Man on a Mission by Carla Cassidy Read Free Book Online Page A

specialty burgers.” The boy’s need was in his eyes, the need to connect, and it was fierce in its hunger.
    â€œMaybe,” Mark replied without commitment, realizing he definitely needed to put some distance between him and them. Brian’s hunger was too great, and Mark definitely wasn’t the man to fulfill the young boy’s needs. Whatever Brian was looking for in his life, whatever April might be seeking, Mark wasn’t the answer and never would be.
    â€œMark Delaney!”
    The familiar feminine voice worked like cat claws on a blackboard, shooting irritation straight up his spine. He straightened from the trunk and eyed the attractive red-haired woman bearing down on them.
    Molly Weiser. Mark stifled a groan. Of all the people in this world, there were two Mark hated coming face-to-face with—the first was Molly, followed closely by the devil himself.
    â€œMark, darling.”
    Before he could successfully weave and dodge, he found himself embraced in a cloud of honeysuckle perfume, large silicon breasts pressed firmly against his chest.
    â€œMolly…” He pulled her away from him and pointed to April. “This is my friend April and her son, Brian.”
    â€œHi, I’m April Cartwright. I’m working for the Delaneys,” April said.
    â€œIndeed.” Molly’s eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. She looked to Mark and back to April. “And from all appearances, you’re a fast worker.”
    April’s friendly smile faltered, and Mark wanted to throttle Molly, who turned back to Mark and grabbed his hand. “Darling, I’ve been wanting to see you since all the trouble, but that dreadful older brother of yours is quite off-putting. I’ve heard some stories that have had me worried sick about you.”
    â€œI’m fine.” Mark pulled his hand from hers and grinned like a loony fool. “How are you?”
    Molly’s brow wrinkled with concern, and he could see the wheels turning in her head. He knew what stories she’d probably heard—that he was addle brained—and he also knew she was weighing her options.
    Molly was determined to marry a Delaney. She’d initially set her sights on Matthew, but when he refused to respond to her advances, she’d honed in on Mark. She’d been pursuing him for months. Now Mark was certain she was trying to decide if half a Delaney might not be just as good as a whole Delaney.
    â€œWe have to go,” he said to nobody in particular, just feeling the need to escape Molly’s cloying presence.
    â€œI’ll call you, Mark,” Molly said. To Mark’s earsit sounded more threat than promise. “You owe me a dinner date.”
    Mark loaded the last bag into the trunk and slammed the lid. As Molly wiggled her fingers goodbye, Mark, April and Brian got into the car.
    For a long moment nobody spoke. April pulled out of the parking space and headed the car back toward the ranch.
    Brian broke the silence. “She had the biggest ones I’ve ever seen.”
    â€œBrian!” April exclaimed in protest, although Mark thought he saw a glimmer of laughter in her big green eyes.
    â€œShe bought them,” Mark replied. “She went to Tucson on vacation and came back three weeks later with big ones.”
    â€œWow,” Brian exclaimed as if the notion of women buying breasts was difficult to wrap his mind around. To tell the truth, it had always been difficult for Mark to understand.
    â€œShe should have bought a T-shirt or an ashtray instead,” Mark observed.
    A giggle escaped April, the sound wonderfully feminine and appealing. “When I was little and we went on vacation, I collected bells.”
    â€œI don’t have any collections ’cause I’ve never been anywhere,” Brian put in mournfully.
    â€œYou’re young. You’ve got plenty of time for collections,” Mark replied. He noticed April looking at him curiously