Read Online Million Dollar Marriage by MAGGIE SHAYNE - Free Book Online

way off on the
     horizon she could see the hazy outline and lighted windows of the Double Crown, about
     two miles distant.
    “This is a peaceful place,” she said.
    “Yes. It’s my favorite spot on the entire spread.”
    “Really? Even at 3:00 a.m.?”
    He nodded. “Especially at 3:00 a.m. Listen.”
    Lucinda let her eyes fall closed, let the breeze caress her into a state of calm she
     hadn’t felt in weeks, and listened. The gentle laughter of a stream not too far off.
     The call of a night bird to punctuate the unending whir of crickets and tree frogs.
     A bullfrog sang his deep baritone chorus. The wind made the leaves dance in the trees.
    “Heaven,” she whispered.
    “Yeah,” he replied.
    They never did eat.
    Holden woke to softness and a scent he found intensely arousing. Within a moment of
     opening his eyes he identified it. It was Lucy. Her hair, her skin…something. They’d
     fallen asleep on the porch swing. And now she was curled up in his arms with herhead on his shoulder, hugging his waist like a lover.
    He stared down at her, wondering if he had ever in his life spent the night with a
     woman and not had sex with her.
    Nope, he didn’t think so.
    About that time Lucy’s head lifted until her eyes locked with his. She blinked, and
     those eyes got as big as saucers. She was just so damned cute in the morning. Hair
     all tossed around, eyes so big and confused and unfocused. Her arms were still locked
     around his waist. His held her tightly to him. And he supposed he must not be fully
     awake himself, because he suddenly moved the merest bit it took to settle his mouth
     atop hers.
    Damn, that was good. He tilted her head and kissed her deeper, one hand creeping over
     her nape and into her hair until it cupped her head so he could move her into just
     the right position. He heard the soft sigh that stuttered out of her. He tasted it.
     And then he pulled her right into his lap, bending over her to kiss the living hell
     out of her.
    That was the wrong thing to do. She went stiff. Her hands flattened to his chest,
     and she shoved for all she was worth.
    Holden lifted his head, opened his eyes. Hers were wide open and glittering up at
     him. “Get off me,” was all she said.
    He didn’t bother telling her that she was the one sitting on his lap. Instead he straightened,
     letting her slide off him. Not to sit beside him, but landing on her feet on the redwood
     floor instead. She smoothed her hair, narrowed her eyes. “Just so we’re clear onthis,” she said, “I don’t do one-night stands anymore.”
    He lifted his brows. “Does that mean you did once?”
    Her look turned thunderous.
    “Forget I asked that. It was rude…unforgivable. Look, I didn’t mean to kiss you like
     that just now.”
    “You didn’t?” she asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
    “No,” he said, looking at his feet, going for humble and apologetic. “I opened my
     eyes and there you were, snuggled up in my arms. So close, so soft and…and so beautiful.”
     He peeked up at her. The anger was fading. Disbelief remained, but she didn’t look
     ready to skin him now. At least, not as much as she had a moment ago. “I thought maybe
     I was dreaming,” he went on. “And when you kissed me back, I knew I didn’t want to
     wake up.”
    Lucy stared hard at him, searched his eyes, sought the lie, but he was too good to
     reveal it. Finally she sighed and shook her head. He did have one thing on her. She
     had kissed him back. At first.
    And it had been like touching some unknown element and watching it shimmer and ripple
     in reaction to that touch.
    Wow. Why the hell did Lucy Brightwater have to be a good girl?
    “Just don’t let it happen again.” She straightened her skirt, smoothed her hair again.
     “I—I should go.”
    “No, wait.” For some reason he didn’t want her to leave just yet. Something about
     it felt wrong. He was almost desperate—very unlike him—but he couldn’thelp that.