Midnight Action by Elle Kennedy Read Free Book Online

whisked their dishes away, Morgan had suggested they light a fire, one thing led to another, and now here they were. He on his back, Noelle stretched out beside him with her head nestled against his chest.
    The sweet scent of her strawberry shampoo was driving him crazy. She smelled so damn good, felt so damn delicate in his arms. And he felt the need to kiss her so strongly that his lips were actually trembling.
    Christ.
    What the hell was wrong with him?
    She was a tool and nothing more. A means to an end.
    He had to remember that, for fuck’s sake.
    “All the rich people I know like to show off their wealth,” Noelle murmured. “They dress wealthy, talk wealthy, go to wealthy places. But you don’t seem at all interested in money.”
    “That’s because I’m not,” he said gruffly. “My parents left me a huge inheritance, but that doesn’t mean I need to blow every dime, or wave my cash around so other people will think I’m important. At the end of the day, money is just paper. It means nothing.”
    “Maybe.” She paused. “But power doesn’t. Power means everything.”
    “Nah, power’s overrated too.”
    His hand, of its own volition, began stroking her silky hair. He lazily twined one thick strand around his fingers, noting that in the light of the fire, the soft golden tresses almost seemed to be glowing.
    “You only say that because you have it.” Her voice grew strained. “I bet you’ve never let anyone have power over you, Jim. You’d never let anyone hurt you, would you?”
    “I’d kill anyone who tried.”
    She fell silent, and her uneven breathing told him that she was troubled. The topic at hand didn’t surprise him. Going into this mission, he’d already known everything about Noelle Phillips, including the abuse she endured at the hands of her stepfather. The information hadn’t affected him before—simply another tool at his disposal—but when he’d seen her broken fingers the day they’d officially met...Christ, in that moment, his vision had turned into a red haze, and his rage had been so visceral he could feel it burning his throat even now.
    The thought of anyone hurting her made him want to go on a shooting spree.
    “I used to think that too. I was sure I’d never let anyone hurt me. I thought I was strong.” Her voice wobbled. “But lately...I’m beginning to wonder.”
    He knew she was thinking about Laurent. The sadistic creep had been on Morgan’s mind too. He didn’t understand men like that. Men who beat up women, men who got off on victimizing what they perceived to be the weaker sex.
    Needless to say, Morgan wouldn’t mind it one bit if René Laurent accidentally took a fall down a flight of stairs one of these days.
    But that was a different objective for a different day. Right now, there was only one man he needed to be concerned with: Douglas Phillips.
    Noelle’s biological father.
    Unfortunately, she hadn’t mentioned dear old Dad even once tonight, though Morgan had subtly coaxed her to talk. Then again, it was only their first date. He still had lots of time to gain the necessary intel.
    If
he could quit stroking her hair and actually concentrate on the damn job.
    “You
are
strong,” he said huskily. “Your strength was what drew me to you.”
    She laughed softly. “Bull. You just thought I was pretty.”
    Pretty. Ha. Biggest understatement of the year.
    The girl was stunning.
    For his own peace of mind, he found it necessary to keep referring to her as that—a
girl
. Otherwise he might do something stupid.
    Like fuck her gorgeous brains out.
    He couldn’t sleep with her, though. She was seventeen years old, for Christ’s sake. Too young and innocent for a man as jaded as him.
    She’ll be eighteen in two months...
    He silenced the eager reminder. It didn’t matter that she would be legal soon. He wasn’t going to take advantage of Noelle Phillips any more than he had to.
    “No,” he corrected, “I thought you