The MacGregor Brides Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Spot check,” he said loudly back. “Customer’s request.”
    “I didn’t request any spot check.”
    “Your grandfather did.”
    He watched those furious eyes narrow, saw her hands shift their grip on the handle of the bat, as if she were going to swing away regardless. Then she spun around, giving him a blood-pumping view of leg, and snatched up the phone.
    Royce scratched his chin again, his fingers brushing absently over the ridge of scar. If she was calling the cops, he was going to be in for a long night of explanations. He had enough friends on the force to cushion the worst of it—but he knew those same friends would toss him in a holding cell just for the amusement factor.
    The fee for the spot check doubled.
    Moments later, Laura slammed down the receiver. She strode to the control unit for the alarm system, punched in the code, then flipped the locks on the door.
    “You’re both idiots, you and my grandfather.”
    “You called the MacGregor.”
    “Of course I called him. Do you think I’m going to take your word when you’re standing outside the door wearing breaking-and-entering black and carrying burglar’s tools? I ought to bash you with this on principle,” she added, before tipping the bat against the wall.
    “Your restraint is appreciated.” His grin flashed, humor sparking his eyes like summer lightning. “Look at it this way, your grandmother can now sleep peacefully at night.”
    “My grandmother always sleeps peacefully. It’s him.” Exasperated, she threw up her hands. The movement had the T-shirt sliding dangerously high. “The man stays up at night dreaming up ways to complicate all our lives. It’s his one driving goal—to drive his family insane. At least I have the satisfaction of knowing his ears will be ringing for the rest of the night.”
    “Busted his chops, huh?” Smiling, Royce took advantage of the situation and moved closer. “If you’d been in bed like you were supposed to be, you’d never have known I was here. I’d have been gone in another two minutes.” He reached out to toy with the ends of hair that draped to her elbows in a soft black curtain. “Why aren’t you in bed?”
    “I was hungry,” she muttered.
    “Me, too.” He moved a little closer, deciding that fate had put the chair exactly there to prevent her from backing away. “Whatcha got?”
    Her heart was thudding against her ribs now. She felt the winged side of the armchair press into her back. He looked more than dangerous at the moment. With his eyes hot, his smile wicked, he looked fatal. He looked … tempting. “Look, pal—”
    “I keep walking in on you in your pajamas.” He let his gaze wander down lazily before sliding it up again and placing his hands on the chair on either side of her. “Don’t you think it’s a little too much to expect me to keep walking away?”
    Her skin tingled as little pulses of excitement danced over it. “I expect you to take no for an answer.”
    “Do you?” He leaned in, just a little—a brush of bodies, the feather of breath over her mouth. “I would have sworn you were expecting this.”
    He lowered his mouth toward hers, stopping an inch before contact. He saw her eyes darken, heard the long intake of breath, knew she held it. He waited, while his blood surged, waited until he knew they were both suffering.
    “Kiss me back,” he demanded, and crushed his mouth to hers.
    She couldn’t have stopped herself. In that long moment when their eyes held, desire had poured through her like heated wine. In the instant when their mouths met, need had slammed into her like a velvet fist. In the shuddering time the kiss deepened, pleasure streaked through her like light.
    She moaned, wrapped her arms around him and met greed with greed.
    This was no gentle exploration, no easy sampling. It was all heat and hunger, passion warring against passion, strength pitted against strength.
    She was wild tastes and silken textures. She was arousing scents