The MacGregor Brides by Nora Roberts Read Free Book Online Page B

bottle of beer against his bruised jaw and smiled at his sister. “I wouldn’t have been breaking in if you’d told me you’d changed the locks.”
    “If you’d let someone know your plans—”
    “I didn’t have any plans. I just decided to swing by for the weekend.” He grinned over at Royce. “Harvard Law, first year. A guy needs a little break.”
    “I imagine so.” And as his own plans for the evening had taken an abrupt turn, Royce decided he had no choice but to take it philosophically. But he wished to God Laura would change out of that siren’s dress and into something dull and baggy.
    “Where are the cousins?”
    “They’re out.”
    “Got anything to eat around here?” He grinned at Laura, and the gleam in his eye told her he knew exactly what he’d interrupted. And that he wasn’t the least bit sorry. “I’m starving.”
    “You want food, fix it yourself.”
    “She dotes on me,” Ian told Royce as he rose to raid the refrigerator. “Want a sandwich?”
    Royce exchanged one long look with Laura. “Why not?”
    “You know, Laurie, I was going to go up and sponge off Grandpa, but I just had this urge to see you.” He beamed at her as he began unloading cold cuts and condiments.
    “Oh, let me do it, you’re making a mess.” She nudged him aside, then sighed when he slid an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “Go sit down and drink your beer.”
    He sat, lifted his long legs to prop his feet on the opposite chair. At twenty-two, with golden hair, a sharp-boned face offset by a poet’s mouth, and eyes that were nearly violet, he was already doing his best to meet, and exceed, the reputation his father had left behind at Harvard Law. In his studies, and with the ladies.
    “So, Royce, tell me, how are things in the security business?”
    It wasn’t a question, Royce understood. It was a statement. Ian MacGregor wasn’t budging an inch, and had no intention of letting Royce get his hands on Laura until he was satisfied.
    Fair enough, Royce decided.
    Seeing they understood each other, Royce lifted his beer. “It’s a living,” he said.
    * * *
    For the next week, Laura buried sexual frustration in work. Ian had all but moved in, spending each evening, each night, in the Back Bay with her, then driving back to Cambridge in the morning to class.
    He was, Laura thought, an unshakable, unmovable guard dog.
    “He needs a damn leash,” she muttered.
    “Who does, honey?”
    Laura looked up from her files. Her mother stood in the doorway, head cocked, brow lifted. Diana Blade MacGregor’s hair was as dark as her daughter’s, and was scooped up in a polished French twist as a concession to the court appearance she’d made that morning. Her eyes were dark and warm, her skin a dusky gold, thanks to her mix of Comanche blood. Her bronze-toned suit was tailored to set off her slim figure.
    Perfect
was the word that often came to Laura’s mind when she thought of her mother. Absolutely perfect. But she wasn’t in the mood for family loyalties at the moment.
    “Your son. He’s driving me insane.”
    “Ian?” Diana stepped into the room and fought to keep the twinkle out of her eyes. Ian had told her Laura was more than interested in a man. “What’s he doing?”
    “He’s hovering. He’s smothering me. He’s got some weird notion he’s protecting me. I don’t want to be protected.”
    “I see.” Diana perched on Laura’s desk, smoothed a hand over her daughter’s hair. “Would this have anything to do with Royce Cameron?”
    “It has to do with me not needing my little brother running interference with my social life.” Then Laura blew out a breath. “And yes, it has something to do with Royce.”
    “I’d like to meet him. Your grandfather certainly thinks highly of him.”
    “Grandpa?” Confused, Laura flipped back her hair and frowned up at her mother. “He barely knows him. He hired Royce’s company, that’s all.”
    “You should know the MacGregor