Read Online Meet Your Mate (A Good Riders Romance Book 1) by Jacie Floyd - Free Book Online
Authors: Jacie Floyd
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heard her gulp. “As in whips and chains?”
A grin spread across his face at the
note of panic in her voice. Sometimes having a bad reputation worked to his
advantage. People expected the worst, and anything less made him look like an
angel.
“Are you into that kinky stuff? I
can change our plans if you want.”
“No!” she croaked. “I mean, no.”
More throat clearing followed. “You’re kidding, right? Of course, you’re
kidding. I’m sure whatever you have planned is fine. Um, Max?”
“Hmmm?”
“What exactly do you have planned?”
“Like last night, only one of us
will know until we walk out your door. Deal?”
Silent seconds ticked by.
“Just one more question.”
“Nope, this isn’t Jeopardy .
I’m all out of answers. You either want to go or you don’t. Try to decide
before I get there.”
Annabel’s eyes and temples pounded.
Her teeth and cheeks hurt. Even her hair. Stomach, toes. Everything.
She downed two aspirin with her
first cup of coffee, then tried to coax a slice of toast into settling easily
on her queasy tummy. She’d like nothing more than to crawl back under the
covers and coddle the first hangover of her life with the kid gloves it
deserved. But she wouldn’t put it past Max to come and pull her out of bed if
she weren’t ready and waiting when he arrived.
Taking her second cup of coffee out
on the deck, she cleared her head with deep breaths of fresh spring air. A
cheerful flat of pansies taunted her from the back steps. Gardening was one of
the many chores that would remain undone today since she’d agreed to go
somewhere with Max.
Somewhere with Max. Yikes. That
sounded both ominous and thrilling.
Where? And why?
Why had he asked? And more
importantly, why had she agreed?
Truth to tell, the butterflies
fluttering around in her stomach were as much from anxiety as too much
champagne. No telling what kind of activity Max considered fun . Probably
something she considered immoral, illegal, or improper. Although it was hard to
imagine anyone doing anything depraved on such a beautiful April morning.
She’d heard about Max’s wicked
reputation ever since he came to town. People at work said he led the pack at
trying any hare-brained stunt at least twice. And when it came to women,
apparently, he was the master of love ‘ em , and leave
‘ em . Mindy, one of the besotted admins at work
boasted that when he loved them, he left them smiling.
Of course, that wasn’t always true.
Annabel had heard DeeDee crying and throwing up in the restroom a few weeks
after Max glibly moved on to another victim. Poor deluded DeeDee defended Max instead of blaming him, but then she’d moved to Kansas before the
baby arrived. Making a fresh start, in a new job, in a new city, with a new
baby. DeeDee hadn’t managed to keep in contact with
Annabel beyond a few emails and texts. She got the feeling that DeeDee wanted to put Cincinnati and Max behind her.
In over her head, maybe Annabel
should tell Max she wouldn’t go with him today. Maybe she’d tell him she had to
be back home by noon. Maybe she’d demand the truth from him about DeeDee . And the intern.
Right. And maybe she’d change her
name to Angelina, marry Brad Pitt, and move to France.
She stretched out in the chaise,
put her feet up, and closed her eyes. Searching for inner peace, she tried one
of the relaxation techniques she’d learned during her husband’s long illness. Take
strength from the ordinary pleasures of your surroundings, and don’t think about fondling Max during Wagner’s “The Ride of the Valkyries.”
Dang! Commanding herself not to
think about it only made her think about it more.
Robins and larks twittered and
fluttered around the bird feeder. A woodpecker tapped into an elm by the fence.
Faint music drifted to her from a speaker in the kitchen. Children peddled
tricycles on the driveway next to hers.
She pressed her fingertips to her
temples as an engine roared nearby. Leave it to
A grin spread across his face at the
note of panic in her voice. Sometimes having a bad reputation worked to his
advantage. People expected the worst, and anything less made him look like an
angel.
“Are you into that kinky stuff? I
can change our plans if you want.”
“No!” she croaked. “I mean, no.”
More throat clearing followed. “You’re kidding, right? Of course, you’re
kidding. I’m sure whatever you have planned is fine. Um, Max?”
“Hmmm?”
“What exactly do you have planned?”
“Like last night, only one of us
will know until we walk out your door. Deal?”
Silent seconds ticked by.
“Just one more question.”
“Nope, this isn’t Jeopardy .
I’m all out of answers. You either want to go or you don’t. Try to decide
before I get there.”
Annabel’s eyes and temples pounded.
Her teeth and cheeks hurt. Even her hair. Stomach, toes. Everything.
She downed two aspirin with her
first cup of coffee, then tried to coax a slice of toast into settling easily
on her queasy tummy. She’d like nothing more than to crawl back under the
covers and coddle the first hangover of her life with the kid gloves it
deserved. But she wouldn’t put it past Max to come and pull her out of bed if
she weren’t ready and waiting when he arrived.
Taking her second cup of coffee out
on the deck, she cleared her head with deep breaths of fresh spring air. A
cheerful flat of pansies taunted her from the back steps. Gardening was one of
the many chores that would remain undone today since she’d agreed to go
somewhere with Max.
Somewhere with Max. Yikes. That
sounded both ominous and thrilling.
Where? And why?
Why had he asked? And more
importantly, why had she agreed?
Truth to tell, the butterflies
fluttering around in her stomach were as much from anxiety as too much
champagne. No telling what kind of activity Max considered fun . Probably
something she considered immoral, illegal, or improper. Although it was hard to
imagine anyone doing anything depraved on such a beautiful April morning.
She’d heard about Max’s wicked
reputation ever since he came to town. People at work said he led the pack at
trying any hare-brained stunt at least twice. And when it came to women,
apparently, he was the master of love ‘ em , and leave
‘ em . Mindy, one of the besotted admins at work
boasted that when he loved them, he left them smiling.
Of course, that wasn’t always true.
Annabel had heard DeeDee crying and throwing up in the restroom a few weeks
after Max glibly moved on to another victim. Poor deluded DeeDee defended Max instead of blaming him, but then she’d moved to Kansas before the
baby arrived. Making a fresh start, in a new job, in a new city, with a new
baby. DeeDee hadn’t managed to keep in contact with
Annabel beyond a few emails and texts. She got the feeling that DeeDee wanted to put Cincinnati and Max behind her.
In over her head, maybe Annabel
should tell Max she wouldn’t go with him today. Maybe she’d tell him she had to
be back home by noon. Maybe she’d demand the truth from him about DeeDee . And the intern.
Right. And maybe she’d change her
name to Angelina, marry Brad Pitt, and move to France.
She stretched out in the chaise,
put her feet up, and closed her eyes. Searching for inner peace, she tried one
of the relaxation techniques she’d learned during her husband’s long illness. Take
strength from the ordinary pleasures of your surroundings, and don’t think about fondling Max during Wagner’s “The Ride of the Valkyries.”
Dang! Commanding herself not to
think about it only made her think about it more.
Robins and larks twittered and
fluttered around the bird feeder. A woodpecker tapped into an elm by the fence.
Faint music drifted to her from a speaker in the kitchen. Children peddled
tricycles on the driveway next to hers.
She pressed her fingertips to her
temples as an engine roared nearby. Leave it to
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