A Place to Call Home by Christina James Read Free Book Online Page B

note to give Aidan extra chores for a week for scaring his brother with ghost tales.
     
    “Listen, Luke, buddy. There are no ghosts. Do you think a ghost would come into this house without Porkchop knowing? He never barked, so there are no ghosts. Aidan will take you back to your room and let you keep the light on so you can fall asleep.”
     
    Mac hugged Luke before rustling a hand in Ryan’s hair.
     
    Aidan slunk away but Mac kept his eyes on him. “Take your brother back to his room, Aidan, and do exactly what I said. Screw it up and you’ll be grounded for the rest of your life. I promise.”
     
    All three boys disappeared into the hallway.
     
    Mac finally turned his attention back to Hannah, who sat in the middle of the bed, wrapped in the sheet, her arms around her legs. What was he suppose to do with her now?
     
    “You all right?” he asked cautiously, feeling foolish since of course she wasn’t.
     
    “Fine.” She looked up, tears drying on her cheeks and his heart broke. “Sorry I woke you and your family.”
     
    “Didn’t wake me any. I was still up.”
     
    “Told you to take the bed but nooo, you wouldn’t listen,” she said, threw her hands up, and rolled her eyes. “Had to be a gentleman. Serves you right getting no sleep.”
     
    His cock once again awakened. “Hey, I was only thinking of your privacy.”
     
    “Did I ask you to?” she said hotly.
     
    He gritted his teeth and mentally counted to ten.
     
    “I’m sorry. I’m taking my temper out on you.” She shook her head wearily, pushing her hair back. “I’ve done that a lot.”
     
    “I’d like to know why since you’re wearing me out putting me on the defensive so much.” He stayed safely away from the bed, standing in the middle of the floor with his arms crossed over his chest.
     
    Her thin shoulders shrugged. “Because you’re a man. I haven’t had nice men in my life, so I’m overly cautious of them.”
     
    “So I need to pay the price for that why?”
     
    She offered a slight smile. “You don’t. But you do get under my skin the way you’re always giving orders like I have to listen to you.”
     
    “You don’t have to listen to me unless I say so.”
     
    At that, she laughed loudly, the sound tightening his gut.
     
    “That sounded so ludicrous,” she said, the fire finally leaving her eyes, the bright green depths calming.
     
    Without thinking, he walked to the bed and sat on the edge. His feet apparently had a mind of their own. So did his dick—it strained against his jogging pants, happy to be closer to her.
     
    Mac sat close to Hannah, their legs touching. “Care to tell me what the nightmare was about?”
     
    Green circles looked at him innocently. “No. I have them sometimes. I can never remember what they’re about but I wake up scared to death. I hope I didn’t frighten your kids.”
     
    “Nah. They’ve done worse to each other. Here. Lie down.” His hands straightened the covers before she slid down to the pillow. He pulled the sheet up to her stomach, grasped it firmly while stealing a glance at her lovely face. For a moment, he struggled with the need to kiss those pretty lips and chase away her troubles. Mac dropped the blanket not daring to touch her. “Go back to sleep,” he whispered.
     
    When her gaze locked onto his, a bolt of electricity hit him in his gut and raced to his throbbing cock that now stood at full attention. If her leg moved, she would discover what she’d started—and maybe they could finish. Did she want him to touch her? Oh, God, just say the word. He wanted so badly to hold her more than just carrying her around. When only silence filled the room, he forced the thought of sex from his mind, stood, and turned to leave.
     
    “Austin?”
     
    He froze, that single word shocking him. No one called him that anymore. But she’d remembered. God, he almost didn’t even recognize his own name. He faced her without saying a word.
     
    “You’re a