Read Online Stealing Home: A Diamonds and Dugouts Novel by Jennifer Seasons - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Seasons
Ads: Link
she was a real caffeine addict.
Amusement filled him at the almost euphoric look on her face. He watched as her eyes drifted halfway closed and she inhaled deep, her lips curving in a smile of pure satisfaction. His gut tightened at the small purring sound she made low in her throat. It made him think of other ways to make her purr.
And he shouldn’t be thinking things like that at all about Lorelei. The woman had his priceless lucky charm in her possession—had acquired it in a rather dubious manner. Hell, he wasn’t too sure she didn’t do shit like that on a regular basis just for kicks.
Uncomfortable with where his thoughts were headed, Mark turned his head slightly to look more fully at her. She was even more attractive in the harsh light of day than she’d been the other night. And she didn’t have a bit of makeup on.
Her hair was a mess, he’d admit that. But for some reason it added to her appeal. Like a mass of liquid chocolate, it tumbled from her ponytail in loose waves, flyaway strands framing her face and neck. He knew it was every bit as luxurious to touch as it looked.
Shoving his hands in his sweatshirt pockets he frowned and continued to study Lorelei as she devoured the menu on the board behind the counter. She had flawless skin. The golden velvet look was real, not some creation of the makeup she’d worn two nights ago. He’d had seen his fair share of women who looked great with makeup and way less than stellar without it.
Fact was, Lorelei Littleton was a natural beauty.
For some reason that kind of irritated him. Mark grabbed hold of her elbow again and tugged her gently toward the counter. At 6:15 in the morning, the café was nearly empty except for an elderly couple at a corner table sipping coffee and sharing the morning newspaper. A young woman wearing nursing scrubs lounged tiredly on the red sofa.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You wanted coffee. Now why don’t you stop staring and order yourself something to get your brain working. You’re a little slow this morning.”
Lorelei turned her stare on him. He was halfway expecting a lecture of feminine affront, but she just smiled and nodded. “I am slow this morning, aren’t I? Couldn’t be from all the excitement and lack of sleep of the past few days, could it?”
Mark felt himself grin in response. “Nah, couldn’t be. I’m thinking you might be sluggish from all those fries and burgers you’ve stolen. All that saturated fat, you know.”
She rolled her beautiful eyes at him and said with exaggeration, “Whatever.”
Chuckling, he slipped his wallet from his back pocket and tossed a twenty down as she stepped up to the counter. “I’ll take an orange juice and one of your fresh fruit bowls, along with whatever the lady wants.”
Before Lorelei could protest he reached up a hand and squeezed the back of her neck. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered.”
She eyed him warily for a moment, then turned to the barista to give her order. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Grabbing his breakfast and utensils, Mark led the way to a round wooden table in the far corner by the front window and took a seat. His gaze settled on her breakfast pick and his eyebrow shot up in surprise. Apparently Lorelei had quite a sweet tooth.
Munching happily on her double-chocolate muffin, she caught his gaze and muttered, “What?”
He gestured to the assortment on the table before her. “Is that the way you normally eat?”
Washing down a bite of her muffin with a swallow of coffee, she glanced down at her food and shrugged. “Sometimes, yeah. About once a month I get a real craving for all things chocolate. Why?”
Detecting a note of defiance in her voice, Mark raised an eyebrow and gave a shrug of his own. Another challenge. He grinned. “No reason in particular. Just seems like an awful lot of crap there, that’s all.” He stabbed a cantaloupe ball with his plastic fork and held it out to her. “Here,
Amusement filled him at the almost euphoric look on her face. He watched as her eyes drifted halfway closed and she inhaled deep, her lips curving in a smile of pure satisfaction. His gut tightened at the small purring sound she made low in her throat. It made him think of other ways to make her purr.
And he shouldn’t be thinking things like that at all about Lorelei. The woman had his priceless lucky charm in her possession—had acquired it in a rather dubious manner. Hell, he wasn’t too sure she didn’t do shit like that on a regular basis just for kicks.
Uncomfortable with where his thoughts were headed, Mark turned his head slightly to look more fully at her. She was even more attractive in the harsh light of day than she’d been the other night. And she didn’t have a bit of makeup on.
Her hair was a mess, he’d admit that. But for some reason it added to her appeal. Like a mass of liquid chocolate, it tumbled from her ponytail in loose waves, flyaway strands framing her face and neck. He knew it was every bit as luxurious to touch as it looked.
Shoving his hands in his sweatshirt pockets he frowned and continued to study Lorelei as she devoured the menu on the board behind the counter. She had flawless skin. The golden velvet look was real, not some creation of the makeup she’d worn two nights ago. He’d had seen his fair share of women who looked great with makeup and way less than stellar without it.
Fact was, Lorelei Littleton was a natural beauty.
For some reason that kind of irritated him. Mark grabbed hold of her elbow again and tugged her gently toward the counter. At 6:15 in the morning, the café was nearly empty except for an elderly couple at a corner table sipping coffee and sharing the morning newspaper. A young woman wearing nursing scrubs lounged tiredly on the red sofa.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You wanted coffee. Now why don’t you stop staring and order yourself something to get your brain working. You’re a little slow this morning.”
Lorelei turned her stare on him. He was halfway expecting a lecture of feminine affront, but she just smiled and nodded. “I am slow this morning, aren’t I? Couldn’t be from all the excitement and lack of sleep of the past few days, could it?”
Mark felt himself grin in response. “Nah, couldn’t be. I’m thinking you might be sluggish from all those fries and burgers you’ve stolen. All that saturated fat, you know.”
She rolled her beautiful eyes at him and said with exaggeration, “Whatever.”
Chuckling, he slipped his wallet from his back pocket and tossed a twenty down as she stepped up to the counter. “I’ll take an orange juice and one of your fresh fruit bowls, along with whatever the lady wants.”
Before Lorelei could protest he reached up a hand and squeezed the back of her neck. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered.”
She eyed him warily for a moment, then turned to the barista to give her order. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Grabbing his breakfast and utensils, Mark led the way to a round wooden table in the far corner by the front window and took a seat. His gaze settled on her breakfast pick and his eyebrow shot up in surprise. Apparently Lorelei had quite a sweet tooth.
Munching happily on her double-chocolate muffin, she caught his gaze and muttered, “What?”
He gestured to the assortment on the table before her. “Is that the way you normally eat?”
Washing down a bite of her muffin with a swallow of coffee, she glanced down at her food and shrugged. “Sometimes, yeah. About once a month I get a real craving for all things chocolate. Why?”
Detecting a note of defiance in her voice, Mark raised an eyebrow and gave a shrug of his own. Another challenge. He grinned. “No reason in particular. Just seems like an awful lot of crap there, that’s all.” He stabbed a cantaloupe ball with his plastic fork and held it out to her. “Here,
Similar Books
