Sheltered by the Millionaire by Catherine Mann Read Free Book Online Page A

made it into something more.”
    He dipped his head and spoke softly, his breath warm against her ear. “And you’re the one who smells like cinnamon and has this sexy kitten moan. I dream of hearing it again.”
    She fought back the urge to moan at just the sound of his voice and the memories his words evoked. “I thought you were taking the animals on this flight as a totally philanthropic act.”
    “I am.”
    She tipped her chin and stood her ground. “Then what’s this flirting about?”
    “I’m a multitasker.” He knocked on the clipboard still clasped against her breasts. “Let’s get strapped in and ready to roll.”
    * * *
    An hour later, Megan rested her arm along the sofa back and watched the puffy white clouds filling the sky. The plane cruised as smoothly as if they were cushioned by those pillowy clouds, not a bump yet to disconcert her.
    Shortly after takeoff, Evie had asked to join Whit. Megan had started to say no, but apparently he’d heard and waved her daughter up front to the empty co-pilot’s seat. As a single parent, Megan was so used to being the sole caregiver and primary form of entertainment for her daughter—especially since the tornado. This moment to relax with her thoughts was a welcome reprieve.
    Hell, to relax at all seemed like a gift.
    The cats were all happily snoozing now in their tranquilized haze. No more evil eye from the three stubborn ones that had stayed awake the longest.
    Her gaze shifted back to her daughter up front. Evie, rejuvenated from her nap, was now chattering to Whit. He sat at the helm, piloting them through the skies with obvious ease and skill. His hands and feet moved in perfect synch, his eyes scanning the control as he seamlessly carried on a convoluted conversation with her four-year-old daughter.
    “Mr. Whit, I’m a cowgirl,” Evie declared proudly.
    “I see that,” he answered patiently as if she hadn’t already been peppering his ear with accounts of every detail of her life from her best friends at school—Caitlyn and Bobby—to what she ate for breakfast this morning—a granola bar and chocolate milk in the car on the way to the shelter. “Last week, you were a knight with a sword.”
    “A princess knight,” she said as if he was too slow to have noticed the difference.
    Megan suppressed a smile.
    “Right,” Whit answered. “You always wear that pretty tiara.”
    “This week, I’m keeping the monsters away with my rope.” She patted her hip where the miniature lasso was hooked to her belt loop. “It’s a lassie.”
    “Lassie? Oh, lasso. I see,” he said solemnly. “You’re going to rope the monsters?”
    Megan swallowed down a lump of emotion at how easily he saw through to her daughter’s fears.
    “Yep, sir, that’s right,” Evie answered with a nod that threatened to dislodge her tiara. “Rope ’em up and throw ’em in the trash.”
    He stayed silent for a heart-stopping second before he answered with a measured calm, “You’re a very brave little girl.”
    Evie shrugged. “Somebody’s gotta do it.”
    Megan choked back a bittersweet laugh as her daughter parroted one of her mommy’s favorite phrases.
    Whit glanced at Evie. “Your mommy takes very good care of you. You’re safe now, kiddo.”
    “But nobody takes care of Mommy. That’s not fair.”
    Megan blinked back tears at the weight her little girl was carrying around inside. He didn’t seem to have a ready answer to that one. Neither did Megan.
    Evie hitched up her feet to sit cross-legged, picking at the Velcro of her new tennis shoes. They hadn’t been able to afford cowgirl boots, not with new shoes to buy. “I’m not sure what I’ll be next. Gotta look through my costume box and see what’ll scare the monsters.”
    “Where are these monsters?”
    “They come out of the sky with the wind.” Evie pointed ahead at the windscreen and made swirly gestures with her spindly, little-girl arms. “So I’m riding wif you in the plane. I’ll get