Read Online Fugitive Fiancée by Kristin Gabriel - Free Book Online

didn’t give her a chance. He captured her mouth with his, savoring her sweet soft lips as his hands rested lightly on her shoulders.
    He closed his eyes as he breathed in her scent and sought refuge in the warm sanctuary of her mouth. She didn’t move at first, then her hands slid slowlyup his bare chest. He deepened the kiss, her touch drawing a low moan from within his chest.
    A shrill bark brought him to his senses. He abruptly stepped away from her, then looked at the porch floor to see Hubert sitting between their feet, wagging his tail.
    Garrett took another step away from Mimi, letting the night breeze cool his overheated body. She was an engaged woman—reason enough to keep his distance—and vulnerable. He knew how badly she wanted to stay here. It would be unfair to take advantage of that fact. “Looks like the moon is making everybody crazy tonight. Sorry.”
    â€œGarrett, I…”
    â€œForget it,” he said, not giving her a chance to comment on that kiss. He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t even want to think about it. When she didn’t move, he met her gaze and saw his hunger reflected in her eyes. Or was that wishful thinking on his part? “You should go back to bed.”
    She hesitated, then without another word, she walked into the house and closed the door behind her. If he was lucky, that kiss would scare her off, and he’d wake up to find her gone in the morning.
    But Garrett was never lucky. He’d always had to work for whatever he wanted. Now he just had to decide if he wanted Mimi to go.
    Or stay.

CHAPTER FOUR
    A LOUD POUNDING woke Mimi from a sound sleep, then the bedroom door opened a crack. “Time to get up. We’re wasting daylight.”
    She rubbed her eyes, then looked toward the window into the pitch-black darkness beyond. Even the sun knew it was too early to be up yet.
    â€œFive more minutes,” she said groggily, flopping onto the pillow.
    Garrett called through the open door. “You can sleep until noon if you want, Mimi. Then I’ll take you back to Austin after lunch.”
    His words were more effective than a bucket of ice-cold spring water. “All right, all right,” she said with a groan. “I’m up.”
    She rose to her feet, every aching joint screaming in protest. Wincing, she moved to the dresser and stared into the mirror. Unfortunately, she looked even worse than she felt. Her face was red with sunburn, her nose was peeling and her hair stuck out at odd angles.
    She’d seen Garrett’s reflection in the mirror when he woke her. He’d looked as handsome as ever in his old jeans and worn chambray shirt. He’d tasted wonderful, too. She closed her eyes for a moment, reliving that kiss.
    With a sigh, she reached for the hairbrush on top of the dresser. Still only half-awake, she knocked her hand against the small, tattered teddy bear perched on the corner of the dresser, sending it to the floor. She bent to pick it up, aware of the ominous creaking in her sore knees.
    It was old. Very old. With black button eyes and an odd stitching pattern on the mouth that gave it a whimsical smile. The excelsior stuffing had shifted inside it, making it too thin in some places and too thick in others.
    Mimi carefully replaced the teddy bear on the dresser, letting her fingers caress the worn brown fur on its belly. She’d been too exhausted last night to notice the bear, but now she realized how incongruously it stood out in the utilitarian bedroom. Garrett didn’t have any pictures on the walls or other knickknacks. Just a bed, a dresser, a desk and a teddy bear.
    Mimi smiled as she ran the brush through her tangled tresses. Garrett Lord didn’t seem like the teddy bear type. But then, what did she really know about the man, other than that he was a hell of a good kisser. She worked her hair into a neat braid, then secured the ends with a ponytail holder. She