Only His by Susan Mallery Read Free Book Online

his. He was unprepared forthe brush of her skin, the feel of her fingers, the jolt of awareness that sizzled its way to his groin.
    After squeezing once, he released her and did his best to act casual as he stepped back. Well, dammit all to hell, he thought grimly. He could have gone a lifetime without feeling that.
    Nevada appeared unfazed by the contact, which made him doubly stupid.
    â€œAre you going to be staying in a hotel while you’re here?” she was asking. “If you want a house to rent, I could ask around.”
    â€œI prefer a hotel. It’s easier.”
    â€œBecause someone else does the cooking and cleaning?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œTypical guy.”
    â€œMost days.” He walked her to her truck. “Meet me in the lobby of Ronan’s Lodge in twenty minutes. I’ll bring the employment agreement.”
    She nodded and climbed into the cab, but didn’t close the door. “Do you ever talk to her? Cat?”
    The question surprised him. “No. Not in years. Not since we broke up. You?”
    Nevada shook her head. “Cat wasn’t my friend.”
    â€œShe liked you. As much as she could like anyone.”
    â€œThere’s a statement.”
    â€œYou know what she was like.”
    Nevada looked at him then. He saw something flash through her eyes. Unable to read the emotion, he could only wonder. Hurt? Anger? No way he could guess. Feelings were a complication lost on most mortal men.
    A truck drove up the road and parked next to them.
    â€œThat’s Will,” Tucker said. “You need to meet him. He’s my right-hand guy, although he’ll tell you he’s in charge.”
    â€œI am in charge,” Will said, walking toward them. “Ask him how many times I’ve saved his ass.”
    â€œCan anyone count that high?” Nevada asked, climbing out of her truck and grinning.
    Will winked at her, then turned to Tucker. “I knew I’d like her. Tell me she said yes.”
    â€œShe did.”
    â€œWelcome to the team,” Will said, shaking hands with her. “Will Falk.”
    â€œNevada Hendrix.”
    â€œTucker was going to give me the employment contract to look over,” Nevada said. “Want to come watch me sign?”
    â€œThere’s nothing I’d like better,” Will said. “Meet you in town.”
    Probably for the best, Tucker told himself as they got into separate vehicles and headed back into Fool’s Gold. Until he figured out why touching Nevada had impacted him, the last thing he needed was to spend time alone with her in a hotel. Now that they were working together, anything personal was off-limits. Of that he was sure.
    Â 
    â€œW HAT ?” E THAN ASKED . “There’s something wrong.”
    Denise Hendrix looked at her oldest son. She still remembered the day she’d brought him home from the hospital. She’d been married all of a year, had barely turned twenty and didn’t have a clue what she was doing. Her mother-in-law had still been alive. Although the two women had never been close, Eleanor had shown up within fifteen minutes of Denise and Ralph bringing their baby home.
    â€œI’m here if you need me,” the somewhat stern, large-boned woman had announced. “I know what you’re going through, but I don’t want to interfere.”
    Denise had assured her mother-in-law that she would be fine. That level of bravado lasted until the next morning, when Ralph went off to work and Ethan started to cry. He wouldn’t stop, wouldn’t eat, and although he didn’t have a fever, Denise had panicked. She’d called Eleanor and begged her to come over.
    It had taken Ethan’s grandmother all of two minutes to quiet the baby. She’d stood by while Denise had struggled to get her newborn to nurse, had offered sensible advice and never said a word to Ralph about her daily visits.
    â€œI miss your