Read Cross My Heart for Free Online

be around that much. All Claire’s friends are in Florida, not to mention her grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins…Angela had a huge family.”
    “You could ask, though. Even if she ends up saying no, she might like to be asked.”
    He looked at her. “You know, you’re pretty pushy for a woman I just met four hours ago.”
    That made her smile. “Fair enough. I’m sorry.”
    He shook his head. “No, you’re right. I should ask her. The truth is…” He hesitated. “The truth is, she’d probably say no, which would hurt more than I’d like to admit. Or…she might say yes. And that would scare the crap out of me.”
    Her heart tightened in her chest. “Michael, I saw how you were with Claire tonight. Just the fact that you invited me over, knowing it would make her happy…it’s obvious you’re trying as hard as you can.”
    “Sure I am. You think I like being a lousy dad?”
    “You’re not—”
    “Don’t,” he said roughly. She stared at him, startled, and he rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Sorry. I’m not usually like this. The only person in the world who can get under my skin is Claire. Sometimes I wish…”
    “What?” she asked after a moment.
    “Nothing.”
    He closed his eyes. One of his hands, the one nearest to her, was fisted on his thigh. Without stopping to think, she reached out and covered it with hers.
    His eyes snapped open and his head swiveled towards her. After a moment he relaxed his hand, turning it so they were palm to palm. Then he laced his fingers through hers.
    Jenna stopped breathing. Warm tingles, like darts of electricity, were shooting up her arm and all through her body.
    His eyes were on her—not asking or demanding anything, just…on her. She watched his chest rise with a quick, sharp breath.
    She felt lightheaded.
    There were so many things she liked about this man. His intelligence, his love for his daughter…even his devotion to science, because it was a passion so different from any of her own.
    All of which made him perfect friend-and-neighbor material. Michael was a great guy with a terrific daughter. He was smart and thoughtful and interesting, someone whose company she could enjoy for the short time she was living here.
    But she definitely shouldn’t think about anything more. She was leaving town in a month and a half. As soon as the summer ended, she was out of here.
    So it would be crazy to get tangled up in something that could get…complicated. And something in Michael’s serious brown eyes told her that a relationship with him could get very complicated. She already liked him, and she’d known him less than a day.
    And she was really, really attracted to him. She wanted to move closer. She wanted to feel that long, hard-muscled body against hers.
    She wanted to kiss him.
    She should probably pull her hand away. But his touch felt good—really good—and he wasn’t making any kind of pass at her.
    So Jenna didn’t move a muscle. She sat still, and felt Michael’s warm fingers tighten around hers, and let desire bloom in her body, slow and lazy and intoxicating.
    It was a few minutes before Michael could trust himself to speak. He was overwhelmed by a feeling so powerful it seemed almost animalistic.
    He wanted Jenna Landry. He wanted to lay her down on the grass and cover her body with his. He imagined doing that, imagined her looking up at him with those soft lips parted as his weight pinned her to the ground, her blue eyes filled with the same desire he was feeling.
    His left hand, the one not holding hers, tightened into a fist. He was hard, his whole body aching, and wanted her so much he was sure she could see it, feel it, even smell it somehow.
    He’d been in love with Angela, in the beginning at least, but even with her he’d never felt like this.
    But long years of emotional discipline won out. When he knew he was under control again, he spoke, asking a question he’d wanted to ask earlier.
    “How did you know that was