Motor City Witch by Cindy Spencer Pape Read Free Book Online Page A

leannan. It’s almost six in the morning and you’re in shock, whether you realize it or not. You won’t do Dina any good if you make yourself ill. I’m going to take you upstairs and we’ll both grab a power nap while Toby is working his own brand of magic Underhill.” Before she could protest again, he swept her up into his arms and carried her out of the room.
    ***
    Aidan saw Mairead suppress an approving smile and Greg openly smirk as he moved past them in the hallway.
    “There are some night things laid out in the blue bedroom.” Bronwyn, the housekeeper, stood behind Mairead in the hallway. “Can I send up anything to eat or drink?”
    “No thanks,” Aidan replied. He carried Elise up the stairs. She weighed next to nothing—even less than he remembered. Had she been taking care of herself or running herself ragged with her daughter and her business?
    “You told your people that Dina’s your daughter.” Elise spoke into the side of his neck. Her tone made him think she wasn’t sure whether or not to be angry. “Why?”
    Aidan grimaced. She’d caught that, had she? “I didn’t want to decrease her value as a hostage, if that’s the point. If the kidnapper is targeting me for ransom, or something else, I don’t want him to think he might have made a mistake. If Dina isn’t valuable to me, shebecomes worthless to them, which makes her a liability rather than an asset. Whoever this is probably doesn’t know me well enough to know it wouldn’t make any difference.”
    “Then he’s an idiot.” She yawned again and snuggled into his chest.
    Aidan smiled at the unintentional compliment. Even when they were together, words of praise from Elise had been infrequent. The cherry-blossom scent of her shampoo drifted into his nostrils, reminding him viscerally of all the times he’d held her close and how long it had been since the last time.
    His body made a half-hearted attempt at arousal, despite his own fatigue and tension, but fortunately, Elise didn’t seem to notice. He toed open the door of the blue guestroom—right across the hall from his own suite and well away from anyone else in the house, bless Bronwyn’s romantic heart. There was a high-necked white linen nightgown on the foot of the turned-down bed, along with a terry-cloth robe and a pair of slippers.
    He set Elise down on the bed and stepped back before he could do something stupid—like climb in with her. “Is there anything else you need?”
    Elise looked down at the jeans and sweater she’d thrown on before leaving her house and shook her head. “No. I’ll be fine. I can put these on again when I get up.”
    “Set them outside the door. Someone will make sure they’re clean.”
    “I’ve only had them on for two hours. They’re fine.” She stood and moved toward the bathroom on wobbly feet, but Aidan resisted the urge to help. “Get some rest yourself, Aidan. And—thank you. For everything.”
    “Thank me when Adina is safely home,” he growled. “Not before. I’m right across the hall—I’ll leave my door open a bit. Give a shout if you need anything.”
    It took all his willpower to turn and make his way into his own suite. Ignoring the bed, he moved directly to the bathroom, where he stripped off his clothes and left them in an uncharacteristic heap. He turned the cold water on full blast and stepped into the oversized marble-lined shower.
    Once he was in the enclosure, he sank down onto the built-in bench and let the icy water sluice over his skin from the multiple jets in the wall and ceiling. Closing his eyes, he propped his elbows on his knees and dropped his face into his hands. What was supposed to have been a day of celebration had turned into a disaster of epic proportions. First finding out about Adina, then being told she wasn’t his—that had been enough to handle for one day. Now the thought of losing her, even if she wasn’t his biological daughter, had brought all his old feelings for Elise right