Read Online Baby Love by Catherine Anderson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Catherine Anderson
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colors, I can't get excited about collecting on the debt until those bruises are gone. "
"I can't stay here until then. I told you, I have to get where I'm going and find a job. My little sister is waiting for me to send for her, and I—"
He cut her off by pushing her down to sit on the edge of the bed. "And you're not interested in a big, drawn-out thing, " he finished for her. "I read you, loud and clear. So I guess you'll just have to owe me. "
"But I won't be able to pay you back. I told you, remember?"
Hunkering before her, he lifted one of her feet onto his knee and began untying her sneaker. "I remember.
" He drew off the shoe and sock, the grip of his warm fingers sending jolts up her calf. After lowering her bare foot to the rug, he lifted her other leg. "I kind of like the idea of a pretty lady being forever in my debt. On Judgment Day, maybe it'll count as a point in my favor. You reckon?"
Maggie stared down at the top of his dark head, just now registering that he had shed his hat. "You mean you really don't want to—well, you know—like we talked about?"
"Like you talked about, " he corrected. He tossed aside the second shoe and sock, then rose, grasping her carefully by the shoulders to draw her erect. "You know what your problem is? You assume every man you meet is a low-down skunk who'll take advantage of you if he gets half a chance. "
Too late, Maggie realized that he had unfastened the button of her jeans as he spoke. She gave a startled gasp when he bent to tug the denim over her hips. Her panties were full-cut, but the white nylon was semitransparent.
58 CATHERINE ANDERSON
He swore under his breath when he saw the bruises on her thighs. "That son of a bitch. If I ever run into him, he's a dead man. "
Maggie's attempt to cover the apex of her legs with the splay of her hands was abruptly aborted when he pressed her back down to sit on the mattress. He gently drew her jeans down to her ankles, taking care not to graze her shins.
"Damn, " he whispered. "You're just one big bruise, sweetheart. " He tugged the denim over her feet and dropped the pants on the floor. "I'm amazed you can even walk. "
He reached behind her to turn back the covers, then stood to gaze down at her. A flush of embarrassment warmed Maggie's skin.
"Mr. Kendrick, if you have no intention of—why are you taking all my clothes off?" she asked, her distrust lending a shrill sharpness to the question.
"So I can disinfect those cuts. Someone has to do it. Even if you were strong enough to take care of it yourself, you can't reach two-thirds of them. You don't want infection to set in, do you?"
Maggie had dreaded living up to her side of their bargain, but this latest development seemed even worse.
She had cuts everywhere, some in places she would die of humiliation if he touched. She imagined lying naked while he examined every bare inch of her, and the prospect was so alarming, she found it difficult to breathe.
"But I'm nearly naked, " she observed, her voice quaking.
"I'll do my best to make this easy for you. Haul out my manners. Be a complete gentleman. I promise not to uncover all of you at once. How's that sound?"
Maggie could only think of the parts he would uncover.
"You'd be more exposed in a bikini, " he pointed out, as though that should make her feel better. "I can't really see much. "
BABY LOVE 59
She was clinging to that thought and trying to convince herself she wasn't really indecently clad when he slipped his hands around to her back and tried to unfasten her bra. After tugging at it several times, he said, "Shit, " and leaned around so he could see. "A woman invented these damned things. I'd bet money on it. I've never pulled off a sneaky bra maneuver in my life. " He finally conquered the clasp with a clumsy tug and jerk. "When I was seventeen, I even swiped one of my mom's bras to practice my technique. "
She gave him a startled look that he met with a wink and lazy grin. She had a feeling he
"I can't stay here until then. I told you, I have to get where I'm going and find a job. My little sister is waiting for me to send for her, and I—"
He cut her off by pushing her down to sit on the edge of the bed. "And you're not interested in a big, drawn-out thing, " he finished for her. "I read you, loud and clear. So I guess you'll just have to owe me. "
"But I won't be able to pay you back. I told you, remember?"
Hunkering before her, he lifted one of her feet onto his knee and began untying her sneaker. "I remember.
" He drew off the shoe and sock, the grip of his warm fingers sending jolts up her calf. After lowering her bare foot to the rug, he lifted her other leg. "I kind of like the idea of a pretty lady being forever in my debt. On Judgment Day, maybe it'll count as a point in my favor. You reckon?"
Maggie stared down at the top of his dark head, just now registering that he had shed his hat. "You mean you really don't want to—well, you know—like we talked about?"
"Like you talked about, " he corrected. He tossed aside the second shoe and sock, then rose, grasping her carefully by the shoulders to draw her erect. "You know what your problem is? You assume every man you meet is a low-down skunk who'll take advantage of you if he gets half a chance. "
Too late, Maggie realized that he had unfastened the button of her jeans as he spoke. She gave a startled gasp when he bent to tug the denim over her hips. Her panties were full-cut, but the white nylon was semitransparent.
58 CATHERINE ANDERSON
He swore under his breath when he saw the bruises on her thighs. "That son of a bitch. If I ever run into him, he's a dead man. "
Maggie's attempt to cover the apex of her legs with the splay of her hands was abruptly aborted when he pressed her back down to sit on the mattress. He gently drew her jeans down to her ankles, taking care not to graze her shins.
"Damn, " he whispered. "You're just one big bruise, sweetheart. " He tugged the denim over her feet and dropped the pants on the floor. "I'm amazed you can even walk. "
He reached behind her to turn back the covers, then stood to gaze down at her. A flush of embarrassment warmed Maggie's skin.
"Mr. Kendrick, if you have no intention of—why are you taking all my clothes off?" she asked, her distrust lending a shrill sharpness to the question.
"So I can disinfect those cuts. Someone has to do it. Even if you were strong enough to take care of it yourself, you can't reach two-thirds of them. You don't want infection to set in, do you?"
Maggie had dreaded living up to her side of their bargain, but this latest development seemed even worse.
She had cuts everywhere, some in places she would die of humiliation if he touched. She imagined lying naked while he examined every bare inch of her, and the prospect was so alarming, she found it difficult to breathe.
"But I'm nearly naked, " she observed, her voice quaking.
"I'll do my best to make this easy for you. Haul out my manners. Be a complete gentleman. I promise not to uncover all of you at once. How's that sound?"
Maggie could only think of the parts he would uncover.
"You'd be more exposed in a bikini, " he pointed out, as though that should make her feel better. "I can't really see much. "
BABY LOVE 59
She was clinging to that thought and trying to convince herself she wasn't really indecently clad when he slipped his hands around to her back and tried to unfasten her bra. After tugging at it several times, he said, "Shit, " and leaned around so he could see. "A woman invented these damned things. I'd bet money on it. I've never pulled off a sneaky bra maneuver in my life. " He finally conquered the clasp with a clumsy tug and jerk. "When I was seventeen, I even swiped one of my mom's bras to practice my technique. "
She gave him a startled look that he met with a wink and lazy grin. She had a feeling he
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