Teddy Bear Heir by Elda Minger Read Free Book Online

eyes for a moment, suddenly desperately tired. And in the midst of his mental struggles, Michaela's voice came to him clearly.
    Doesn't it take a lot of work, Cameron? Keeping it all inside, all that emotion?
    She'd asked him that one night, several weeks after they'd met, while working late at the office together. It had shaken him to his very foundation that she'd seen inside to the bankrupt nature of his soul with such utterly intuitive insight.
    He shook his head to clear it of the memory of her voice. And with sudden ruthless clarity, Cameron knew he was about to do the right thing. For Michaela was the sort of woman who would've probed every last little secret out of him in the name of love. Because she would've cared. He would've never been able to manage their relationship and steer it away from such emotional ground.
    Nancy Kilpatrick, fresh-faced and innocent, would pose none of those problems.
    Nancy would leave him alone.
    Nancy would never touch him as deeply.
    Nancy, he could control.
     
    * * *
     
    Nancy couldn’t find the name of the hotel.
    "Lady," the cabdriver began again, his tone a study in patience. "How am I supposed to take you to this hotel when you don't know which one it is?"
    "It's here somewhere," she muttered, tearing through her backpack. "I stuck it in this pocket, I know I did—"
    "Up to you. The meter's running."
    She dumped the contents of her burgundy backpack all over the backseat of the cab and began scrabbling through its contents. Carefully, each crinkled piece of scrap paper was smoothed out, examined, then tucked away.
    Within ten minutes, she admitted defeat.
    "Can you call this guy?" the cabbie demanded. "Leave a message at his office?"
    Nancy sighed, staring out at the San Francisco skyline.
    "I guess I'd better go home and call him in the morning."
     
    * * *
     
    He opened the door to the master bedroom and saw the feminine shape outlined in moonlight. And heard regular, deep breathing.
    Fast asleep.
    He smiled, feeling a certain sort of tenderness toward the girl. He'd decided from the first that he'd be gentle with Nancy, try not to frighten her. He was a man of voracious sexual appetites and knew she was far more inexperienced. Innocent. Easily embarrassed.
    He crossed the room and quietly shut the heavy drapes, plunging the master suite into complete darkness. Then he shed his clothing and stretched out on the bed next to the sleeping girl.
    Gently, ever so gently, he stroked her hair.
     
    * * *
     
    She came awake slowly, as if from a deep sleep. He was touching her, stroking her hair. Just that gentle movement, that touch, was enough to heat her blood, set her emotions on fire.
    She realized she'd wanted Cameron Black from the moment she'd first seen him. She'd also known, with a deep, feminine instinct, that he was out of her league. She would be badly hurt.
    Now, having experienced a fair measure of that hurt, she thought of doing something so unlike her, something so deceptive—
    You can't...
    He grasped the back of her head, his fingers entwined in her hair.
    You can't...
    She couldn't seem to summon the will to stop him.
    I want—
    She stopped the thought before it had a chance to fully form, ruthlessly cutting it off. Then she made a move to sit up, to get away from him. Get away from the temptation.
    He let go of her instantly.
    Both their breathing sounded loud in the silent room. The only sound louder was the pounding of her heart.
    "It's all right." Cameron's voice was soothing and low. Understanding. It brought tears to her eyes.
    She would miss him so very much.
    "Nothing's going to happen that you don't want," he said softly.
    She started to swing her legs off the bed.
    "Just let me hold you."
    He annihilated her resistance with that one sentence.
    She lay back slowly on the bed and he moved to her side, putting his arm around her, letting her rest her cheek on his chest. She remained perfectly still, breathing in his scent, listening to the steady beat of