Harlequin - Jennifer Greene by Hot Touch (read full novel txt) 📕

“Nothing weird. But you’ve been pushing me to get outside, get more in the fresh air and all…and there’s something I’d like to do that afternoon. Unless you object—”

“No, no, that’s fine. I can do the exercises with you almost anywhere. So.” She cleared her throat.

“Whatever you did with Moose, you think you’ll do it again?”

He lifted his head. “I hear one of those babies crying. Your class is probably wondering where you are.”

She heard the baby cry, too, but still hesitated. It was one of her absolutely favorite projects, the healthy Baby Love massage group, yet still, she couldn’t seem to move.

And Fergus suddenly sighed. He pushed up, from his hands on his knees and slowly walked toward her, his hands and torso covered with a thin layer of mortar dust, his jeans crusted with it. He came close enough to touch her but didn’t—which was probably a good thing, because eventually shedid have to go back to the class, and she was dressed for them in a white terry tunic and terry pants.

He came so close, though, that she could see the dark glints in his eyes. His gaze magnetized hers. She couldn’t look away. That close, she could no more have looked away than stop breathing.

He said softly, “I think it’s cute, Red. Your trying to set me up with other women. God knows, no one ever had the nerve to try that on me before.”

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She’d have answered him—except that he closed the few inches between them. His hands didn’t touch her—his dusty, sweaty torso didn’t touch her—but he bent down and brushed his mouth on hers. It wasn’t a kiss. More…the threat of one. More…the promise of one.

“You want to know if I kissed her?” he murmured.

“No.”

“You want to know if I considered—”

“No.”

“Because I’ll tell if you ask me. I’ll be honest with you. No matter what. You’d be honest with me the same way, wouldn’t you, red?”

“Yes. Of course I would,” she breathed. But something about the way he’d kissed her, the way he was whispering, the way he was looking at her, had her so rattled she couldn’t think straight. She was a pinch away from hiccupping from nerves. Her. The woman who could probably get a Ph.D. in laidback. “I need to go back to my class.”

“I know you do.”

“We’ll talk later.”

“Oh, yeah,” he murmured. “I know you’ve got work today. But we’re definitely going to talk again. And soon.”

She stumbled back toward her class, thinking, all right, now she knew that Fergus had an ugly, evil side to him. A manipulative, wicked side. A side that turned her mind to jam and her sanity to jelly.

He talked to her as if they were lovers. Which, she guessed, they were. But she’d emotionally shut the door on believing they could make it long-term. She’d hoped—she admitted that she’d fiercely hoped—things might have turned out differently. But when he’d praised her for being “so sexy,” she’d felt her heart thud like the clunk of a coin down a long, dark well.

He wanted her, she didn’t doubt that. But sex, even great sex, was just no measure that he seriously valued or respected her.

Nothing had changed. She had fiercely wanted to heal Fergus—to be the one to make a difference for him—and every day, every week, she’d literally seen her efforts working. He was so, so much better, mentally, physically and emotionally. She wasn’t the only one responsible for that, but Phoebe gave herself credit for playing a key role.

That was what mattered. Getting him healed. Not what she wanted. Not what she dreamed.

She stomped back into the class and blurted, “Damn it. We are going torelax, class!”

The moms all looked at her as if she were crazy—until someone laughed. And then she tried to laugh, too.

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Ten

When Fox pulled into her driveway, Phoebe had to put up with two solid minutes of whining and begging from Mop and Duster. “I know it’s Fox, you guys, but you can’t go. It’s not our truck. And it’s raining. And you know I won’t leave you alone for long. Come on, you two. Be reasonable.”

The dogs had heard all that. They also knew they had the dog door open to the whole backyard, and that their dishes in the kitchen were heaped with food and fresh water. They just didn’t want Phoebe to leave, and they loved being with Fergus, besides.

So did she—which was the problem. She pulled her rain jacket hood over her head to run outside.

Grumbling clouds swirled, leaking more drizzle than rain for now, but warning that worse was coming.

Even at four in the afternoon it was darker than winter, with moments of sudden stillness and then moments when the fresh green leaves suddenly trembled and tossed in fretful anticipation.

Lightning crackled just as she reached the door of his SUV and slammed inside.

“I was coming in to get you—”

“Well, that would have been silly. Then both of us would have gotten wet.” She tossed her jacket in the backseat. The wipers and defroster had to be on because of the foggy steam, but underneath all that threat of storm, the temperature was muggy and close. She should have worn her hair up, she thought, and her long-sleeved green tee was probably going to be too warm, as well. “You still haven’t told me where we’re going.”

For the first time, she glance at Fox, then quickly away. That was the trick, she mused. If she just didn’t look at those mesmerizing eyes, that sexy narrow mouth, thatlook of him, too hard, too long, she’d be able to keep some emotional distance.

“I’m not trying to be mysterious. I just wanted to show you a place. If I told you about it first, I was afraid it’d color your reaction, so I just wanted you to see it. And I promise, it’s not a long drive.”

“I couldn’t believe how much work you’d gotten done on the