Read Justice Is Always Ready (A Graham Family Story, 1) for Free Online Page B

proceeded to fill the basin, an act that
didn’t take long at all. She started when a low whistle floated to
her ears.
    Libby ran past her to the fence, her
tail wagging a mile a minute. Staring over the top of the gate was
none other than Justice. Her palms grew sweaty and there sat a
large lump in her throat at the sight of him.
    He must have driven
straight here to arrive so fast.
    “ Justice,” she murmured,
walking toward the gate.
    “ Hello,
beautiful.”
    Unlatching the gate, she drew it to
her, silently beckoning him to come in. He strode toward her, each
step masculine and predatory. His dark brown eyes swirled with a
burning hunger that made her belly clench.
    Justice stopped before her and cupped
the back of her head before covering her mouth with his. Synapses
firing out of control, she pressed into him. His taste, heady and
addictive, sank deep into her pores. The scent that covered him,
virile and fresh, embedded into her brain.
    Her fingers curved into the soft brown
cotton of his shirt as he supported more and more of her weight. He
didn’t seem to mind that fact. One arm slid around her waist and he
held them tighter together. A small moan of disappointment slipped
from her lips when the kiss ended. His gaze burned even hotter than
it had at the start of the kiss.
    “ I missed you,” he
uttered, stroking his knuckles down the side of her
face.
    A flush rolled up her face. “I missed
you, too.”
    He backed away and leaned down to pet
Libby while she took the opportunity to shut the gate and observe
the man in the backyard with her. Justice wore a loose tee shirt
which in actuality did very little to hide the strength of his
upper body. Slightly baggy jeans and tennis shoes completed his
attire.
    Oh my! He lifted his head, met her gaze and winked. Almost like he
knew her train of thought.
    Standing up, he shoved his hands in
his pockets. “Put me to work, Kassidy. What can I do to
help?”
    Take me inside.
    “ Are you sure? I mean, you
just got off work.”
    “ I’m good.”
    She had no doubt about that. Together
they moved back through to where she’d been working. “Okay, if you
could hang those feeders. Well, fill, then hang them.”
    “ You got it.”
    After he walked away, Kassidy turned
her attention back to the task before her. Dropping to her hands
and knees she got to it. After a bit, a shadow fell over her as she
reached for a large stone.
    “ Why was I hanging bird
feeders and leaving you to lay rock?” Justice’s tone was
deceptively calm. She could feel the tension radiating off
him.
    Wiping the back of her hand across her
forehead, eradicating the telltale signs of perspiration, she sat
up on her haunches. “Because I needed them hung?”
    He crouched beside her, his expression
disapproving and serious. “You, Kassidy, are a stubborn
woman.”
    She gave him a lopsided grin. “I’m not
used to relying on anyone to do this stuff for me. If you really
want to move some stuff, I could use another of the large burlap
sacks. It’s right in the front of the shed.”
    His heavy sigh informed her he
wouldn’t let it go that easily. Rolling her lower lip between her
teeth, she watched him lift the sack like it weighed nothing. It
rested on one shoulder and she found her eyes glued to the bulging
bicep. From beneath lowered lids she stared as he
approached.
    “ Where do you want
it?”
    There’s a loaded
question.
    It took a moment to find her voice.
“In the area up to my left.” She pointed. “Just set it by the
myrtle. Please and thank you.”
    “ What’s it
for?”
    “ Landscape cover.” She
focused her attention back on the flagstone before her.
    Justice hunkered beside her. “Have you
done all of this?”
    “ No. My grandma planted
almost all of these flowers. I’ve done some of the rock work.”
Content with the location of the stone, she readjusted to the pile
near her and pulled another one the size and color she wanted.
“It’s relaxing for me. Kinda makes me