Maid for Love by Marie Force Read Free Book Online Page A

fantasy about what it would be like to press his own mouth to her plump, pink lips, she lifted her hips again.
    "Maddie."
    She shocked him when she hooked her uninjured arm around his neck and dragged him down to her. What had been a brief fantasy only a second ago quickly became reality as her lips opened under his and her tongue thrust into his mouth with wild abandon.
    Mac knew he should stop her—that was, if he could think clearly enough to do anything but hang on for the ride. Besides, if he fought her, he risked hurting her and he'd already hurt her enough. He cupped her soft cheek, and his tongue met her ardent thrusts, feasting on her sweet flavor.
    Time seemed to slip away as he gave in to the attraction that had simmered from the second their eyes first met. Immersed in the scent of summer flowers that came from her hair, he had no idea if he kissed her for five minutes or an hour. All he knew was he didn't want it to end—ever.
    He knew the exact instant that she woke up and realized she was no longer dreaming. Her body went tense and rigid, and her ardent mouth stilled.
    Mac pulled back to stare at her, astounded by the kiss, the emotion, the desire. Brushing the hair off her forehead, he watched surprise, embarrassment, anger and longing dance across her face. The longing caught him off guard and filled him with a brand new kind of desire—to give her everything and anything she wanted.
    "What're you doing?" she finally asked.
    Mac cleared his throat. "I was trying to wake you up, and you kissed me."
    "I did not kiss you!" But then she seemed to realize her arm was still hooked around his neck. Her face flushing with color, she released him.
    "Ah, yeah, you did." He leaned in again so his lips lingered just above hers. "And guess what else? You liked it."
    "You don't know that."
    "I can tell when the woman I'm kissing is enjoying it."
    Disgust twisted her pretty mouth into a sneer. "Oh, you and all your experience, of course you can tell."
    He continued to hover just above her, amused by her disdain. Why did he get such a kick out of pushing her buttons?
    Her hand landed on his chest to keep him from getting any closer. "Would you please move? I need to get up."
    "And go where?"
    "To the bathroom, if you must know."
    Rather than get up, he slid an arm under her legs and lifted her.
    "Put me down!" She winced from the pain of her sore knee bending over his arm. "I can get there on my own."
    "But you don't have to." He delivered her to the door and waited while she got her footing. The agonized look that crossed her face made him ache.
    "I'll be out in a minute. Feel free to be gone by then." Leaning on her uninjured hand, she used the wall as a makeshift crutch.
    Mac closed the door and waited outside, leaning his head back against the wall in a failed attempt to calm his overheated body while reliving the kiss that had blown his mind. So much for his plan to keep his distance and not get involved. With one kiss, he was already more involved with her than he'd been with any other woman.
    The bathroom door opened. "I need to get over to my sister's."
    "I know."
    Her eyes landed on the sleeping bag he'd left by the front door. "What's that?"
    "A sleeping bag."
    She glared at him. "No kidding."
    "You might need help with the baby during the night."
    "You can't stay here. No way."
    "I'm not leaving you to fend for yourself and Thomas with one working hand."
    "It's not up to you to fix this! I don't know who you think you are, but you're not bombing into my life and barking out orders—"
    "I won't be responsible for you dropping your son or something else happening to him because I was clumsy."
    "It's not your responsibility! It's mine. I'll take care of Thomas the way I always have—by myself. The last thing I need is everyone in town knowing you're staying here."
    The mulish set to her chin amused him, and apparently he did a poor job of hiding it.
    "What's so funny?"
    "You are when you get all…" He waved his