Something Spooky Read Free Page B

But no ... he must have managed it once. Todd was proof of that.
    He practically snatched the calamine and wad of cotton wool from her hands, dabbed at the lumps on his chest and arms then handed it back to her. ‘Put some on my back.’
    The hives seemed to have joined forces on his back. Gazing at the welts she indicated the table. ‘It will be easier if you lie down. I’ll use my hands.
    Patrick flinched as she poured a generous measure into the middle of his back, then sighed when her fingers smoothed it over his flesh. He had a nice body, Ellie reflected as she smoothed the lotion in long sweeping strokes over his firm skin. He tapered down from the shoulders in one lean wedge. His muscle tone rippled under her finger tips, and the cool lotion against the heat of his body raised goose-bumps wherever she touched.
    The aroma of the witches brew he’d bathed in still clung to his skin. It rose in waves with the heat from his body. Lavender, rosemary ... and something else, something so sensual that Ellie leaned closer and took a deep breath in order to isolate it. Musk. She closed her eyes and let her hands glide over his body. It was a primitive male scent that touched a chord in her and indicated ... arousal?
    Help! She willed her hands away from where they’d been journeying. The last thing she needed was for Patrick to think she was after him. Tearing her eyes away from his perfectly proportioned rear she muttered primly. ‘I think that will do, Mister Morgan.’
    ‘A pity,’ he murmured softly. ‘I was enjoying it.’
    There was nothing wrong with this man’s libido, Ellie noticed when he rose from the table. Averting her eyes she busied herself at the sink. ‘The tablets are on the dresser. They’ll probably make you sleepy so I’ll make up a bed on the couch after we’ve eaten.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Strolling to the stove he lifted the lid from a saucepan and inhaled a cloud of steam. ‘This is just about ready.’
    Ellie’s stomach gave an unladylike growl as she hurriedly threw the cloth back on the table and gathered together the spilled cutlery. ‘It smells delicious, Mister Morgan. I could eat a horse.’ 
    * * * *
    ‘So I hear.’ He flicked her a grin. ‘Cut out the Mister Morgan, my name’s Patrick.’
    The casual tone of his voice changed to disgust. ‘Why didn’t you stir this hash? It’s all stuck to the bottom.’
    ‘I was drying my hair.’ Joining him at the stove she peered into the saucepan with dismay. ‘Is it ruined?’
    ‘It looks beautiful, lion lady.’ His growling voice sent shivers rioting down her spine. A compliment? Ellie waited for him to qualify it with an insult. He didn’t disappoint her. ‘It must cost a fortune to keep it looking that way.’
    ‘On the contrary.’ She moved out of the way when he bent to open the oven. ‘I just get it trimmed every few weeks.’ Her mouth watered as she spotted the crispy fried potatoes. ‘Those look great.’
    ‘I’m not just a pretty face.’ He wasn’t devoid of a sense of humor, however ironic. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth when she laughed. ‘Stop getting in my way, woman. Go and finish off the table.’
    This sort of bossy banter she could cope with. And when he set a loaded plate on the table in front of her she almost liked him. She’d never mastered cooking. This feast was a welcome change from the frozen dinners she usually bought for herself.
    Patrick gave her a swift glance as he took the seat opposite her and picked up his fork. ‘Tell me about yourself.’
    Ellie eyed her steaming plate. ‘Now? I haven’t had a meal like this for ages. All I want to do is eat.’
    ‘I just thought you might like some polite conversation with your meal.’
    ‘You can actually be polite?’ Why had she said that? He’d offered her an olive branch. Now his face had closed up like a clam with a belly ache.
    ‘Please yourself.’ He turned on the radio and studiously ignored her for the rest of the