Hero at Large Read Free Page A

“Hmmph,” she snapped.
    â€œHmmph?”
    â€œYou and your dog are obviously ecstatic to see my driving come to an end.”
    â€œYou drive like a maniac. And besides, you’ve been fondling me for fifteen minutes. How much do you think a man can take?”
    â€œFondling you?” she squeaked. “Of all the…I never…you…”
    â€œOh, man, now I’ve got you all upset. Listen, I  know this is a small truck, and you probably didn’t mean to fondle me, but…”
    â€œI don’t drive like a maniac. I’ve never driven a truck before.” She shook her finger at him. “You haven’t made it any easier—you and your dumb dog—and let me assure you that if I fondled you it was purely accidental.”
    â€œYeah, and it was accidental that you broke my arm,” he teased.
    â€œYou didn’t move fast enough!”
    He grinned sheepishly. “You’re right. I’m not atmy best this morning. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” He leaned toward her and nuzzled her hair. “It wasn’t entirely my fault, you know. I was distracted. You looked downright wanton…leaning over the engine at me.”
    Wanton? Of all the nerve, she huffed to herself. She might have been ogling a little, but she definitely hadn’t been wanton—had she? “I wasn’t feeling wanton. I was concerned about my car.”
    â€œYour voice was husky.” His lips brushed against her neck as he spoke. His warm breath whispered along tingling skin.
    Chris felt her stomach lurch. “My voice is always husky in the morning,” she lied. “I wasn’t awake, yet. I didn’t have time for coffee.”
    He kissed the nape of her neck, sending a shiver rocketing along her spine. He leaned against her and placed a nibbling sort of kiss just below her earlobe while rain drummed on the roof of the truck, wrapping them in cozy isolation. Chris wondered why she was sitting there, waiting to be kissed again. She had dated sporadically since her divorce, mostly to appease well-meaning friends, and she’d always found herself counting the minutes before she could issue the perfunctory good-night kiss and get home to her daughter. Why on earth am I feeling so attracted to this man? I don’t evenknow him. I literally picked him up at the side of the road. She felt a little hysterical.
    Ken slipped his hand inside the red vest, his fingers curled around Chris’s rib cage. “Chris Nelson,” he whispered silkily, “you’re a very dangerous lady.” His thick black lashes lowered as his gaze dropped to her lips.
    Chris felt her body turn toward him, desire creeping through her like heated honey. His lips grazed hers in a kiss that was featherlight and lingering.
    â€œMmmmm…” she purred—and then wondered who’d just made that incredibly contented sound. Surely, it wasn’t Chris Nelson. Chris Nelson was a dedicated professional, an intrepid mother. Up to now, the only thing capable of evoking that sort of response in Chris Nelson was her mother’s New York cheesecake. She sat up with a jolt, surprising both man and dog. The Rottweiler stopped panting momentarily and eyed her suspiciously.
    Ken Callahan drew his eyebrows together in a small frown. “Now what?” he asked warily.
    â€œYou’re trying to seduce me in a hospital parking lot.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong with that?”
    What’s wrong with it is that it’s working, she thought. “I don’t even know you. And it’s inappropriate.And…” She was babbling. Grasping at straws. “And your dog is watching.”
    A look of disbelief registered on Ken Callahan’s face. It changed to a smile. He tipped his head back and laughed triumphantly. “I’m really getting to you, huh?”
    She pressed her lips together in annoyance. “Doesn’t your arm hurt