Hold Me Read Free Page A

Jane’s mind—her father teaching her to ride, the sensation of his sturdy arms tightening around her, steadying her in the saddle.
    Harrison’s eyes searched her face and her cheeks heated under his scrutiny. Margarita-bold, she returned his studying gaze, assessing him as he did her.
    He had biceps to die for. They peeked out from under his T-shirt sleeves, and she considered reaching out and touching them. She could blame the alcohol for her brazenness. She longed to trace his skin with her fingertips, and for him to touch her, too. Was it wrong to want a night away from her troubles? Grief and alcohol mingled in her blood, making her desperate for some kind of release. A physical one would do.
    Could what happened in Mexico, stay in Mexico?
    It had been so long since she’d been able, or allowed herself, to let loose. Back home, she was a public figure—always conscious of her image. No one would recognize her here, among the morass of foreigners. Could she permit herself one night of passion? Kathleen Turner had done it, but could Jane Caldwell?
    She’d searched him for a sign of reciprocal attraction, but Harrison’s face remained inscrutable.
    Jane caught herself staring.
    “Come on.” He pulled out some cash and tossed it on the table, then helped her stand and took her suitcase, waving her in front of him.
    Their abrupt departure took her by surprise. “You didn’t have to pay.”
    “No problem.”
    As they walked out of the restaurant, the band played something romantic. Jane wanted to dance, preferably with Harrison. It had been ages since she’d felt a man’s arms around her.
    Jane’s heel met something slippery on the tile and she lurched backward. Harrison caught her, his fingers closing around her waist. For a brief second, the heat of his body burned her back and his spicy scent wafted over her. She swayed against him, just for a moment. “The Little Drummer Boy” tapped away in her blood, on steroids.
    Harrison steadied her and released his grip.
    She looked over her shoulder so she could read his eyes.
    The man was implacable, but she thought she caught a glimpse of something in the brown depths before the wall came up.
    Yes, this once, she would let her guard down. And she knew just the man to help her with that.

Chapter Two

    Harrison avoided staring at Jane’s tight little ass in the crumpled skirt as she stepped onto the street. He tried to focus on the back of her head instead.
    Apart from her current state of disarray and insobriety, he could tell she liked expensive clothes. He recognized a designer cut when he saw one, even though her suit hung open and looked as if she’d spilled coffee on it. Her brown hair had been professionally streaked with blonde and her impractical high heels probably cost more than a month of living comfortably down here. He’d met a million women just like her.
    Well, maybe not just like her.
    There was something uniquely attractive about Jane. When he had saved her from falling, her silky hair brushed against his cheek. Her scent had been strangely intoxicating. He’d felt the urge to turn her toward him, to test her lips for taste and softness.
    He bet she tasted good.
    Releasing her had taken some resolve, especially when he saw the invitation in her eyes. She was on some crazy search for her father, and her mother had just died. He’d learned about nobility in his thirties and put the lesson to good use with Jane. She was drunk and looking for release. There had been a time when he would have been happy to oblige, but he wasn’t that guy anymore.
    Outside, the mellow air hit his face. Relief washed over him, dissipating tension he hadn’t known he held. Harrison tended to avoid bars nowadays. He could count on his discipline, yet preferred to stay well away from temptation in all its forms. He glanced at Jane and gritted his teeth. She was definitely a temptation.
    He put her at mid-to-late twenties, making her at least ten years younger than