Read Online Thief of Hearts by MaryJanice Davidson - Free Book Online

just been. “But you’re not for me.”
    “Not for you? What, like I’m something you’d pick up at Macy’s?”
    “Not Macy’s,” she said, hating her cool tone but helpless to stop. “Maybe Kmart.”
    His eyebrows arched. “Mee-yeow! Hey, don’t take it out on me because you’re sexually frustrated, sweetie. I was all set to tango… you were the one who called time out. Aarrggh!” He clutched his head, writhing. Alarmed, she reached for him, then forced her hand to drop back to her lap.
    He looked up and speared her with his direct gaze. “I don’t want to fight. Listen, I only kissed you because I couldn’t stand being near you and not touching you. And because I really did want to thank you for taking care of the bad guys in the park. That’s twice you’ve saved my butt. You barely know me and you keep putting yourself in danger for me. It’s maddening, but sexy as hell.” He picked up her hand and she let him, afraid to speak, afraid to return the pressure of his fingers. “Why are you doing this?
    Why me?”
    “I don’t know,” she said.
    “Well, I do,” he said with maddening assurance. “It’s because you’re good, you couldn’t stand to see someone in trouble and had to help. You—”
    She flung off his hand and jumped up. “I’m not good!” she practically shouted. “I’m as far from good as someone like you could imagine.”
    His eyebrows arched. “Someone like me?”
    She ignored the interruption. “I’m helping you because you’ve got a nice body and great eyes, okay?
    I’m in it for purely selfish reasons, I’m—I’m planning on shoring up your gratitude and trading it for sex, I—stop laughing .”
    He had actually fallen off the couch, was holding his stomach and giggling like an idiot. He choked off his mirth, grinned up at her and said, “Sure you are. That’s why you bolted out of my bathroom like your hair was on fire. Fess up, Kara. Why are you here?”
    “A very good question,” she grumbled and stepped over him to leave. Damned if she was going to tell him a thing. Not that she had been planning to. But if she had been (and she had not been), she wouldn’t now. No way. The man turned everything into a joke. She couldn’t bear it if he turned her life into a punch line. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t leave your apartment until I come back.”

    He rolled over, cat-quick and grabbed her lower leg. Her progress toward the door slowed dramatically as she found herself lugging his two hundred pounds. “No you don’t,” he grunted. “You’re not doing one of your Batman-type fadeouts. We’re going to have a real talk like two people in a relationship.”
    “We’re—not—in—a—relationship.” She braced herself and pulled, with no luck. He was stuck to her leg like a lamprey. She had no leverage. She could have loosened his grip any number of ways—kicking him in the eye would be a good start—but couldn’t bring herself to hurt him. Not physically, anyway.
    “Let go—before I—put you—in—traction.”
    “I’ll call that bluff, thanks. Bodyguards don’t whup their clients. Besides, we both know you’re crazy about me.” He chortled over what he probably assumed was a gross exaggeration. “Now talk! Who are you? Why are you here? When are you going to marry me?”
    She stopped pulling and looked down at him. He was sprawled behind her, holding onto her calf with white knuckles, looking up at her with touching sincerity. “Stop joking.”
    “I’m not,” he said quietly. “I think you’re fabulous. I want to be with you all the time. You’re beautiful and smart and tough and vulnerable and sweet and a fantastic kisser and you have the prettiest breasts I’ve ever—”
    “Stop it! You don’t know me, you don’t know anything about me now let me go .”
    He did and slowly got to his feet. But she had lost the urge to flee. “There’s something else I know about you,” he said. “You’re scared shitless, but I’ll