Her Desert Treasure (Entangled Ignite) by Larie Brannick Read Free Book Online

dog’s fur. The look on her face nearly crushed him. Her lush bottom lip trembled slightly, and she sighed as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders. He brushed his fingers over her arm. “Hey. You okay?”
    She turned to him and smiled shakily. “Sorry. You probably think I’m some kind of emotional flake.”
    He shook his head. “You’ve had a lot to deal with lately. That you took the time to rescue Rex and bring him here tells me you’re anything but a flake.”
    After latching the door, he touched her elbow. “Have dinner with me.” The words were out of his mouth before he realized he’d been thinking them, but he was glad he’d said them.
    Meg’s eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away. “Oh. Well, I really should be getting back to the cabin.”
    “Come on. You’ve been helping me all afternoon, and I’m starving. What do you say?” He loved the way she bit her bottom lip when she was thinking and wanted nothing more than to take over the task himself. “Please?’
    “Okay. Thank you. That would be nice.”
    Jake hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until he felt his lungs relax at her answer and couldn’t suppress his smile. “Great. Let me wash up and we’ll go.” They walked out of the clinic into the late afternoon sunshine, and he guided her across the lot toward the house. “You’re welcome to come in and freshen up.”
    Meg ran a hand over her hair before smoothing the front of her shirt.
    “I mean, you look great. I just thought you might—”
    She gave him a skeptical look then smiled. “Nice save. I’m a mess. We could always hit a drive-thru.” She turned and headed for her car.
    Jake felt a jolt of panic that she’d changed her mind until he realized she was only getting her purse. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her as she walked back to him and felt his guard slip another notch.
    …
    Meg emerged from Jake’s bathroom feeling refreshed after washing her face and putting her hair up. She took an extra minute to apply a coat of mascara and a quick sweep of lip gloss. The sun had pinkened her cheeks, giving her a pleasant glow. She walked down the hallway to the large living room, expecting Jake to be waiting for her, but instead, found herself alone in the beautiful room. The space was still bright from the early evening sun, the south facing windows letting in the light without taking the sun’s full heat. A few simple but tasteful southwestern prints hung on the eggshell walls, and comfortable-looking leather furniture was arranged around a large entertainment center. It took up one full wall, and she walked over to it where a few photos were grouped on the shelves.
    In one, Jake stood smiling in his graduation cap and gown with an older couple she guessed to be his parents. In another, he was dressed in ski pants and jacket on the side of a snowy slope, his arm around a beautiful chestnut-haired woman, both grinning ear to ear. There were a few more of his parents and one of a man who resembled Jake posed with what she assumed were his wife and two blonde little boys. Jake’s brother maybe? Several medical reference manuals as well as some mystery novels and some westerns took up the shelves. Her gaze drifted back to the picture of Jake and the brunette on the ski slope, and she felt a pang of jealousy. Ridiculous since she’d only met him a day ago, but there it was all the same.
    Footsteps in the hallway alerted her to Jake entering the room. “Oh, there you are. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” He’d changed clothes and now stood in the doorway in jeans and a black polo shirt that fit his broad chest perfectly, the short sleeves showing off his well-muscled arms. Damn .
    “No, but honestly, you would have been worth any wait. You look incredible.”
    Heat crept up her neck, the blush warming her face. “Thank you.” The man was freaking edible himself.
    He stood next to her. “You’ve probably figured out that this is