Read Online Welcome to Paradise by Carol Grace - Free Book Online

if she was asking him to go hang gliding from Sheep Mountain. “Of course, if you're busy...”
    “I am pretty busy,” he said and pushed the door open halfway.
    Her heart sank. The tears she'd been holding back sprang to her eyes. Why, because a neighbor was too busy to come to dinner? Come on. She forced her lips to form a quavery smile and walked to the door, where she turned sideways and brushed by him on her way out. And in that split second, the tips of her breasts came into contact with the hard muscles in his chest.
    She froze. She wanted to move. To get away from him and his kitchen and his ranch. But she couldn't. Their faces were so close she could see the faint worry lines in his forehead. See the rough shadow of a beard that lined his jaw. Almost feel how it would scrape across her face.
    “Sorry,” she said under her breath. Surprised that she could speak at all. Surprised she could breathe.
    Zeb grabbed her by the shoulders, intending to push her away. Instead he groaned and pulled her tight against him. So tight he could feel her full breasts pressed against his chest. Her hips locked onto his. So close she must be aware of his hot unmistakable arousal. What must she think of him? Turning her out of his house, then holding on to her so she couldn't leave? He didn't know. He didn't care. He wanted her. He wanted her to go. He wanted her to stay. God help him, he just wanted her.
    He lowered his lips until they were just a whisper away from hers. He looked into her eyes, searching for something. Red light or green. What he saw was red-hot desire that matched his own. He reminded himself that this woman was standing between him and everything he wanted. But at that moment he didn't want anything as much as he wanted her. The air was thick with tension. Then he couldn't take it any longer.
    He kissed her. She kissed him back. She leaned forward and he leaned back until his spine was pressed against the side of the house. Her lips were sticky and tasted like honey. Maybe his did, too. If so, they might be stuck together forever. He trailed his callused fingers down her back then cupped her firm bottom in his broad hands to bring her even closer.
    She made a little purring sound of pleasure, then paused to lick the honey off her lips. Then off his lips. Causing a rapid increase in his heart rate until his libido couldn't take it any more. Until all he could think about was his warm bed upstairs and how much he wanted to carry her up there and smear honey all over his body just to see if she could lick it all off.
    “Boss. Boss, you still here?” George yelled from the general direction of the barn.
    He opened his mouth to answer but no sound came out, only the hoarse breathing of an aroused male. Until Chloe broke out of his arms. Then he tried again. “Yeah,” he said.
    “There's somebody to see you. Something about a bull.”
    Good. Something about a bull. Nobody comes to the ranch for a week, it's usually just him and George and some part-time help. But today it's a regular Grand Central Station. Thank God, because he didn't want to be alone with Chloe. Not at all. Before he went to see who it was, Chloe turned on her heel, and without a word, walked down the path toward the hot springs. He had no idea if she was mad, sad or as turned on as he was. He thought she'd say something—like “See ya,” or “Don't forget about tonight”
    What was he supposed to do about dinner? Nothing. That's what he was supposed to do. Pretend she hadn't asked him. Pretend she hadn't kissed him. Forget she melted in his arms like butter on a hot biscuit. Forget about the rush of relief he felt when she told him she wasn't married. Forget about her entirely. Yeah, right.
    Chloe had plenty to do. In addition to the sleeping bag, the mattress, the hammock, the stove and the groceries, she'd bought cleaning supplies. As she scrubbed the inside of the nicest cabin, if you could call any of them nice, she had a little talk