The Fairest of Them All by Leanne Banks Read Free Book Online Page B

taken it out on you.” Her confession soothed his grouchiness. Russ relaxed slightly. “It’s okay. You want to come in?” She nodded and walked through the doorway. She wrinkled her nose. “Burned your toast?”
    “Yeah.”
    She turned around and took a step closer to him, studying his jaw. “Your right jaw looks like a chipmunk’s.”
    “Thank you,” he said dryly.
    She smiled and lifted his bruised hand, gently studying the swelling and discoloration. “Can I fix you some breakfast, something soft like eggs and grits?”
    “Sounds good.” He liked the sensation of her soft hands on his. In fact, he wouldn’t mind if she extended the caress to his entire body.
    “You think it would help if I bandaged this?” Carly asked, a frown creasing her brow.
    “Probably wouldn’t hurt.” Russ felt like a first grader trying to monopolize the teacher’s attention. He sat down at the oak kitchen table and directed her to the first-aid kit. She wore a pair of faded denims that molded to her rear end in a tantalizing way. Her blue T-shirt should have been boring, but Carly had neglected to wear a bra. Russ cleared his throat and shook his head.
    Carly scooted the chair closer to Russ and deftly wound the bandage around his swollen hand. “There,” she said when she finished. She tried, unsuccessfully, to keep her eyes above his neck. His striped cotton shirt was completely unbuttoned, offering an engrossing view of his chest and flat belly. His chest hair was curly, she noticed. She also noticed the way it arrowed down the center of his stomach to his navel. She wondered if it felt soft or crisp.
    Carly deliberately brought her gaze back at his face. “Did you have problems buttoning your shirt?” She hoped he would take the hint and cover up before she did something embarrassing like start drooling.
    “Yeah, would you mind doing it for me?”
    Carly blinked. “Do what?”
    “Button my shirt.”
    Her heart squeezed like a giant fist. He might as well have asked her to lay on top of him. Couldn’t he hear her uneven breathing? Did he have any idea how difficult this was for her? She searched his eyes, but his lowered lids hid any expression from her.
    Carly gritted her teeth in determination. “Okay.” She lifted her hands, facing her first major decision. Should she start at the top or the bottom? He was sitting, and the shirttails rested on either side of his crotch. Which, of course, meant she’d be touching his crotch when she buttoned it. Undiluted panic raced through her.
    The top. Definitely the top. Biting her lip, she buttoned the top button and the second, then looked at Russ’s brown eyes. They were so sexy and seductive, she could have been unbuttoning his shirt instead of buttoning it. Carly turned back to her task and discovered that his chest hair was soft. She would have loved to run her fingers through it. She managed to abstain, but it cost her. With each successive button, her mouth grew drier. It may have been her imagination, but it seemed his breathing quickened too. When she reached the third button from the bottom, she stopped, her mouth drier than the Sahara. “I, uh ...”
    “Thanks,” Russ said.
    Carly smiled in relief.
    “Want to tuck it in?”
    Her head snapped up, catching the devil’s glint in his eyes. Funny, his voice had sounded dead serious. She laughed weakly. “I think I’ll fix those eggs.”
    She prepared and served his breakfast, chatting about the farm and anything else that came to mind as he ate. “I envy this kitchen. The Italian tile is gorgeous. And that convection oven is a dream.” She admired the way he’d achieved a fresh, clean room without losing the masculine edge. The golden oak table, chairs, and cabinets added warmth and depth.
    “You can use it anytime. Especially if you’ll undo these top two buttons. I’m about to choke.” Russ gave a fake cough.
    Carly rolled her eyes and quickly performed the task. “You should have told me. What do