You've Been Warned by James Patterson Read Free Book Online Page B

the gym.”
    Michael leaves to take a shower and get changed — finally —-for work.
    And I go to grab the kids for breakfast.
    “Good morning, princess,” I say, peeking my head into Dakota’s pink-and-lace room to see her sitting on the edge of her canopy bed, reading
The Trumpet of the Swan.
    She looks up and gives me one of her heart-melting smiles. “Good morning, Miss Kristin.”
    “All dressed?” I ask.
    Dakota glances down, frowning at her Preston Academy uniform. It’s an adorable green-and-blue plaid skirt with a simple white top, but for a young girl who has to wear it every day, it might as well be a burlap bag.
    “Yes,” she groans, “I’m dressed.”
    “Meet me in the kitchen, okay? I’m going to check on Sean.”
    She holds up the book. “I’ll be there in one more page.”
    I continue down the hall, marveling at how much Dakota loves to read. So will Sean, I bet, as soon as he learns how, which we’re working on. Besides being loved, is there anything better for a child? I doubt it.
    Arriving at Sean’s doorway, I see him sitting on the floor, immersed in a sea of Legos. Last month, all he built was rocket ships. This month, it’s nothing but cars, albeit with “super-duper special powers.”
    “What does that one do?” I ask.
    Sean turns to me, his small face beaming. “Hi, Miss Kristin!” He presents his latest contraption in the palm of his little hand. “This one shoots lasers and missiles and can bust through anything. It can also go under water.”
    “That’s very cool, Sean.”
You’re very cool, m’boy.
    “Oh, and it also makes ice cream!”
    Naturally.
    I look him over, head to toe, making sure he’s properly, or rather
prep
-erly, dressed. My eyes stop abruptly on his bare feet.
This
will not do at the Academy.
    “Where are your socks, Sean?”
    “I don’t know. No idea. I want to wear my Jimmy Neutrons, but I can’t find them.”
    “Maria might have left them in the laundry room. I’ll go check, sweetheart.”
    I head for the very back of the apartment, past a huge storage closet, and flip on the light for the laundry room. Sure enough, I see Sean’s Jimmy Neutron socks — named for the Nickelodeon cartoon character with the huge head and the pompadour — sitting on top of the dryer.
    As I reach for them, I hear a mischievous whisper over my shoulder.
    “Want to join the Maytag club?”

Chapter 24
    I TURN AROUND to see Michael grinning from ear to ear. I shoot him a dubious look and whisper back, “Maytag club?”
    “Yeah, it’s like the mile-high club, only with a spin cycle.”
    “Very funny.”
    “I’m serious,” he says. He’s still in his robe, though it’s now open down the front. “I want you right here.”
    That gets him the mother of all dubious looks from me. “Sure, and when Penley wanders in, I suppose you’ll be able to explain everything.”
    He laughs. “This is the laundry room, Kris. It’s the
last
place Penley would ever wander into.”
    He has a point there.
    Still.
    “Go and take your shower,” I say, and push him away. “Better make it a cold one, buster. Thanks for thinking of me, though.”
    Instead of leaving, Michael takes me in his arms and begins to gently kiss the curve of my neck. He knows I like this a lot. Usually.
    I stand there, not giving in. “What happened to your hangover?” I ask.
    “All of a sudden I feel a lot better.”
    I glance down. “I can tell.”
    He pulls me closer, his lips moving toward mine. Michael has beautiful, sensuous lips that are nearly impossible to resist.
    But I’m still not giving in. “This is about Penley setting me up with that guy, isn’t it? The
cute
guy. Stephen.”
    “Not at all.” He leans back, gazing into my eyes. “You’re not really going to go out with him, though, are you?”
    “I knew it — you’re jealous!”
    “Okay, maybe a little. She is
such
a bitch. Phony, condescending, sadistic.”
    His hand glides down my stomach. He reaches into my pants,