Read Online Meant To Be by Donna Marie Rogers - Free Book Online Page A

down to scratch Mr. Louie behind the ears.
    Jessica swore she could feel her blood pressure rising. “I was in a great mood until someone started hammering at eight o'clock in the morning!"
    He straightened and grasped her forearm. “Come here, Miss Crabbypants."
    Jessica resisted, but it was no use. The big oaf outweighed her by a ton. “Look, I just want to finish my tea and relax. Today's my last day off for almost two weeks."
    He leaned back and frowned down at her. “Why are you working so many hours?"
    She rolled her eyes. “Um, I have bills to pay...?"
    His gaze became pensive as he massaged the back of her neck. Slowly, she relaxed until she was leaning into his broad chest, eyes closed, inhaling his spicy masculine scent. He always smelled so good ... Damn, the man was a magician; she'd already forgotten why she was mad at him ... Wait, oh yeah. “So what's with all that hammering?"
    "We're building a doghouse."
    His busy fingers moved to her shoulders wringing a groan of ecstasy from her. Oh, God, was she drooling on his shirt? Then his words registered. Jessica leaned back and swiped her mouth with the back of her wrist. “A doghouse? But you don't have a dog ... do you?"
    "No, but Ethan's been begging for a puppy for a couple years now. I guess he finally wore Sara down. And Mike's still in the ‘buy-Ethan-anything-he-wants’ phase.” Garrett glanced down at his T-shirt and chuckled. He reached out and recaptured the back of her neck. “Liked that, did you? You do seem a little tense—"
    "Oh, no you don't.” She ducked out of his reach and took a few steps back. He started to follow but she held up both hands. “You stay right where you are."
    He propped his hands on his hips. “So do I have a date tonight or what?"
    "Or what."
    He grinned. “Wear something sexy,” he said with a wink before strolling out the back door. The jackass even had the nerve to whistle.
    Jessica walked over and slammed the door with a muttered, “Nutjob.” Then she headed into the bedroom to search through her closet.
    * * * *
    "Make yourself comfortable, Montgomery,” the prison guard advised as the cell door slammed shut. The clip of his heels against the concrete faded away as he disappeared down the corridor.
    "So what are you in for?"
    Jack Sutton cracked one eye open and glared up at the idiot who'd just been let into the cell. In less than five hours he'd walk out of this place a free man, and all he wanted to do until then was sleep. He dismissed the balding, weasel-faced slug with a grunt and rolled over to face the wall. The guy took a piss, flushed the toilet, then crossed the small cell and climbed up onto the top bunk.
    "I just transferred over from the hospital,” Montgomery said. “Got shot in the chest by a cop."
    Jack let out a disgusted sigh. “Do I look like I give a shit?"
    "Sorry, man, I'm just a little nervous. Ain't never been in the joint before,” the idiot admitted. “I shot a cop, but he's fine. I just winged him. Big guy like that don't go down easy, I'll tell you that."
    Jack cracked an eye open again, but this time with interest. “Oh yeah? How big?"
    "Shit, I bet the dude's at least six-and-a-half feet tall,” Montgomery said, his need to brag obvious. “One of those muscle heads, with arms as thick as my legs."
    Jack rolled back over and laced his fingers behind his head. “So what in the world made you shoot at a cop? You got a death wish or something?"
    "I had no choice. I got mixed up with this other asshole cop who got burned by Jamison's sister."
    Jack's mouth went dry. No goddamn way. “Jamison?” he repeated, keeping his tone even. No way could this idiot be talking about the same cop who'd helped put Jack behind bars. The cop had been big, but not that big. It had been seven years, though. People change in seven years.
    The bunk squeaked as Montgomery lay back. “That's the cop. The one I shot. His sister was dating the other cop and seeing her ex at the same time.