The Baby Race Read Online Free PDF Page B

cicadas.
    Claire sank back into the kitchen chair. Her
hair swung forward hiding her face from his eyes. She toyed with
the now cool stew.
    "You're not nervous, are you?"
    Her head snapped up. "Do I have something to
be nervous about?"
    Her gaze was clear and guileless, but he
could read her apprehension in the way she clutched her fork and
the whiteness of her tight smile.
    "No. Of course not." As fast as it sparked,
anger drained out of him. She was no more responsible for the
unwanted attraction between them than was he. He pushed back his
untouched plate and stood. "Come on, I'll move your things into
Bobbie Sue's room for tonight."
     
     
    ~~~~~

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    As Claire followed Race up the stairs, she
couldn't keep her eyes off the way the muscles of his tight butt
moved beneath his snug, well-worn jeans. Over the years she'd lived
in places where men and women wore little more than strips of cloth
to hide their gender, but never before had she felt compelled to
watch the movement of skin over muscle the way she did with
Race.
    What was it about this man that drew her? It
certainly wasn't his sweet disposition or charm. The man was as
prickly as a spiny wart hog. The comparison made her chuckle.
    "Something funny?" He stopped short.
    She bumped into him. Her breasts tingled from
contact with the small of his back. She stumbled backward. He
turned and caught her shoulder to keep her from tumbling down the
stairs. Heat from his touch seeped through her.
    "No-o-o, of course not." Refusing to meet his
questioning look, she tried to slide out from under his grip, but
he held her tight. She couldn't let her attraction to Race cloud
her thoughts. A physical relationship between them was impossible.
If she gave him her body, how could she keep her heart safe?
    His eyes darkened. He jerked his hand back
and turned away. "Come on then."
    Irrational hurt made her stiffen her spine.
Did he expect her to reveal all when he refused to give a hint of
his own feelings?
    When Race pushed open the bedroom door, the
ammonia smell of urine hit them.
    "What the hell?" he swore, and then groaned.
"Petula. That damned pig."
    Claire covered her nose and mouth with her
hand and peeked around Race into what would be Bobbie Sue's room.
She gasped in horror. "I thought you said Petula was
housebroken."
    "I thought she was. Guess I was wrong."
    The destruction was complete. In a fit of pig
retribution Petula had torn the room's contents apart. Feathers
floated in the breeze caused by the opening of the door to settle
on the mattress which lay half on and half off the bed frame.
Stuffing and springs poked through the ripped and soiled sheets.
The braided rug that covered the hard wood floor was shredded and
pushed into a corner.
    "Thank goodness Bobbie Sue's things weren't
in here yet."
    "Small favors," he muttered. "I can't imagine
what caused her to do something like this. Her previous owners
raised her in the house."
    "Maybe she's mad about being consigned to a
barn?"
    "Well, this sure isn't the way to go about
getting back into the house."
    She fought back a laugh.
    "This isn't funny," he growled, but his lips
started to twitch.
    "Isn't it?" Laughter bubbled out of Claire.
"Maybe she's just jealous?"
    "Maybe." The smoldering look in his eyes
stilled her laughter.
    Drawn by a force she couldn't name, she moved
closer. The air around them thickened and shimmered with unspoken
needs. Hers. His. He lifted his hand. Eyelids drifting shut, she
swayed toward him. Caution forgotten, whatever he asked, she was
ready to give.
    He inhaled sharply. "Go downstairs."
    His harsh tone broke the spell. Her eyelids
snapped open and she jumped back. Heat flooded her cheeks. What
must he think? She'd practically thrown herself into his arms.
    Rubbing the back of his neck, he whirled
around and stepped into the room. "I'll take care of this
mess."
    "I'll get the cleaning stuff." She ignored
his, "Don't bother." Embarrassment hurried her down the