Read Online Keeping Katie (A Mother's Heart #1) by Patricia Keelyn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia Keelyn
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what, Maureen,” Alan said. “I need to go that way myself tomorrow. I’d be glad to give you a lift. It’ll save you the bus fare.”
Maureen’s hand froze as she started to grab a salt shaker. “Thanks, Alan, but I can’t—”
“Why not?”
She turned to look at him, meeting his gaze as steadily as her sudden attack of nerves would allow. “I couldn’t impose on you like that.”
“Don’t be silly.” His mouth smiled while his eyes challenged. “I’d enjoy the company.”
“Well …” Maureen hesitated, feeling the trap close around her. She threw a glance at Lynn, who watched the exchange with interest. Looking back at Alan, she saw determination written across his features. “I might take a while,” she said, making one last attempt to get out of this. “Hours.”
“No problem.” His smile broadened. “I’ll need several hours myself.”
Maureen knew she’d lost. She couldn’t refuse Alan’s offer without arousing his and Lynn’s curiosity. Yet how could she let him drive her to Seattle? Even if she could avoid telling him why she needed to go to Seattle to use the library’s computers instead of those at the Internet Café here in Wyattville, and he gave her the time she needed to search online for articles, how was she going to handle spending hours alone with him in a car? She took a deep breath and told herself she’d just have to deal with it. She had no choice. Besides, there
was
the added benefit of saving the bus fare.
“Sure,” she finally said, “that would be great.” Alan caught the frustration in Maureen’s eyes and couldn’t help but smile. She no more wanted to accept a ride from him than she wanted to jump off the nearest cliff.
That was just too bad.
He’d avoided her for weeks, hoping time and distance would bring her around, make her more receptive to the attraction between them. It hadn’t worked. She continued to turn cold and bristly whenever he entered the room.
Of course, he would have left her alone altogether if not for the moments she’d let her guard down. The times when he’d looked into her eyes and seen the heat. The woman wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Getting her away from Wyattville might be the answer.
Alan showed up at Rita’s house at eight o’clock the next morning as promised. Maureen opened the door for him, looking soft and vulnerable, as if she’d just crawled out of bed. Her gaze drifted down the length of him, her cheeks flushing prettily in the morning light.
“ ‘Morning,” he drawled, letting his own gaze linger at a point just above the opening of her blouse, before moving on to her mouth. “You look ready to me.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath and saw the slight quiver of her lips. Taking a step closer, he looked into her eyes. “What do you say? Ready?”
“No.” She took a step backward and her hand sprang forward as if to stop him. “Yes. I mean, just about.”
Grinning, he moved in a little closer, capturing her wayward hand in his and bringing it to his lips. “It’s a great day for a ride.”
That did it. She jerked her hand from his grasp and visibly pulled herself together, closing herself off to him. “Is it?” She raised a questioning eyebrow to him while taking another, larger step backward.
Alan suppressed a chuckle. “Sure looks that way to me.”
He wanted nothing more than to press her up against the nearest wall and kiss her senseless. Sooner or later, he would do it, too. He’d just about run out of patience. But for now, he would let her stiffen her spine and put ice in her voice if it made her feel safer. But he wouldn’t wait forever.
Removing his hat, he decided it was best to change the subject. “Are you going to make me wait out here?”
Maureen hesitated a moment longer before stepping back from the door, allowing him to enter. “Rita made us coffee and sandwiches to take along. And I need to tell Katie goodbye.”
“I thought she was coming
Maureen’s hand froze as she started to grab a salt shaker. “Thanks, Alan, but I can’t—”
“Why not?”
She turned to look at him, meeting his gaze as steadily as her sudden attack of nerves would allow. “I couldn’t impose on you like that.”
“Don’t be silly.” His mouth smiled while his eyes challenged. “I’d enjoy the company.”
“Well …” Maureen hesitated, feeling the trap close around her. She threw a glance at Lynn, who watched the exchange with interest. Looking back at Alan, she saw determination written across his features. “I might take a while,” she said, making one last attempt to get out of this. “Hours.”
“No problem.” His smile broadened. “I’ll need several hours myself.”
Maureen knew she’d lost. She couldn’t refuse Alan’s offer without arousing his and Lynn’s curiosity. Yet how could she let him drive her to Seattle? Even if she could avoid telling him why she needed to go to Seattle to use the library’s computers instead of those at the Internet Café here in Wyattville, and he gave her the time she needed to search online for articles, how was she going to handle spending hours alone with him in a car? She took a deep breath and told herself she’d just have to deal with it. She had no choice. Besides, there
was
the added benefit of saving the bus fare.
“Sure,” she finally said, “that would be great.” Alan caught the frustration in Maureen’s eyes and couldn’t help but smile. She no more wanted to accept a ride from him than she wanted to jump off the nearest cliff.
That was just too bad.
He’d avoided her for weeks, hoping time and distance would bring her around, make her more receptive to the attraction between them. It hadn’t worked. She continued to turn cold and bristly whenever he entered the room.
Of course, he would have left her alone altogether if not for the moments she’d let her guard down. The times when he’d looked into her eyes and seen the heat. The woman wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Getting her away from Wyattville might be the answer.
Alan showed up at Rita’s house at eight o’clock the next morning as promised. Maureen opened the door for him, looking soft and vulnerable, as if she’d just crawled out of bed. Her gaze drifted down the length of him, her cheeks flushing prettily in the morning light.
“ ‘Morning,” he drawled, letting his own gaze linger at a point just above the opening of her blouse, before moving on to her mouth. “You look ready to me.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath and saw the slight quiver of her lips. Taking a step closer, he looked into her eyes. “What do you say? Ready?”
“No.” She took a step backward and her hand sprang forward as if to stop him. “Yes. I mean, just about.”
Grinning, he moved in a little closer, capturing her wayward hand in his and bringing it to his lips. “It’s a great day for a ride.”
That did it. She jerked her hand from his grasp and visibly pulled herself together, closing herself off to him. “Is it?” She raised a questioning eyebrow to him while taking another, larger step backward.
Alan suppressed a chuckle. “Sure looks that way to me.”
He wanted nothing more than to press her up against the nearest wall and kiss her senseless. Sooner or later, he would do it, too. He’d just about run out of patience. But for now, he would let her stiffen her spine and put ice in her voice if it made her feel safer. But he wouldn’t wait forever.
Removing his hat, he decided it was best to change the subject. “Are you going to make me wait out here?”
Maureen hesitated a moment longer before stepping back from the door, allowing him to enter. “Rita made us coffee and sandwiches to take along. And I need to tell Katie goodbye.”
“I thought she was coming
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