Read Online To Win Her Trust by Mackenzie Crowne - Free Book Online

offer dangling before her like a six-foot-four bar of rich, dark chocolate? For that matter, how was she supposed to put the memory of his kiss out of her mind if he kept showing up?
    Her gaze clashed with his. The challenge in his waiting smile nearly made her nod her head in affirmation of the old lady’s question and leave him to deal with the consequences. He might be a bulldozer, but Mary Olsen was a steamroller. She’d flatten him without blinking an eye.
    CC shook her head instead. “Everything’s fine.”
    Mary stabbed him with a steely stare. “You sweet on our CC, Mr. Tucker?”
    “Mary!”
    Her neighbor ignored her horrified outburst, holding Tuck’s amused gaze.
    “I admit I am. Can you blame me?” He winked at CC. “She sure is pretty.”
    Mary pointed a gnarled finger at his nose. “She’s a good girl. Always helps out her neighbors. You do right by her, or you’ll answer to me.”
    He nodded solemnly, but his eyes danced with humor. “Yes, ma’am.”
    Disgusted with both of them, CC found her voice. “Will you excuse us, Mary?” She speared Tuck with a don’t-you-dare-cross-me glare and jerked her head toward her open door. “I need to speak to you for a minute. Inside.”
    He nodded, then turned his dimpled smile on her nosy neighbor. “A pleasure, ma’am.” He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial burr. “It so happens I’ve been in Parsons Market and Wanda told me personally if I ever needed anything, I should ask. You tell her I asked you to pick me up an order of her best cantaloupe. She’ll fix you up.”
    Mary harrumphed, but her eyes gleamed with anticipation. CC shook her head. Of course Wanda Parsons promised him special treatment. Like Mary, the grocer was a woman and a chatty one at that. How many times had she greeted CC personally as she walked through the door? No doubt he’d had Wanda eating out of his hand the moment he arrived in her store.
    Mary faced CC and a rare smile twisted her lips beneath the thick coat of dark red lipstick. “It’s about time you found yourself a handsome young man, young lady.” Her empty shopping cart clanged behind her as she toddled down the brick sidewalk.
    CC refused to look at him. Patting her thigh, she turned and went inside with Walter at her heels. Tuck followed then shut the door behind him. She spun around to find him glancing around her home. He propped his hands on his hips and faced her.
    She jabbed a finger in his direction. “Don’t say a word.”
    “Aw, don’t pout.” A dimple popped in his slow smile. “Can I help it your neighbor has good taste?”
    “I mean it. Just shut up for a minute and let me think.”
    He grinned and surprised her by complying. Relaxing into a hip-cocked stance, he raised a blond brow and waited.
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    CC’s teeth gnashed at the soft skin of her bottom lip as she held firm beneath his steady gaze. If the last two days were any indication, he was already going to be a problem. Now that he’d overheard her crazy proposition….
    A little bit of research and she knew more about the Marauders’ sexy wide receiver than she wanted to. She hadn’t been the least surprised at the countless articles proclaiming his class-A, lady-killer status. If the reports were correct, he’d left a crisscrossing trail of broken hearts across the country and beyond. Not the type of man to waste his time chasing after a woman who’d made it more than clear she wasn’t interested. So, what was up with the heavy-duty pass?
    Under normal circumstances, she’d enjoy handing a player like him a resounding defeat, but with Ronald out of the running, her list of candidates had shot from one to zero. Why shouldn’t she use Tuck’s stubborn refusal to take no for an answer to her advantage? There was no denying he was attractive, and after Ronald’s rejection, herego could use the boost.
    Physically, Tuck couldn’t be more perfect for her needs, and emotionally, she had nothing to worry about.