Can't Shake You by Molly McLain Read Free Book Online Page A

erection pressed between their bodies was by no means his first, but the tug deep in his gut was.
    And he knew in that moment one night with Carissa would never be enough.
    ***
    T uesday afternoon, present day...
    Sure as shit, the entire east side of the mansion’s first floor electrical had been tampered with. Cuts everywhere. At least fifteen hundred worth of damage, which, considering the house was a million dollar project, was pennies in the big scheme of things. Still it irked the hell out of him that some jackass thought it’d be fun to dick around with one of his jobs.
    After putting a call in to his insurance company and then another to the security company to bump up the alarm installation to ASAP, Josh spent the better part of the day helping the electricians pull wires, so they could start all over again in the morning.
    He’d also elected not to call Henry. For one, he figured the senator wouldn’t appreciate being interrupted at the capital with news of a mishap and, two, it no longer made sense that someone targeting the politician would pull this kind of stunt. They’d be more apt to choose a personal means of raising hell. Like keying one of the man’s vintage Jags.
    Unfortunately, that meant whoever was behind the stunt had either too much time on their hands or a vendetta against Hudson Contracting. And that left a bad taste in Josh’s mouth. The only person he’d pissed off recently was a petite brunette. Though she had a spitfire temper, she didn’t strike him as the criminal type.
    “Hot mama on a rampage!” one of his guys hollered from the front of the house and Josh glanced up from his crouched position in the study to see the little devil herself burst through the heavy mahogany doors in a cloud of sexy-as-hell rage.
    He checked his watch. Three o’clock. Damn. He’d expected her sooner.
    She scanned the foyer until she spotted him in the adjoining room. Then she lowered her chin, her eyes flaming like fire balls, as she began a purposeful, arm-pumping trek in his direction.
    Her ponytail swung from side to side, grazing her shoulders, and it was kinda hard not to notice how each determined stride made her breasts bounce deliciously beneath her pale pink tank top.
    But it was her legs, in clingy, black cotton shorts, that really caught his attention. Sweet Jesus. What she lacked in height, she made up for in curves and definition. She easily had the sexiest calves and thighs he’d ever had the pleasure of parting.
    “ You just cost me my contractor.” One hand on her hip, she planted a fingertip from the other square in the center of his chest.
    He couldn’t help but laugh at her attempt to be tough. “Oh, I’m pretty sure Kelly did that all on his own.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “I told you to mind your own business. If I wanted your input, I would have hired you.”
    Ouch.
    Preferring not to share this particular conversation with his crew, he wrapped a hand around her elbow and started out of the room for some privacy. She jerked away.
    “ Don’t touch me.”
    He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, happy that she at least continued after him, her flip flops slapping against the unfinished floor like pissed off little penguin feet.
    Knowing the kitchen would be vacant, he led her to the opposite side of the house and closed the French doors behind them. “Tell me what happened.”
    She pinned him with an incredulous glare. “What do you mean ‘tell you what happened’? You sent Reed to check up on me, that’s what happened.”
    “If that’s what you want to call it, yeah, I guess I did. But it’s Kelly I have issues with, not you.”
    “ ‘Because no one wants to see you get shafted, Carissa’. ” She pulled a sarcastic, wrinkled nose face and made little quote signs with her fingers, apparently having already heard what he was about to say. “What kind of shit is that anyway? I’m a big girl. I don’t need anyone looking out for me. I mean, really , Josh . I