Just One Kiss Read Free Page A

and her arms tightened around the child. “He’s not a monster. He’s really a very good little boy.”
    â€œYeah, I hear that’s what they used to say about the Unabomber,” Jack retorted dryly.
    Her blush deepened, and this time he thought it might be anger that colored her cheeks. She drew an audible breath, then pointed to the parking lot. “My car is over there. I’ll just go get it.”
    Jack nodded and leaned wearily against the building, wondering if she could manage to get him home without any major catastrophes. He couldn’t help but feel a horrifying sense of impending doom.

Chapter Two
    I t took Marissa several minutes to rearrange the car to make room for Jack. She quickly moved the diaper bag to the floor at Nathaniel’s feet in the backseat. She then pushed the passenger seat back as far as it would go and reclined it. Jack Coffey was tall, and she knew he’d need as much leg room as he could get.
    A moment later she pulled up against the curb where he stood waiting for her. She jumped out of the car to help him, but he waved her away. “Just take these,” he said as he held out the crutches. “I’d prefer to get into the car without your help. It’s safer.”
    He eased down onto the seat, then groaned as he lifted the cast-encased leg into the car. Marissaplaced the crutches between them, then got in behind the steering wheel.
    â€œAre you okay?” she asked worriedly. Even with a scowl cutting into his forehead, the man was handsome as sin. His scent filled the interior of the car, a bold, masculine smell that was at once both attractive and disturbing.
    â€œJust get me home,” he replied. His seat was reclined so far back, his head was almost even with Nathaniel. “He’s buckled in real tight, isn’t he?”
    â€œOf course,” Marissa replied as she put the car into gear. “You’ll have to tell me how to get to your house.”
    â€œGo out the hospital exit and turn left.” He closed his eyes.
    â€œBy the way, my name is Marissa. Marissa Criswell. And that big guy in the backseat is my son, Nathaniel.”
    â€œI prefer to think of you and your son as my own personal nightmare,” he returned without opening his eyes.
    Marissa flushed, but reminded herself that his rudeness was warranted and probably intensified by the fact that he was in pain. “Do you have a wife? Somebody who can take care of you?” she asked.
    His eyes opened. “A wife would be my other personal nightmare. I’ve been by myself for the last five years and that’s the way I like it. Just get me home and I’ll be fine.”
    So, he had no wife and apparently no significantother. Marissa frowned, wondering if he had any real concept of how a broken leg and a few broken fingers could complicate even the simplest things in life.
    â€œYou mentioned you have reports to type and cases to take care of. What kind of work do you do, Mr. Coffey?” she asked to break the stifling silence.
    â€œI’m a ballet dancer. Think I’ll be able to get tights over this baby?” He banged the cast with the back of his good hand.
    â€œYou don’t have to get sarcastic,” she said softly.
    He frowned and rubbed a hand across his forehead. “I’m a private investigator.”
    â€œReally? Are you any good?”
    His eyes glittered and a small smile curved the corners of his lips. Marissa felt the power of his devastating smile right down to her toes. She tightened her hands on the steering wheel and tried to ignore how that smile of his affected her on a distinctly female level.
    â€œI’m the best,” he said. In the blink of his eye, the smile disappeared, replaced by a scowl so menacing, Marissa decided to let the subject drop.
    For the next few minutes he spoke only to give her directions. As he pointed her down a narrow road with tall trees and heavy vegetation on