Wild About the Man (Mills & Boon Modern Tempted) by Joss Wood Read Free Book Online Page A

was put to work cleaning out The Pit.
    That was an experience she’d rather not repeat. Not as bad as the recycling but sticky floors, grimy bar, dirty glasses. Ugh.
    Clem pulled on a sleeveless sage-green patterned top, cream shorts and flip-flops and walked into the lounge, towelling her hair dry.
    Nick was also freshly showered, dressed in white cargo shorts and a button down navy shirt, and he looked up from his laptop that sat on the kitchen counter.
    ‘Do you want a glass of wine? Or a beer?’
    ‘Something soft?’ Clem responded, rubbing the ends of her hair. ‘I don’t drink alcohol.’
    Nick looked surprised. ‘At all?’
    ‘Yeah. And no, I’m not a recovering alcoholic, nor have any addiction problems. My mum was killed in a car accident and the other driver was drunk and stoned.’
    Why had she told him that? Apart from the very rare comment to Jason, she never discussed her mother with anyone.
    ‘I’m sorry.’ Nick turned away from her and looked in the fridge. He pulled out a box of fruit juice. ‘This OK?’
    ‘Thanks.’ Clem watched him as he pulled out a glass and poured her juice. Their fingers brushed as he handed the glass over and sparks shot up her arm. OK, now she was just being pathetic.
    Clem bunched the towel in her hand and wrinkled her nose. ‘Nick, I still stink.’
    Nick grinned and her heart pitter-pattered. ‘I’m sure you don’t.’
    Clem shook her head, and lifted her forearm to her nose. ‘I can still smell it. Can you?’
    Nick put his beer down and walked over to her, his feet bare on the wooden floor. Standing beside her, her heartbeat picked up when he took her arm and lifted her wrist to his nose. He shook his head and Clem sucked in her breath as he sniffed his way up her arm, past her elbow and onto her shoulder. Clem stood statue-still, trying not to squirm as his nose tickled the wet hair under her ear. He lifted her heavy hair with his hand, wrapped it around his fist and moved his nose across the back on her neck, her shoulder and down her other arm.
    By that time, all the saliva in her mouth had disappeared and her limbs were heavy with desire.
    Oh no, this wasn’t good.
    Nick dropped her hair and stepped away from her. When she felt some of her self-control returning, she looked at him. He’d moved to the other side of the kitchen counter and was scowling at his laptop screen.
    ‘I think it’s your hair,’ Nick eventually said, his voice low.
    Her hair? What about her hair …? Oh, the stink. Get a grip, Clem.
    She had stinky hair. Ick. Well, she could sort that out. And easily. Clem slung the towel overher shoulder and moved to the kitchen. ‘Do you have a pair of scissors?’
    Nick looked up and she noticed that his eyes had changed from moonlight to the colour of dark thunder clouds. Heavy, passionate. If she didn’t know better, she’d think that he looked as turnedon as she was. That was ridiculous on so many levels that it simply wasn’t possible.
    ‘Uh, somewhere.’ Nick shoved his hand into his wet hair and sent her a bemused look. ‘Study desk, top drawer. Maybe.’
    ‘Thanks.’
    Clem either underestimated the thickness of her hair or overestimated the sharpness of the scissors. Or both. She’d pulled her hair back, tied it at the neck and held it tightly in the circle of her thumb and index finger. The scissors cut the outside layer of her hair and then gave up the ghost.
    Damn it; she’d started the process and she couldn’t stop now.
    ‘Nick?’ she called from her bathroom.
    ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Can you come and help me for a minute? Would you mind?’
    A minute later, Nick appeared in the doorway to her bathroom. ‘What the hell are you doing, Red?’ His eyes widened when he saw the scissors in her hand. ‘Oh, Clem, no.’
    She shrugged. ‘It’s just hair. My hair is eithertoo thick for the scissors or the scissors are blunt, but it’s not working.’
    ‘Well, leave it! Why would you do this?’ Nick sounded almost