The Watson Brothers by Lori Foster Read Free Book Online

cried uncle? No matter, he had to carry it to the bitter end. He had to ensure she wouldn’t test him again, because he wasn’t at all certain of his ability to resist her.
    “All right, then.” He pulled the dress over her hips and let it drop. It pooled around her feet. “Step out of it.”
    She did, accepting the hand he offered for balance. Left only in panties and sandals, she blushed bright pink. But Sam paid little enough attention to her face when her body was all but bare. His hands at her waist, he stroked her, from her hips to her ribs and back again. She was a little too slim, her curves understated. “Damn, you’re beautiful.”
    He didn’t get a reply, but then, he didn’t expect one.
    He glanced up at her face. “You blond everywhere?”
    Her color deepened.
    “No, don’t tell me. I want to find out for myself.” Then, smiling into her shocked face, he whispered, “Take them off.”

Chapter Three
    Ariel had never felt so exposed in her entire life. She gulped and tried to find a little courage.
    “I’m waiting.”
    He just stood there, his arms crossed over his hairy chest, his feet braced apart. His silky dark hair was mussed, hanging over his brow and beard shadow darkened his jaws and upper lip. His long black lashes hung low over his piercing eyes, direct, taunting. Watchful and expectant.
    She wanted to throw him to the floor and drag his slacks off his gorgeous body and kiss him all over. But he wanted to do things his own way and she knew Sam well enough to know it was his way or not at all.
    “All right.” Feeling awkward and unsophisticated, she hooked her thumbs in her panties and pushed them down. Sam held her left elbow as she tried to step out, but she caught her stupid sandals on the leg bands, getting her panties twisted. She should have removed the shoes first but she wasn’t exactly an expert at stripping with an audience.
    When she finally got them free, she dropped the panties on the floor with the rest of her clothes and started to sit down to take off her sandals.
    Sam had other ideas. “I like the look.” His voice was gruff, raw. “Leave them on.”
    She peeked at him, but he stared at her belly, or more specifically, below her belly. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he reached out and stroked his fingers through her pubic hair.
    “Part your legs a little.”
    This test of his was a killer. If he’d only kiss her again, hold her…but he wasn’t going to. She knew he wanted her to shy away, to run home scared. To prove she wasn’t a mature, experienced woman.
    The experience part…well, hopefully he’d forgive her for that. But she was a woman, his woman , if he’d only stop being so pigheaded. She forced her chin up and set one foot several inches from the other.
    “You’re not as blond here,” he said while still fingering her curls. “But then your brows and lashes are a few shades darker too. It’s pretty.”
    Never in her twenty-four years had she expected such a conversation to take place. He was complimenting her on her…well, on something very private. This wasn’t at all as she’d assumed lovemaking would be. She thought there’d be a lot of reciprocal touching, breathless loss of control, and a simultaneous agreement to move forward in intimacy.
    At the same time, being here with him like this was so wildly exciting, she knew she was wet and she feared he’d know it too in just a moment.
    He stepped away from her. “Turn around.”
    Her mind went blank. What in the world did he have planned now? Breath rushed in and out of her lungs. Feeling wooden and clumsy in the stupid shoes, she forced herself to move. When her back was to him, he said, “There. I want to look at you.”
    She tried to stand straight and tall, but more than anything she just wanted to crawl into the bed under the covers and then convince Sam to crawl under them with her.
    The touch of his breath on her nape raised her awareness another notch.
    “I love your