The Shy Dominant Read Online Free PDF Page B

food?”
    Dharma heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up in the driveway. Fred. He was home. And her heart was pounding.
    She licked her lips. “Yes, let’s start with the chickpea curry.”
    Fred was going to be soooo happy.
    * * * *
    Fred was so tired. And confused.
    Even from the driveway he could smell something exotic and appetising wafting through the open windows of his house. Had the girls given up on him and ordered in? Neither of them were great shakes in the kitchen, but then neither was he.
    The door flung open and there was Dharma, wearing a party hat and a tiny skirt and boots that seemed to make her long legs stretch even further. She was laughing. “Oh!” she said when she saw him. “I was just going out to get something in my car.”
    Then he noticed her little rattletrap parked on the kerb. Man, he’d been so exhausted he hadn’t even seen it. “You were coming over today.”
    She closed the door then frowned. “Yes.”
    He shoved a hand through his hair. “Shit.”
    “You forgot.” She arched a brow but looked more amused than pissed off.
    “Yeah, I did.”
    “You guys had a call just as I was leaving for the grocery store.”
    He nodded. “Don’t want to talk about it.” He needed to shake off the despair of two seniors losing their home and a lifetime of memories. At least the couple had escaped the fire safely.
    “Okay.” She reached out and touched his cheek and brought him up short with just that touch. He felt it to his toes, as if she’d shot life back into him. Painful, yearning life.
    “Oh, Jesus.” He needed, very badly, to be close to her. He needed to just be a man.
    As if she read his sudden yearning in his eyes she shook her head. “The girls are waiting. I’m not sure Stacy is ready for you to have a girlfriend.”
    “Are you my girlfriend?” He couldn’t believe the words had come out. But damn, he wanted her to be his girlfriend. His young, pretty, vibrant girlfriend. He wanted to be able to go over to her place and trace her naked body with his tongue. He wanted to bend her over her cheap kitchen table and fuck her from behind.
    His body tightened painfully with eagerness, and he cursed himself for feeling this way. His daughters were waiting for him and he was hard and randy and desperate for Dharma.
    “Yes, I want to be yours,” she said very softly.
    He closed his eyes, sucking in deep, cooling gulps of air. Hadn’t he been worn out a few seconds ago? Now he was burning for this beautiful girl—even though he knew his life was a mess and she was far too young and untamed for him.
    When he didn’t say anything more, she flushed, as if she was embarrassed by how much she’d given away to him. He hated seeing it. He wanted to claim her and have nothing stand between them.
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should go inside. Is that great smell anything to do with you?”
    She forced a smile which didn’t reach her solemn eyes. “I did a theme dinner and the girls helped. They’re really excited to show it off to you.”
    Warmth touched him. “You did that for them.”
    She shrugged, opening her squeaky car door and pulling out a small baking tray. “Nanaimo bars,” she said when he eyed it.
    “My favourite!”
    “I know.” Now her smile was a little easier. “You’ve been known to eat three at a time at the coffee house, though how you can eat like that and stay in such shape—” Her gaze ran over his T-shirt which was clinging to him in the sweaty heat. He wanted to peel it off and invite her to touch him.
    Her gaze fixed on his, as if she read his silent invitation. For a moment the muffled street and neighbourhood sounds seemed to shut off so they were totally alone, a man wanting his woman.
    “We better get inside.” His voice was rough. He couldn’t help how she made him feel, hungry and wanting. And alive in a way he hadn’t felt for years.
    Her lips quirked wryly. “Safer.”
    “Yep.”
    He held the door open for her and immediately