Captive at Christmas by Danielle Taylor Read Free Book Online Page A

they might have moved past this odd phase.
    He replied through his barking laughter. “Have you, by any chance, taken a peek at yourself?”
    “No.”
    John chuckled still as he moved behind her, clamped his hands on her shoulders and walked Hannah to the bedroom. When she actually saw herself in the mirror, she started to laugh. Every inch of her was covered in a fine dusting of flour. “Oh my…”
    “Exactly.” He shook his head, still laughing, and pushed her into the bathroom. “You get yourself cleaned up and I’ll see to the kitchen.”
    By now, she knew better than to argue. The door clicked and she carefully stripped out of her clothes, not wanting to get flour all over the bathroom. Hannah showered quickly, towel dried her hair and put on her pajamas. As soon as she opened the bedroom door, John poured her a cup of the coffee and motioned for her to join him at the counter for ‘dinner’. He laid out a plate with some of the baked goods she made.
    “Is this how you eat at home?” Hannah arched her brows in jest.
    Taking a large bite of his sticky cinnamon chocolate twist, John shook his head. He washed it down with a gulp of coffee. “The store-bought stuff doesn’t taste nearly as good as this.”
    “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She hid her smile behind the halved butter tart.
    John grumbled, muttering something about topping up their coffees as he ambled off the stool. Everything about him was power and control, deeply ingrained. Hannah wondered what he might be like if he just let go and did something on impulse, rather than what his training dictated. But she reminded herself that it wouldn’t help to ponder such things, considering the fact that she probably would never see him again once they parted ways.
    As she sipped her coffee, watching John put another log on the fire Hannah attempted to hide her sadness. If only she could help him, make him see that he did deserve to have friendship and love – even if it wasn’t with her.

 

     
     
     
     
    After so many days of isolation, it would be obvious to anyone that Hannah was suffering the effects of cabin fever. Mac tried not to laugh at the analogy, considering they really were stuck in a cabin. He watched her clean every inch of it, dusting and mopping up invisible dirt.
    She actually brought exercise videos on her trip and went through all of them. Though he still couldn’t figure out why she bothered. Hannah had a body that he desperately wished to explore.
    Unfortunately for him, the desire he had for Hannah wouldn’t go away. Every time she sighed, she unknowingly stirred things inside of him that he’d rather leave buried. Mac didn’t deserve her, no matter how much he wanted her.
    “I need to go outside,” she announced, jumping up from the edge of the fireplace.
    Mac glanced at her over his phone. She moved around him like a caged animal, ready to pounce. Since the snow took a brief respite, an outing would do them both good. “Alright, get your things on and we’ll go for a walk.”
    It seemed that was all the encouragement she needed. Hannah ran into the bedroom and came out wearing tight jeans and a sweater under a jacket and boots just seconds later. Mac chuckled and tucked his phone away, still trying to gauge the level of trust he should offer her – not to mention how to approach the questions he wanted to ask.
    “Should we take some coffee with us?” Hannah asked, zipping up her coat. “I brought a thermos with me from home and it would only take a minute.”
    “Sounds good, I’ll just get my boots on.”
    The excuse of coffee gave him a chance to stand up without giving her a view of his straining arousal which he had found damn near impossible to relieve since he met her. For a man used to denying himself pleasure, Mac thought that he could get over this insane fascination that his body had for hers.
    The problem, he grasped the answer now, was that her mind attracted him just as much as those