Ruin Me Please by Nichole Matthews Read Free Book Online Page B

head. 
    “ I am Poppy Peregrine, Parker is my brother , ” s he pointed out with a bright smile.
    His large hands engulfed hers. Tiny and delicate like the most expensive china.  Neither wore gloves and the touch of his naked flesh against her own sent streaks of lightening through her fingertips. She shivered at the roughness, surprised at the calluses that scraped across her de l icate skin.
    Damnation, Ashford ’ s sister?  He pressed her hand briefly before releasing it and ste p ping back from the temptation to toss her over his shoulder and make off with her .  Returning to Allingham Park and locking her away from the rest of the world.  
    He attempted to tamp down any lascivious ideas he might have had for her.  It would never do to seduce his best friend ’ s shockingly delectable sister , especially since he was a guest .
    “Please, there ’ s no need to stand on ceremony with me , ” h e interjected.  “Call me D e clan, Hawksley or Hawk . ” H e smiled wryly .   His eyes flashed with some hidden emotion. “I’m still getting used to the title you see, but I will answer to any or all.” He laughed huskily.  “And I’ve been called worse.”
    “Hawksley it is then.” Poppy grinned, revealing a delicious dimple in her left cheek.  She stood silent for a minute, then repeated, “ Hawksley . ” S he liked the sound . “ Such a formidable name. I imagine it to be a perfect name given to a knight.  I bet men must have be en frigh t ened of you r ancestors just by the name alone .  The Duke of Hawksley, it rolls powerfully off your tongue , does it not .  W hy I… ” Poppy cut off her sentence abruptly when she r e alized she was rambling like a bedlamite .  S uddenly surrounded by quiet , she pursed her lips and blushed pre t tily. 
    What a perfect ninny she must sound, she had never allowed a man’s beauty to addle her wits and she was no t about to start now. If this is how she acted in London, n o wonder she had not found a husband.  She scolded herself.  She could not quiet herself long enough for a man to court her prop erly .  She groaned softly, glanc ing up through her thick lashes . 
    Declan slanted a glance in her direction , h is lips quirked.  S quatting down he ge ntly ru f fled the fur on Georgie’ s back , but did not say a word . 
    Intrigued by this stranger and d oubly impressed with his height and build.  A bona fide giant stood before her.  Poppy always thought Parker was a giant but he must be a dwarf co m pared to Hawksley.   She felt almost childlike .   He was an extremely attractive man, big , powe r ful and danger ous to look at .  His cheekbones h igh , his nose straight except for the slight bump that i n dicated it had been broken at least once in the past and well-formed lips.  A d ark giant with sun-bronzed skin topped by short-cropped hair as black as sin worn naturally tousled as if he couldn ’ t be both ered with it.
    His dress was that of a dashing country gentleman, s nug b uckskins covered his lean hips and well-muscled thighs .  Top boots with a fine coating of dust from his travels covered his feet and his b road shoul ders encased in a bottle green riding coat that perfectly mimicked the color of his eyes.  He looked every inch a man of aristocratic blood , but with the well-honed muscles of a man used to phys i cal labor .  Callused hands and muscles, i ntriguing.
    Overall, he was a rather impressive example of manhood.  He was h ard, strong and u n deniably male.  He was simply perfect .  
    Poppy couldn’t wait until Piper c lapped eyes on him , she would have a stroke.  If she had designed the perfect man, here he was standing in front of her, n ot a receding hai r line or weak chin in sight.  He was mouthwatering , her tongue swept out to wet her suddenly dry lips. 
    She stil led when he spoke, t he deep rumble of his voice warmed her all the way to her toes. Speaking of which, she attempted t o curl her toes under her