Demon Can’t Help It by Kathy Love Read Free Book Online

him see she was reacting to him. Damn it.
    Finally, after none of them had said anything for several seconds, Maksim nodded.
    “See you tomorrow, then.”
    Jo opened her mouth to tell him she hadn’t said she’d see him, but that she’d call him. Then she decided against it. He’d find out soon enough that she’d guessed at his little deception.
    A Good Samaritan—yeah, right. He was looking to get laid and had no problem using small children and the goodness of others to do so.
    She wouldn’t see him tomorrow or ever again, if she had her way.
    And she would.

Chapter 4
    M aksim already had his cell phone in his hand, when it began vibrating and then playing his ringtone—“Highway to Hell.” He knew he wasn’t going to have to wait long for the first call. He’d seen the moment when realization and then satisfaction had glittered to life in Jo’s dark eyes. She thought she’d found a way to get rid of him, legitimately.
    “Hello, Maxwell Edison speaking,” he answered easily, all traces of his natural, deep, accented voice gone. He waited, just a tad anxious.
    This was the only dicey part of his plan. He was going on the assumption that Jo would just go down the list of references in exact order. He could tell she was a systematic person. A person who liked tidiness and control. Well, he liked control, too.
    So, right now, it was good he had it.
    “Hello, Mr. Edison. My name is Josephine Burke. I’m the director of the St. Ann’s Community Center in New Orleans.”
    Maksim liked the sound of her full name. “And I was just calling to check on a reference submitted by a Maksim Kostova, who is interested in volunteering for us.”
    “Oh, Maksim, how is he?” Maksim concentrated on the task at hand and manipulated his voice, making him sound a fine Southern gentleman. “He’s truly missed here at the Chattanooga branch of the Special Olympics.”
    “He appears to be—fine.”
    Maksim wondered what she really wanted to say. Not fine, he was sure. He smiled.
    “Well, Ms. Burke, I can safely give you one of my highest recommendations for Maksim.”
    There was a pause on the other end of the line, then she said, “Thank you, Mr. Edison.”
    “No, thank you. And please give my regards to dear old Maksim.”
    Another pause. “Yes. Of course.”
    Maksim hung up the phone. Demons did have all sorts of neat little tricks, such as changing voices, changing appearances. The phone, however, had actually been a little trickier, and certainly more mundane. He’d had to purchase other numbers and then set those numbers up to be forwarded to his regular cell phone number. He didn’t have that much faith in his cell phone provider, but so far so good.
    Clearly he was too obsessed with this woman. Phone redirecting and fraudulent résumés were way beyond the usual effort he made for sex. But he just knew Josephine—and he did so like her full name—Josephine Burke would be worth the effort.
    The phone vibrated, then ran again. This time he stepped off the street into an alley, before answering. A 6’3” man emitting a perfectly female voice was bound to gain some attention out on the sidewalk.
    “Good afternoon, Sunshine Hills Day Camp. Loretta Martin speaking.”
    This time Maksim gave his voice a more clipped New England cadence.
    Again, Jo gave her little spiel.
    When Maksim spoke again, he couldn’t help softening the clipped tone to one of fond remembrance.
    “Oh, Maksim Kostova, my, my. Of course, I’d be glad to recommend him to you. Do I ever miss that man.”
    Jo made a noise on the other end of the line in response.
    Maksim grinned. This was fun. Jo clearly felt something for him. He wasn’t quite sure what, but he was going with attraction and maybe a little jealousy.
    “He was the best—and I mean best—volunteer we’ve ever had here.”
    There was a pause. “Great. That’s all I needed to know.”
    But Maksim couldn’t resist adding, “Tell him I’d love to hear from him.”
    More