Touch Me by Christie Ridgway Read Free Book Online Page B

rotting remains of a prophylactic and then offered her one of the two bottles he carried. “Water?”
    She eyed it suspiciously.
    “I took it out of the office fridge, which was new as of last week. And note, the seal’s intact.”
    The plastic top gave a reassuring crack as she twisted it off and the liquid went cool and sweet down her throat. Payne took a swallow from his own water, then surveyed the yard with an air of resigned distaste.
    “Bad, huh? The state of the records are even worse.” He slid a look at her. “Bet you think I’m a shit businessman.”
    Stalling, Rose took another long drink, then studied him from beneath her lashes. It wasn’t his fault he looked like that, she decided, trying to push away her earlier resentment. He hadn’t asked to be born a rangy, lean-muscled blond. He stood, long legs braced apart, blue eyes slightly narrowed against the midmorning sun. His nose was perfect, his jaw square, his mouth the only soft part of him.
    And she couldn’t help but begrudge all that testosterone-edged beauty.
    Still, he’d brought her water so she tried summoning the right thing to say. “Not everyone can be a success at business. We all have different talents.”
    He turned to her now, a half-smile on his lips, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. “Now Rose, what do you suppose I might really be good at?”
    Sex.
    His hands, his mouth, his tongue would take a woman past her limits.
    They’d seek out the wet groove.
    Surge into intimate clefts.
    Command unbridled responses with single-minded intent.
    Nothing would be beyond boundaries, out-of-reach, too private.
    He’d move into a woman’s space with confidence, certain of his skills, a knowing glint in his eyes as she arched on the mattress, opening her thighs and spreading her arms to take all that he wanted.
    He would batter her restraints with the flick of his tongue. He’d bite and suck and leave marks so that she’d remember the next day that Payne Colson had used her for their pleasure…and she’d exalt in every moment of it.
    At fifteen, she’d sensed that, though she hadn’t the language to speak of it. Newly awakened to her body, she’d gone to him, a moth with translucent, still-damp wings, just out of the cocoon but pulled toward the flame nevertheless.
    Now, his eyes narrowed. “Rose…” One hand framed her cheek, his thumb pressing into the sensitive skin beneath her chin, tilting her face toward his.
    For a second she froze, then, terrified he could read her mind, she stepped away. “It’s time to get you back.” Her voice sounded raspy.
    His watchful gaze stayed on her face, then he shrugged. “You’re the warden.”
    But he talked her into making a short stop at another of his salvage yards first, which was less than five miles away, in another commercial zone. But this business looked to be in much, much better shape and Rose went wide-eyed as she followed him into the freshly painted office that fronted the property.
    Her jaw dropped when he directed one of several uniformed—khaki pants, knit shirt with “Colson Car Salvage” embroidered on the pocket—employees to give her a quick tour while he checked in with the manager.
    After passing a large, clearly labeled map, she learned that they called this an “auto recycling and salvage facility.” The vehicles brought to the premises were drained of gas, oil, and coolant that was re-used or recycled. Then they were moved to the well-ordered and very clean back lot, where they sat for thirty to forty-five days. Patrons paid a dollar to tour the vehicles and were allowed to remove any parts they could retrieve with their own tools. A month or so later, after a new arrival had been “boned out,” it was crushed, shredded, then sold for scrap.
    Payne had built the business from nothing, she was told.
    He had a smaller yard a few miles away solely for motorcycles that was managed by his sister, Cami. His plan for the newest business was to clear