That McCloud Woman Read Online Free PDF

behind her.
    Jack
stared through the mesh screen at the shadowed form moving beyond it, his empty
stomach warring with good sense, his mind worrying with the fear of facing
those kids again. In the end, his stomach won out.
    His
feet heavy with dread, he opened the door and stepped inside. The smell of
coffee greeted him first, followed quickly by the scent of bacon frying. Then
his gaze rested on Alayna, standing before the stove, looking much the same as
she had earlier that morning when he'd seen her on the patio—her feet still
bare, her hair still tousled from sleep.
    He
glanced around uneasily. "Where are the kids?"
    "Oh,
they've already left for school." She glanced over her shoulder, but
missed the relaxing of his shoulders, though she must have seen the question in
his eyes. "My cousin's son drove them," she explained, then turned back
to the griddle with a sigh. "Yesterday wasn't the first time we've had a
problem on the bus … and I'm sure it won't be the last. Molly says that Mr.
Evert, the bus driver, picks on Billy."
    Jack
grunted his doubt and won a slight frown from Alayna.
    "I
know that what Billy did was wrong," she said as she turned back to the
stove. "But he's just a little boy and he's having a difficult time
adjusting to all the changes in his life. Mr. Evert's an adult. Surely he could
be a little more understanding, a little more compassionate."
    "The
boy needs to learn to control his mouth and show respect for his elders."
    Alayna
sighed again, and poured batter on the griddle. "Yes. You're right, of
course. Still…" She gave her head a shake, then turned slightly, offering Jack
a grateful smile. "I appreciated your help yesterday. Having a male
influence around will be a help to Billy, I'm sure."
    Jack
intended to set her straight real quick about his willingness to get involved
in the kids' lives, but her movement caused her robe to gape a bit, revealing
the swell of a breast, the shadowed cleavage that lay between. The sight burned
away all rational thought. He ripped off his cap and gripped it by its bill,
needing to fill his hands with something other than tempting flesh. "Is
there something I can do to help?" he asked, forcing his gaze away from
her and to the clock on the wall.
    "You
can set the table, if you like. The plates are in the cupboard—" she gave
her head a nod in that direction "—and the silver is in the first drawer
to the left."
    Jack
tossed his cap to the counter, crossed to the sink and began to wash his hands.
    "You
know," she said thoughtfully as she turned thick strips of bacon in an
iron skillet, "it's really foolish for you to even consider stocking up on
a lot of groceries. Cooking for one is difficult, I know, and awfully
lonely." She tossed a sympathetic smile in Jack's direction. "Why
don't you just plan to eat your meals here with us?"
    Jack's
fingers slipped on the bar of soap and it shot out of his hands, smacking
against the side of the chipped porcelain sink with a loud thunk. He swallowed hard, trying to think up an excuse to
decline. "I wouldn't want to put you to the trouble," he mumbled and
stuck his hands beneath the water, wishing he could stick his head beneath the
cool spray, as well.
    "Oh,
no bother." She graced him with yet another smile.
    Without
answering, Jack tore off a strip of paper towels and dried his hands, already
regretting accepting her invitation for breakfast and wondering how he was
going to wiggle his way out of sharing meals with her and her brood. He reached
for the plates, then opened the drawer she'd indicated and stacked the
necessary utensils on top. Crossing to the table, he arranged place settings on
opposite sides of the table.
    "There's
coffee already made, or, if you'd prefer, there's orange juice in the
refrigerator."
    Hoping
the caffeine would clear his head a little and settle his nerves, Jack mumbled,
"Coffee's fine," and headed for the coffeemaker on the counter. By
the time he'd poured himself a cup, Alayna was