Denise A Agnew [Heart of Justice 04] Within His Embrace (pdf)(1)

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Pam shook her head as she pushed her plate back. “Oh, no. None for me. I’m
stuffed.”
Ian winked. “Oh, come on. Have a small piece.”
“Olivia is one of the champion pie bakers in town,” Trey said.
Olivia stood and moved to the kitchen island. “I’m a rare commodity.”
Pam sipped her coffee. “Why is that?”
“An Englishwoman who knows how to make American style apple pie isn’t
common. When Trey and I went on holiday to visit my family in England, Trey couldn’t
believe how mad English are about American deserts.”
“Is that bad or good?” Pam asked.
“Both,” Trey said. “The sugar isn’t good for them, of course.”
The topic switched as Pam gave in to a tiny slice of pie.
“Hey, where’s Arlene tonight?” Dace asked.
Ian had explained that Arlene was the MacGilvary brother’s adoptive mother and
Edie was Trey’s Biological mother. After Edie moved back in to town, Arlene and Edie
had become good friends.
“Mom and Arlene went out to see a movie,” Mick said with a frown. “With their
boyfriends.”
“They just met them.” Trey sounded as disturbed as Mick.
Pam might have looked perplexed, because Ian turned to her and said, “It’s
complicated.”
“You’ll get used to it if you hang around the MacGilvary clan for long,” Dace said.
“Life around you guys is complicated?” Pam teased them with a smile.
Trey grunted. “Complicated and chaotic.”
“But in a good way,” Celeste said.
Discomfort built inside Pam. At first she couldn’t understand why. Then she realized
she liked these people a lot. She’d been here around two hours and already she felt a part
of them. A truly scary thought. If she spent more time with them, she’d have to care.
She’d think too much about her short time in Gold Rush.
She knew what to do.
She glanced at her watch. Time to leave. “I need to go. There’s a few things I have to
do before I head out of town in a couple of days.”
Though they all expressed regret she had to leave, they didn’t press her to stay. Ian
offered to walk her out.
Evening descended on the region, the crisp temperature making her shiver.
As they stopped at her car, Ian asked, “What’s your hurry?”
Pam couldn’t ignore his concern. “Like I said, I have errands.”
Despite the cold, he appeared solid and warm in his emerald green sweater, slim
fitting jeans, and cowboy boots. He would look hot in a cowboy hat. A flash of him
naked popped into her head. Or what she imagined he might look like naked. Hard,
muscled, delicious. Keeping carnal thoughts out of her mind with Ian around proved
impossible. Ian came close…very close. His personal space with her decreased the longer
she’d known him, and while having him near unnerved her in a fluttery, feminine way,
she also craved it.
He towered over her. “Something wrong?”
She couldn’t lie. He deserved the truth. “Yes.”
He cupped her shoulders. “What is it?”
The caring reflected in each well-drawn inch of his face made her heart beat double
time. “Your friends are incredible.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand. How is that a problem?”
“You’re incredible, too.”
A slow, mind-melting smile flirted with his mouth. “Thanks, but I still don’t
understand why that’s a problem.”
Her hands settle on his chest, and powerful muscles moved under her touch Heat
throbbed low in her loins. Whether she liked it or not, her body wanted his. “You’re
great, your friends are great, and I have to go back to Denver. Let’s be practical, Ian. We
just met again after four years. We don’t know each other that well. It isn’t…advisable
that we…”
Ian’s frown deepened, his hands coasting over her arms from shoulder to elbow.
“Get involved.”
“We shouldn’t.”
His eyes burned into hers. “Shouldn’t act on our attraction?”
“Oh, man.” She sighed. “Yes, that’s right.”
Ian cupped her face. “There’s nothing wrong with getting to know each other and see
where it leads.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Stupid. Why did you admit that?
Rather than Ian’s features hardening into impatience, his expression turned tender.
Her insides melted at the understanding in his eyes.
“Pam, I understand the fear. You’re the first woman I’ve been this attracted to since
my wife. The whole idea scares the crap out of me. But I’m willing to take the chance.
She wouldn’t want me to stay afraid. I invited you tonight because I care for you, I think
you’re great, and I wanted to get to know you better. I wanted you to see me with my
friends.” He shrugged. “Maybe I was trying to show you that I’m…not an ogre.”
Refreshed by his mature and easy-going outlook, she relaxed somewhat. “You’re
really attracted to me?”
He grinned as he pulled her closer. “You know I am. I’ll show you how much.”
Gently, his lips found hers, then pursued with more enthusiasm as the kiss deepened. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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