Stand By Your Man by Susan Fox Read Free Book Online

a white gal with a tan. He made her go by Celeste because her real name was too ethnic. She and Conroy had a son and daughter; both looked white. Then there was me.” He raised a powerful dark hand, rotated it. “Couldn’t exactly pass. He made folks think I was a very distant relative, a charity case they’d taken in.”
    â€œThey didn’t adopt you?”
    He snorted. “Not hardly. And I never fit. The way I’d grown up, I didn’t stand a chance. My aunt and uncle didn’t include me in family stuff. Conroy Jr. and Elizabeth were snotty. Picked on me and got away with it.” He shrugged. “But hey, I had food and shelter. In Chicago, I’d have had to join a gang. In Toronto, I lived to tell the story.”
    Karen clasped her hands on the table. “I’ve been told I can be too judgmental.” She disagreed. Having high standards was a good thing. “But I have no patience with people like your aunt and uncle. There’s no excuse for mistreating a child.” She gazed into his eyes. “Jamal, you didn’t just live to tell the story. Look how you turned out. A cop who puts gangs in prison. That’s so impressive.”
    The tough cop actually looked flustered. “It’s no big deal.”
    â€œYou’re wrong. It’s huge.”
    His eyes warmed, and then the corners crinkled. “Okay, you can be impressed. Any chance that’ll get you into bed with me?”
    His tone was teasing, so she replied in kind. “No, but good try.”
    The truth was, it took all her willpower to resist him. She’d started out in awe of the man, and in lust. The more she learned about him, the more she respected and liked him. Too easily, she could see herself caring. Even falling for him. So, though she really, really wanted to have sex with him, she had even more reason not to. No way could she treat him as merely a hookup, and she’d hate to have him think of her that way.
    If she was smart, she’d drive him back to the motel. Having the man around was just too much temptation.
    And yet she might never see him again. How could she bear to cut the night short?

Chapter 4
    Oh yeah, Karen MacLean was fine . Beautiful and sexy; a dedicated cop. A woman with intelligence, depth, and warmth. She was way too good for a guy like him.
    Jamal had had sex with a number of women. Never had he experienced the same kind of intimacy as he did sitting with Karen at her kitchen table, talking about things he’d never before shared with anyone. Having her take his side, not like she pitied him but more like she respected him. He didn’t deserve that respect. If she knew how he’d screwed up on the job and put his partner’s life in jeopardy—
    He jumped to his feet. “Want some more coffee?”
    â€œSure.”
    He took both their mugs and refilled them. She drank hers black, same as he did, and apparently didn’t have a problem with caffeine. It was about the only thing they had in common, except for a fondness for Brooke Kincaid’s cooking and a commitment to getting bad guys off the street.
    Karen rose. “Let’s go back to the living room, put our feet up.”
    He followed her and they resumed their previous seats, bare feet side by side on the coffee table. Her feet were strong and capable like the rest of her, the toenails unpainted. Those feet were way sexier than red-tipped ones in fussy high-heeled sandals.
    He wanted to rub his foot against hers, brush his fingers against her cheek, press his lips to hers. Hell, he wanted to strip off her clothes and explore those toned curves, to thrust his swollen cock deep inside her. The craving was even stronger than the desire to drink, a burning need that he still battled daily.
    But she didn’t want that, and she was right. She deserved more from a man.
    Almost as if she’d read his mind, Karen said, “You don’t see yourself getting married