Read Online Thin Ice by Liana Laverentz - Free Book Online
Authors: Liana Laverentz
Tags: Romance
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beauty, compassion and class. I also thought you were heading into the Vulcan death grip the way you squeezed my shoulder to shut me up. What gives?"
Eric winced. “I'm sorry if I hurt you, Miranda."
"I'm fine. You startled me, is al. Sometimes, you don't know your own strength. So, what's up with the good doctor?"
"I don't know. She ... intrigues me. She seems so ... self-contained."
"She has to be. She's a single mother. It's not only herself she has to look out for, but her child."
"I'm not after her money, Miranda."
Miranda laughed. “I meant emotionaly, you dolt. Emily Jordan strikes me as the kind of woman who, if she were to get involved with a man, would carefuly consider the effect the relationship would have on her son."
Eric recaled the misplaced pride with which Robbie had admitted to serving detention. “Which in my case is more negative than positive."
Miranda patted his cheek. “The woman's got a good head on her shoulders, Mr. Cameron. She knows trouble when she sees it."
Eric chuckled and headed for the door, already considering ways to change Emily's mind about him. “Catch you later, Miranda. I'l let you know when that equipment comes in."
"Thanks again, and Eric..."
He paused, the door halfway open.
She grinned. “Good luck."
Chapter Five
Outside, Eric was surprised to find Emily and Robbie hadn't left yet.
Instead, Robbie was knee deep in admiring the Porsche while Emily tried in vain to peel him from the passenger window. “Look, Mom!
A real Boxter! Man, it's got everything!"
A real Boxter! Man, it's got everything!"
At Eric's amused chuckle, Emily glanced over her shoulder. Before she could snatch up her son and disappear, Eric suggested, “Why don't you hop inside for a closer look, Sport?"
The boy didn't need a second invitation. When Emily didn't object, Eric's confidence rose. But as Robbie scrambled inside, Emily shut the passenger door behind him and whirled on Eric. “Why don't you just stay out of my life?"
Gone was the icy control with which she'd faced him in the office. In its place was raw fury. No ... that wasn't it. She wasn't furious; the woman was frazzled. Right down to the bone. Dark shadows ringed her eyes, tiny stress lines creased her brow, her skirt and sweater were wrinkled and smudged beneath her open coat, a thick strand of deep auburn hair had escaped her drooping bun, and her hands and shoes were stained with a blue dye.
Never had a woman looked more appealing to him. And never in his adult life had Eric known one more in need of some serious TLC. Just the sight of her so close to coming undone made him want to wrap his arms around her, hold her close and tel her everything was going to be al right.
Miranda was right. He had it bad.
"I'm sorry, Emily. I can't do that."
She glared at him, looking ready to shatter.
She glared at him, looking ready to shatter.
"Listen, can we talk? Maybe grab a burger or something with Robbie? Get this ... misunderstanding cleared up?"
She shook her head as if he somehow amazed her, and not in a positive way. “This misunderstanding,” she said slowly, “is between my son and myself. I'l admit I may have judged you harshly, and that you may have been right about Robbie's excess energy, but he's my son, and whatever happens from here on out is my responsibility."
"Emily, I wasn't trying to interfere. I only want to help."
"Help?” she echoed, her voice cracking. “You've helped quite enough, thank you. Thanks to you, for the past three days my son has barely spoken to me. So please, do us al a favor and find someone else to help."
Eric felt terrible. He didn't know what to say. “Jeez, Emily, I'm sor
—"
"Damn it, Eric. You're the last thing we need in our lives right now.
How can I make that clear to you?"
He paused. She'd caled him Eric. But this was no time to celebrate smal victories. The woman was too close to her personal edge.
Backing off, he knocked on the Boxter's passenger
Eric winced. “I'm sorry if I hurt you, Miranda."
"I'm fine. You startled me, is al. Sometimes, you don't know your own strength. So, what's up with the good doctor?"
"I don't know. She ... intrigues me. She seems so ... self-contained."
"She has to be. She's a single mother. It's not only herself she has to look out for, but her child."
"I'm not after her money, Miranda."
Miranda laughed. “I meant emotionaly, you dolt. Emily Jordan strikes me as the kind of woman who, if she were to get involved with a man, would carefuly consider the effect the relationship would have on her son."
Eric recaled the misplaced pride with which Robbie had admitted to serving detention. “Which in my case is more negative than positive."
Miranda patted his cheek. “The woman's got a good head on her shoulders, Mr. Cameron. She knows trouble when she sees it."
Eric chuckled and headed for the door, already considering ways to change Emily's mind about him. “Catch you later, Miranda. I'l let you know when that equipment comes in."
"Thanks again, and Eric..."
He paused, the door halfway open.
She grinned. “Good luck."
Chapter Five
Outside, Eric was surprised to find Emily and Robbie hadn't left yet.
Instead, Robbie was knee deep in admiring the Porsche while Emily tried in vain to peel him from the passenger window. “Look, Mom!
A real Boxter! Man, it's got everything!"
A real Boxter! Man, it's got everything!"
At Eric's amused chuckle, Emily glanced over her shoulder. Before she could snatch up her son and disappear, Eric suggested, “Why don't you hop inside for a closer look, Sport?"
The boy didn't need a second invitation. When Emily didn't object, Eric's confidence rose. But as Robbie scrambled inside, Emily shut the passenger door behind him and whirled on Eric. “Why don't you just stay out of my life?"
Gone was the icy control with which she'd faced him in the office. In its place was raw fury. No ... that wasn't it. She wasn't furious; the woman was frazzled. Right down to the bone. Dark shadows ringed her eyes, tiny stress lines creased her brow, her skirt and sweater were wrinkled and smudged beneath her open coat, a thick strand of deep auburn hair had escaped her drooping bun, and her hands and shoes were stained with a blue dye.
Never had a woman looked more appealing to him. And never in his adult life had Eric known one more in need of some serious TLC. Just the sight of her so close to coming undone made him want to wrap his arms around her, hold her close and tel her everything was going to be al right.
Miranda was right. He had it bad.
"I'm sorry, Emily. I can't do that."
She glared at him, looking ready to shatter.
She glared at him, looking ready to shatter.
"Listen, can we talk? Maybe grab a burger or something with Robbie? Get this ... misunderstanding cleared up?"
She shook her head as if he somehow amazed her, and not in a positive way. “This misunderstanding,” she said slowly, “is between my son and myself. I'l admit I may have judged you harshly, and that you may have been right about Robbie's excess energy, but he's my son, and whatever happens from here on out is my responsibility."
"Emily, I wasn't trying to interfere. I only want to help."
"Help?” she echoed, her voice cracking. “You've helped quite enough, thank you. Thanks to you, for the past three days my son has barely spoken to me. So please, do us al a favor and find someone else to help."
Eric felt terrible. He didn't know what to say. “Jeez, Emily, I'm sor
—"
"Damn it, Eric. You're the last thing we need in our lives right now.
How can I make that clear to you?"
He paused. She'd caled him Eric. But this was no time to celebrate smal victories. The woman was too close to her personal edge.
Backing off, he knocked on the Boxter's passenger
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