Read Online Bound to the Past (Starville Series Book 1) by Lauryn Michaels - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lauryn Michaels
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when Jack shot her an are-you-kidding-me kind of look. Okay. Maybe he didnʼt like pets after all?
“Any other guests in the house?”
“Only four gold fish: Tristan, Isolde, Abelard, and Eloise.”
Suddenly Jackʼs laughter resounded in the room. A rich, deep sound that warmed her chest and made her feel all funny inside. Taken aback, Sara could do nothing but stare at him quietly. Oh my. While Jack always looked impossibly handsome, he was drop-dead gorgeous when he laughed.
“Iʼm sorry,” he said in between chuckles, “but thatʼs just too much. Sir Lancelot was okay, but…Tristan and Isolde? Abelard and Eloise?”
His amused voice jolted her back to reality, and Sara crushed her thoughts and raised her chin indignantly. “Theyʼre perfectly good names.”
“Iʼm sorry,” Jack apologized again. Too bad his back still vibrated with laughter, ruining his efforts. “Please, just tell me the catsʼ names are not Romeo and Juliet.”
She tried to look outraged despite the treacherous smile already twitching her lips. “For your information, theyʼre Thelma and Louise. And, as I said, theyʼre Angieʼs cats, not mine.”
“I take it your friend doesnʼt share your romantic view of the world?”
Her smile faded at his mocking tone. “As a matter of fact, no, she doesnʼt,” she bristled, a little stung. “Why, yes, Iʼm a romantic. So what?”
Jack shrugged. “So nothing. Good for you.”
Then why do I have a feeling youʼre making fun of me? She took a deep breath. “Anyhow, donʼt worry about the pets. Iʼll keep them in my room tonight, so they wonʼt bother you.”
Sara never knew whether Jack heard her or not, because he didnʼt comment and stepped over the threshold past her, letting his bag slide off his shoulder at the entrance. It fell onto the ground with a low, muffled thump, yet her nerves were so on edge that she nearly jumped at the light sound.
“The, uh, kitchen is straight ahead. Feel free to help yourself if you need anything. The bathroom is right up the hallway, and the door to its left is my den,” she continued in one breath, feeling more and more embarrassed as Jack looked around the living room. She didnʼt know how to gauge the blank expression on his face as he studied her house, so she glanced around the room, too, trying to see it through his eyes. Had the couch and armchair always looked so lame? And so bulky? They seemed to take up the whole space… Or was it just because the living room looked smaller with Jackʼs massive body moving around it?
Sara cleared her throat, unable to take his quiet scrutiny any longer. “You can sleep on the couch, if you want, so you donʼt have to go up the stairs to reach the guestroom. It might be a little small, though—” She stopped with a squeal of surprise when Jack turned around so abruptly he almost bumped into her.
“Itʼs perfect.”
A rush of hot color flooded her face as she tilted her head up and met his gaze. His eyes were so intense now they looked like emeralds. She swallowed hard, but her breath caught in her throat as Jack slipped a hand up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. So much heat radiated off his body as he leaned slightly into her that her head started spinning, and, God , he smelled so good! Sara opened her mouth, trying desperately to say something—anything!—yet found herself unable to utter a sound. Which wasnʼt at all surprising, considering she couldnʼt even think with Jack touching her and looking at her like this…as if he were about to devour her in one swallow.
“Thank you, sweetheart. For everything.”
She barely heard his words over the sound of her pulse pounding in her ears, but her eyes automatically fluttered close as he leaned closer and lowered his head….
What on earth are you doing? Heʼs a stranger! He could be a murderer!
A wave of cold reality crashed down on her with a tsunami force. In a fraction of a second, panic seized her, and she fought to regain
“Any other guests in the house?”
“Only four gold fish: Tristan, Isolde, Abelard, and Eloise.”
Suddenly Jackʼs laughter resounded in the room. A rich, deep sound that warmed her chest and made her feel all funny inside. Taken aback, Sara could do nothing but stare at him quietly. Oh my. While Jack always looked impossibly handsome, he was drop-dead gorgeous when he laughed.
“Iʼm sorry,” he said in between chuckles, “but thatʼs just too much. Sir Lancelot was okay, but…Tristan and Isolde? Abelard and Eloise?”
His amused voice jolted her back to reality, and Sara crushed her thoughts and raised her chin indignantly. “Theyʼre perfectly good names.”
“Iʼm sorry,” Jack apologized again. Too bad his back still vibrated with laughter, ruining his efforts. “Please, just tell me the catsʼ names are not Romeo and Juliet.”
She tried to look outraged despite the treacherous smile already twitching her lips. “For your information, theyʼre Thelma and Louise. And, as I said, theyʼre Angieʼs cats, not mine.”
“I take it your friend doesnʼt share your romantic view of the world?”
Her smile faded at his mocking tone. “As a matter of fact, no, she doesnʼt,” she bristled, a little stung. “Why, yes, Iʼm a romantic. So what?”
Jack shrugged. “So nothing. Good for you.”
Then why do I have a feeling youʼre making fun of me? She took a deep breath. “Anyhow, donʼt worry about the pets. Iʼll keep them in my room tonight, so they wonʼt bother you.”
Sara never knew whether Jack heard her or not, because he didnʼt comment and stepped over the threshold past her, letting his bag slide off his shoulder at the entrance. It fell onto the ground with a low, muffled thump, yet her nerves were so on edge that she nearly jumped at the light sound.
“The, uh, kitchen is straight ahead. Feel free to help yourself if you need anything. The bathroom is right up the hallway, and the door to its left is my den,” she continued in one breath, feeling more and more embarrassed as Jack looked around the living room. She didnʼt know how to gauge the blank expression on his face as he studied her house, so she glanced around the room, too, trying to see it through his eyes. Had the couch and armchair always looked so lame? And so bulky? They seemed to take up the whole space… Or was it just because the living room looked smaller with Jackʼs massive body moving around it?
Sara cleared her throat, unable to take his quiet scrutiny any longer. “You can sleep on the couch, if you want, so you donʼt have to go up the stairs to reach the guestroom. It might be a little small, though—” She stopped with a squeal of surprise when Jack turned around so abruptly he almost bumped into her.
“Itʼs perfect.”
A rush of hot color flooded her face as she tilted her head up and met his gaze. His eyes were so intense now they looked like emeralds. She swallowed hard, but her breath caught in her throat as Jack slipped a hand up to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. So much heat radiated off his body as he leaned slightly into her that her head started spinning, and, God , he smelled so good! Sara opened her mouth, trying desperately to say something—anything!—yet found herself unable to utter a sound. Which wasnʼt at all surprising, considering she couldnʼt even think with Jack touching her and looking at her like this…as if he were about to devour her in one swallow.
“Thank you, sweetheart. For everything.”
She barely heard his words over the sound of her pulse pounding in her ears, but her eyes automatically fluttered close as he leaned closer and lowered his head….
What on earth are you doing? Heʼs a stranger! He could be a murderer!
A wave of cold reality crashed down on her with a tsunami force. In a fraction of a second, panic seized her, and she fought to regain
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