Read Online Foxfire by Carol Ann Erhardt - Free Book Online Page B

this, but he ignored it,
giving in to the hunger of the moment.
    Someone moaned. He thought it was her, but it
might have been him. He pulled her closer, caught up in a
heart-pounding desire that burned higher with every passing
second.
    Her passion overwhelmed him, sucking him into
a swirling vortex. She said she didn't want another relationship.
Neither did he. Yet, here he was, all wrapped up in Grace Wilkins.
Surprise, surprise.
    He stepped backward taking her with him until
a sharp painful yip stopped him. “What?” He sidestepped, trying to
maintain their balance.
    Grace shoved against his chest, her eyes
round and dilated, frightened like a deer caught in the headlights.
He read the feeling of panic in her gaze. He didn't believe what
had happened any more than she did. He should be thankful for small
favors, because if it hadn't been for the dog, he'd have ripped off
Grace's clothes and sated his long suppressed sexual desires. The
electricity pulsing between them nearly sparked in the dark.
    Grace knelt beside Tiffany, stroking her fur.
“Poor baby. Are you all right,” she murmured.
    He closed his eyes and dropped his head back.
What poor timing.
    Things had escalated so fast. One moment he'd
been talking about the legendary foxfire, the next he'd been on
fire for Grace. And the flames still seared him. Over the blood
pounding through his head, he tried to grab hold of reason. The
woman was dangerous. He'd come here to do a job  one that
didn't include seducing Grace Wilkins.
    He knelt to check the dog for injuries. The
bulge against his zipper grew tighter and more painful. Obviously
unscathed, Tiffany leaped up, knocking him on his butt. Her tail
wagged in wild abandon.
    Grace gave a short laugh, then clapped her
hand over her mouth.
    He looked at her. She licked her swollen
lips, which did nothing to ease his tortured libido. The torches
played softly across the sprinkle of freckles on her nose. Whatever
hold she had on him wasn't letting go. He could see in her eyes
that she'd regained control. He had to do the same. He'd come to
Foxfire to forget, not to get involved. “I'm sorry,” he said.
    “It was an accident. Tiffany's not hurt.” She
pushed to her feet.
    “I wasn't talking about the damn dog!”
    She placed her hands on those curvy hips.
“She has a name. Tiffany.” Her chin jerked higher, pointing at him
in an accusatory manner. “And she's not a damn dog.”
    He felt like an idiot sitting on the deck
arguing with the woman he'd nearly undressed.
    Tiffany licked his face, further deflating
his libido. “Yeah,” he said. He pushed Tiffany's head away from his
face. “She's a great dog.”
    He met Grace's gaze. “I'm sorry about...you
know, trying to ravage you.”
    “Ravage? Do you read romance novels or what?”
She glared down at him. “We kissed. That's all. People kiss all the
time. Forget about it. I already have.”
    Forget? Was she kidding? He'd remember every
pleasurable second of that kiss. He still wanted to make love to
her. How in the world would he be able to look at her day in and
day out and keep his hands off?
    The torches flickered, casting a shadow
across her face. What secrets did she hide behind those beautiful
blue eyes? He sensed she'd been hurt, and that connected with a
nerve deep inside. His own hurt ran deep and it still cut at him,
slicing his gut like a piece of broken glass. Guilt rode his dreams
at night. Sometimes he thought he'd never be able to forget, to
forgive.
    He knew most of her secrets, or at least the
worst of them. And he meant to protect her while he used her to get
what he wanted. Getting emotionally involved was not an option.
    His plans had been to bury himself in the
mountains and his work, but he hadn't planned on finding Grace
Wilkins so tempting. Nor had he planned on her having the power to
open his wounds again.
    “You expect me to forget that kiss?” he
asked, giving her a wink.
    She glared at him. “I do. And if anyone
should