The Complete Mackenzie Collection by Linda Howard Read Free Book Online

he gets back into school and gets the credits he needs. That’s what I offered him: a chance.”
    “And if he doesn’t make it?”
    “He wants to try. Even if he isn’t accepted, at least he’ll know he tried, and at least he’ll have a diploma.”
    “So he can do exactly what he would have done without the diploma.”
    “Perhaps. But I’m going to begin checking into the procedure and qualifications on Monday, and writing to people. The competition to get into the Academy is really fierce.”
    “The people in town won’t like you tutoring him.”
    “That’s what Joe said.” Her face took on that prim, obstinate look. “But I’ll have something to say to anyone who kicks up about it. Just let me handle them, Mr. Mackenzie.”
    They were already down the mountain that had taken her so long to drive up. Wolf was silent for the rest of the drive, so Mary was, too. But when he pulled up to the old house where she was living, he rested his gloved hands on the steering wheel and said, “It isn’t just Joe. For your sake, don’t let on that you’re doing it. It’s better for you if no one knows you’ve ever even spoken to me.”
    “Why ever not?”
    His smile was wintry. “I’m an ex-con. I did time for rape.”

Chapter Three
    A fterward, Mary kicked herself for simply getting out of the truck without saying a word in response to his bald statement, but at the time she had been shocked to the core and incapable of a response. Rape! The crime was repulsive. It was unbelievable. She had actually kissed him! She’d been so stunned that she’d merely nodded goodbye to him and told Joe that she’d see him that night, then gone in the house without thanking them for all their help and trouble.
    Now reality set in. Standing alone in the old-fashioned kitchen, she watched Woodrow hungrily lapping milk from his saucer while she considered the man and his statement. She abruptly snorted. “Hogwash! If that man’s a rapist, I’ll boil you for supper, Woodrow.”
    Woodrow looked remarkably unconcerned, which to Mary indicated that the cat agreed with her judgment, and she had a high opinion of Woodrow’s ability to know what was best for himself.
    After all, Wolf hadn’t said that he’d committed rape. He’d said that he had served time in prison for rape. When Mary thought of the way both Mackenzies automatically and bitterly accepted that they would be shunned because of their Indian blood, she wondered if perhaps the fact that Wolf was part Indian figured in his conviction. But he hadn’t done it. She knew that as well as she knew her own face. The man who had helped her out of a bad situation, warmed her cold hands against his own body and kissed her with burning male hunger, simply wasn’t the type of man who could hurt a woman like that. He was the one who had halted before those kisses had gone too far; she had already been putty in his hands.
    It was ridiculous. There was no way he was a rapist.
    Oh, perhaps it hadn’t been any great hardship for him to stop kissing her; after all, she was mousy and inexperienced and would never be voluptuous, but…Her thoughts trailed off as remembered sensations intruded. She was inexperienced, but she wasn’t stupid. He had been—well, hard. She had distinctly felt it . Perhaps he hadn’t had an outlet for his physical appetites lately and she had been handy, but still he hadn’t taken advantage of her. He hadn’t treated her with a sailor’s attitude that any port in a storm would suffice. What was that awful term she had heard one of her students use once? Oh, yes—horny. She could accept that Wolf Mackenzie had been in that condition and she had accidentally stirred his fire in some way that still remained a mystery to her, but the bottom line was that he hadn’t pushed his advantage.
    What if he had?
    Her heart started a strong, heavy beat, and heat crept through her, while an achy, restless feeling settled low inside. Her breasts tightened and