Macy’s Awakening Read Free Page A

account. She hoped not. The last thing she wanted to do was interfere in her attorney’s personal life.
    The moon disappeared behind a cloud, and she shivered as the yard darkened. She reached for the big, soft towel folded at the edge of the tub and got out, wrapping it around herself before she crossed the yard and went up the stairs.

Chapter 2

    Jerrod had planned to sleep late, as he usually did on Saturdays, but his eyes popped open at seven and wouldn’t close again. Insidious yearnings began to curl through his thoughts.
    Macy Wilson was there. Sleeping in his guest house. Beautiful girl with gold skin and haunting eyes. And sweet, pert breasts he wanted to see again.
    No! He squeezed his eyes shut and lay still, fists balled at his sides, willing his thoughts to something else. Anything else.
    The front lawn needed mowing.
    He should run the Lexus through the car wash today.
    He’d forgotten to pick up his dry cleaning yesterday afternoon.
    He needed to buy groceries for both the house and the guest apartment.
    He came up with a list of half a dozen things he could take care of today that didn’t involve restraining his libido. Finally, feeling a tad calmer, he rolled over and got up, pulling on jeans and a t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops. He needed to get this thing under control right now, before he made a damn fool of himself. Before he did or said something he’d regret.
    As he went down the stairs he heard noise from the kitchen, the clink of flatware and running water. He heard the girl’s voice talking low to someone. Was she on the phone?
    “Okay, kitty,” he heard her say now, “where does he keep your food?”
    “It’s in the laundry room,” Jerrod said as he walked in. He smiled in her direction without meeting her eyes, but she stunned him anyway. She was wearing a yellow sundress. A short yellow sundress. Bare legs. Little silver sandal things. Big hoops of silver in her ears.
    God.
    His groin began to ache again.
    “Sleep okay?” he asked.
    “Yes. The bed was very comfortable. I took you up on your offer of the hot tub too. So relaxing.”
    “Good. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
    Act like you haven’t seen her naked.
    “I see you’ve met Peter-the-cat.” He reached down and patted Peter, who looked perturbed as always. “I’ll show you where his food is. He won’t leave us alone until he’s had his breakfast.”
    She followed him into the laundry room and waited behind him while he opened the cupboard next to the dryer and pointed out the bin of pet food. He filled the plastic measuring cup with dry kibble and bent over to fill Peter’s bowl. She shifted her feet away, but not before he got a close up view of pearl-painted toenails and a delicate silver anklet. Even her feet were sexy. He swallowed hard and straightened up.
    “Would you like some breakfast?” His voice came out all wonky.
    “I’m not a big breakfast eater.”
    “Maybe just some cold cereal or toast?”
    “Just coffee is fine.” She smiled and brushed past him into the kitchen, and he caught a whiff of her perfume, a clean, powdery scent. He noticed that she had put on some kind of glossy lip stuff too, in a soft melon color. He wondered what her lips would taste like if he took her in his arms right now and covered her mouth with his.
    Just then the coffeemaker beeped three times.
    “I’m ready,” he said. “That is—the coffee’s ready.”
    * * * *
    Macy tried to keep her eyes on her shopping list as she walked beside their cart through the crowded supermarket. Jerrod—he insisted she call him that—had made a list as well of things he needed for the house, including entrée and salad ingredients for their dinners. He’d asked her if she enjoyed grilled steaks and salmon, and she’d said yes, trying to picture the two of them sitting together in the high-walled garden as they waited for their meal to cook. What would they possibly find in common to talk about? His world and hers had