her throat, and he stopped resisting. She was—surprisingly—as enthusiastic about the kiss as he was, and he had to remind himself that this was just for show.
    Mac forced himself to pull away, although it was hard not to lose himself in the taste of her. He dropped a kiss to her forehead, noting the way her brows drew together in what he hoped was disappointment. But he knew that he was pushing his luck, and had to call it quits before the now-sputtering Creel called him out. In another time and place, he might have been worried about her slapping him, but Becks Middleton wasn’t like other ladies. She didn’t act like other ladies, she didn’t kiss like other ladies, and she sure as hell didn’t taste like other ladies.
    So he