Instinctive by Cathryn Fox Read Free Book Online Page A

assistant’s help, and her weekend shopping spree, she’d given up her professional yet still sexy work wear and now wore a pair of casual cotton capris that reached midcalf, and a starched blouse that was buttoned up to her neck and practically suffocating her. Damn, she must look like the headmistress from her all-girl prep school, and felt as comfortable as a cat caught in a summer downpour. As though moving of their own accord, her fingers found the top button, where she began to fiddle restlessly. Her tongue flicked out to lick the moisture from her upper lip.
    As she shifted from one foot to another in her sensible flats, it occurred to her that this man was Dangerous with a capital D, and she needed to keep her distance, especially if she wanted to modify her wicked ways.
    That realization soured her smile. She shot him a wary glance and, needing to escape, took a measured step backward. When her leg connected with something solid she spun around.
    Oh shit.
    “I’m sorry,” she said quickly as she watched the little girl’s big scoop of strawberry ice cream splatter to the sun-scorched sidewalk. “Let me get you another,” Jaclyn hurriedly offered.
    Watery eyes took in the big, gooey blob and then stared up
at Jaclyn in quiet distress. A second later, the child made a move to retrieve the liquefying ball, but Jaclyn bent down on one knee and stopped her. Unfortunately, the five-second rule didn’t apply to ice cream.
    “It’s dirty, sweetie.” Fearing the child was about to burst into tears, Jaclyn grabbed a handful of chocolate mints from her handbag and placed them in the girl’s palm—a temporary peace offering. “Have these and I’ll be back in two seconds, okay?” Jaclyn climbed to her feet just as the mother came through the door.
    Jaclyn caught the disappointed look on the mother’s face as her glance went from her child to the puddle of melting pink cream.
    Hands out, palms up, Jaclyn said, “It was my fault.”
    Ignoring Jaclyn, the mother grabbed her child by the arm. “Candace, look what you’ve done. How many times do I have to tell you to be careful? You should have listened to me when I told you to choose a cup over a cone.” She pulled the child away from the spreading mess and whispered, “So clumsy,” under her breath.
    Jaclyn’s heart skipped a beat as she looked down at the whimpering little girl. Having been the recipient of many disappointed parental glares over the years, Jaclyn felt sorry for the child. Little Candace couldn’t help her clumsy nature any more than Jaclyn could help her sexual one.
    Jaclyn intervened. “Uh, it was my fault.”
    The woman spun around and Jaclyn felt herself wilt under her pewter glare. If looks could have killed, Jaclyn’s family would have been picking out their funeral attire.

    Seconds before the child put a chocolate in her mouth, her mother’s eyes widened and she grabbed all the mints from her hands. “Where did you get these?” she shrieked.
    The child pointed to Jaclyn.
    Oh shit, Jaclyn thought again, realizing her day had just gone from bad to worse.
    The mother waved the candy in Jaclyn’s face. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t just give candy to children.”
    Jaclyn shrugged. “I never thought—”
    Enraged, the mother cut her off. “That’s right. You never thought. This stuff will kill her. She’s allergic.”
    Jaclyn frowned. Sure chocolate made babies sick—heck, it could even kill dogs—but she’d never heard of anyone being allergic before. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
    “Is there a problem here?”
    Jaclyn spun around and came face-to-face with Mr. Testosterone in a T-shirt. Well, actually it was more like face to chest. Her face. His chest. And oh what a magnificent chest it was. She quickly tipped her chin to meet his eyes. When their gazes connected and locked, she felt like she’d just received a blow to the midsection.
    His commanding manner drew the attention of all those