Too Wicked to Keep by Julie Leto Read Free Book Online Page B

surprised to see Daniel still standing in the hallway warily eyeing her and her cat.
    She smirked as she approached him, Lady cradled in her arms. “I can bring you a pillow and blankets if you prefer to sleep in the hall.”
    With a grimace, he entered the apartment and shut the door behind him. Lady instantly struggled out ofher arms, bounced to the ground and made a beeline for the new guy. Her internal motor turned up to its highest setting, Lady coiled around his legs, basting his pants with her soft, dark fur. He sidestepped with an amazing amount of grace, but he’d met his match. The cat anticipated his moves, and no matter how much dancing he did in the foyer, Lady wouldn’t let him get away.
    â€œWhat is she, in heat or something?”
    â€œYou do have that effect on women,” Abby quipped, shaking the bag of treats up at Black Jack, who seemed much more interested in his companion’s obsession with the new guy than he did in the tuna-flavored crunchies.
    â€œIt’s a curse,” Daniel said, balancing on one foot to avoid stepping on Lady’s serpentine tale. “Know how to break it?”
    She snorted. If she knew how to fight the allure that was Daniel Burnett, she wouldn’t be in this situation at all, would she?
    â€œJust pet her,” she advised. “If cats think you don’t like them, they never leave you alone.”
    â€œSo if you like them, they ignore you?”
    â€œPretty much.” She slid a footstool to the cabinet and climbed up to collect Black Jack, but he had no interest in coming down. He lifted his big furry body and backed into a corner with a hiss.
    â€œOh, really?” she challenged, annoyed. Her pets weren’t accustomed to guests of the male persuasion, but she didn’t expect open hostility. “No treats for you, you nasty traitor.”
    â€œTalking to me or the cat?”
    Daniel was directly behind her. She gasped, surprised he’d come so near without her hearing him—without her feeling him. He had Lady curled up in his arms, her eyesat half-mast while he scratched her chin. Abby couldn’t remember her cat ever looking quite so hypnotized.
    She remembered the sensation very well.
    â€œGive me a second and I’ll get you set up in the guest room,” she said, turning so she could back her way down the stool—but not before he took a bold look at her ass, which was right at his eye level.
    â€œIs that my only option?”
    His voice was silk and sensuality, not unlike the sound emanating from the back of her cat’s throat. She allowed herself a split second to fantasize about him caressing her as he did her pet, but then skewered him with an exasperated look that was more for herself than for him.
    Daniel exuded sex to strangers. To a woman who’d experienced the skill of his sly hands, wicked tongue and generous mouth, his allure was doubly powerful.
    With their shared past, her attraction to him wasn’t rational. It was chemical.
    â€œUnless you want to sleep out here on the couch with the cats, yes, Daniel, that’s your only option.”
    â€œIf we skip the sleeping part, do my choices expand?”
    His shamelessness was both infuriating and exhilarating. He had no boundaries, no limits. She couldn’t help but laugh. She’d never met anyone like him and she doubted that once he left, she’d ever meet anyone like him again.
    At least, not if she could help it.
    â€œSorry, but that’s the best I can offer.”
    He eyed her couch and then the cat, who was now stretching up and burrowing her head beneath his chin. “The guest room will be fine.”
    â€œGood choice. Make yourself at home and I’ll show you around in a few minutes.”
    Abby went into her bedroom, kicked off her high heels, then unhooked her earrings as she sauntered into her bathroom to take off her makeup and brush her teeth. Thinking it might not be a good idea to