A Fortune's Children's Christmas by Barbara Boswell, Lisa Jackson, Linda Turner Read Free Book Online Page A

Chase was at her side, and before she could say a word had swept her off her feet.
    “Put me down.”
    “I intend to.” Without much fuss he carried her to the couch and dropped her gently onto the lumpy pillows where he’d slept ever since she’d arrived. “Just take it easy.”
    “I can’t,” she admitted, still steaming. “It’s against my nature.”
    “Then think of this as a vacation.”
    She snorted, and he chuckled.
    “Make that a dream vacation.”
    “Right.” She couldn’t hide the sarcasm in her use of the word.
    “When’s the last time you were pampered?”
    Shifting on the couch so that she could watch him clear the table, she shot him a look she hoped looked scathing. “There’s a difference between being pampered and being held hostage.”
    “I’ll remember that,” he said drily, and the fact that he wouldn’t rise to the bait only frustrated her further.
    “I could call the police.”
    “Go right ahead,” he invited, obviously amused at her bluff. He crossed the room and sat on the battle-scarred coffee table directly in front of the couch. Resting his elbows on his knees, he stared hard and deep into her eyes. “I’m just trying to reason with you. You’re laid up. Your infant isn’t a week old, your Jeep is still out of commission, you live miles from town, and I’m the nearest neighbor you’ve got. It just doesn’t make any sense for you to go back and end up stranded.”
    She wanted to squirm away from his stare, but she was caught, trapped like a doe in headlights. Besides, though she was loath to admit it, he had a point—well, more than one—but it riled her nonetheless. “I could call Ray.”
    The corners of his mouth pulled down a bit. “Who’s Ray?”
    “Ray Mellon is a—was a friend of Aaron’s. Heoffered to help out when the baby came, but then Angela decided to come early, and Ray was in Phoenix visiting relatives. He’s due back tomorrow.”
    A muscle worked in his jaw, and the intensity of his gaze caused her blood to heat unexpectedly. “Then let’s talk about this when he gets back.”
    “Fine. I’ll go along with you, Fortune,” she said, bristling. “But we’ve got to have some kind of agreement…a deal…another one, one that you’ll honor, so that we get along and you quit trying to tell me what to do.”
    “You want a truce?”
    “I think it would be a good idea, yes.”
    His gaze shifted to her lips, and her breath was suddenly lost, caught between her throat and lungs. For a second she was certain he was going to kiss her. He leaned forward so close that she could feel his heat, see the pores of his skin beneath his whiskers. She licked her lips. “Deal.”
    She glanced up to his eyes and was mesmerized in their shadowy depths. Blue-gray. Erotic. Promising forbidden pleasures.
    For a second no one said a word, and she was conscious of the thudding of her heart.
    He looked away first and said something unintelligible under his breath. “I, uh, I’d better bring in some more firewood.” Rolling to his feet, he strode to the back porch. As the door slammed behind him, Lesley flung herself back on the couch and slowly let out her breath. Being that close to Chase was treacherous, andthey’d just agreed she was cooped up here at least for a while.
    “Great,” she grumbled. What was she going to do? Being stuck in close proximity to a man who could stop her heart with one swift look was just plain crazy. And yet, secretly, a part of her was excited at the prospect. If she looked deep in her heart a part of her wanted to stay for a few more days. As much as she hated to admit it, she was getting used to Chase, this cabin and being together.
    “Stop it,” she warned herself. Those kinds of thoughts had to be tossed aside. Just because Chase Fortune was sexy as all get-out, tough as nails one minute and gentle the next, was no reason to fantasize about him.
    He just wasn’t the kind of man any sane woman would fall in love with.
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