Family Affair Read Online Free Page B

with milk before returning to the living room.
    Cleo walked regally into the room and without a pause jumped into Jack’s lap. Lacey was amazed. Her cat had never been fond of strangers.
    “Cleo,” Lacey chastised. “Get down.”
    The cat would have been a fool to do so. Jack was petting her back in long, smooth strokes that left Cleo purring with delight. It was probably like this with every woman he touched. Lacey attempted to scrounge up resentment toward him, and to her amazement found she couldn’t.
    Instead, the very opposite was happening. It was as if Jack’s hands were on Lacey. A series of warm, dizzy sensations began to grow in her. Sexual feelings. Her breath came in little short puffs. She sipped at her coffee and forced herself to look away, anything that would make this feeling disappear. It was much too uncomfortable to remember that part of her nature, the one she’d buried after her divorce and conveniently ignored until Jack walked into her life.
    Looking away didn’t help. Nothing did.
    “Cleo’s a beautiful cat,” he said in a low, sexy drawl that had Cleo purring and Lacey’s heart racing.
    “Thank you,” she managed.
    The tingling feeling spread slowly, inexorably, through her body, leaving her with a need she wouldn’t have dared express to another human being. It had been well over a year since a man had held her. Not once in all those months had she missed a man’s touch. Until now.
    Now it was torture to sit and do nothing. To her dismay, Jack seemed relaxed and in no hurry to leave.
    “Have you thought about homes for your half of the litter?” she asked, to make conversation.
    “No.”
    “I . . . I think my friend Jeanne will take one.” Her gaze followed the movement of his hand against Cleo’s soft fur. The brush of his fingers was light, gentle. A lover’s touch. He would be a tender lover, Lacey mused.
    She shook her head, needing to clear her mind before it completed the picture of making love with him. Oh, dear heaven, this was more than she could bear.
    “Lacey.” The sexy drawl was back. “Come here.”
    “W-why?”
    “I want you to feel Cleo’s tummy.”
    “It’s much too soon for the kittens,” she protested and all but vaulted out of her chair. He knew exactly what he was doing to her and he enjoyed it. Lacey’s cheeks flamed.
    She hurried into the kitchen. Running the faucet, she filled a sponge and wiped down her spotless counter. If only Jack would leave! But that would be asking for a miracle. He had her on the run and wasn’t about to give up.
    He moved into the compact kitchen, and she closed her eyes, praying for strength.
    “It was nice of you to stop by.” She hoped he’d leave before she made a fool of herself.
    “Why did you turn down my invitation to dinner?” he asked.
    She swore he was only inches behind her, but she didn’t dare turn around.
    “Lacey?”
    She opened the cupboard and brought down a can of cat food. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to become involved.”
    “Why not?”
    “It’s fine to be neighborly, but . . .”
    “Not too friendly.”
    “Exactly.” Her heart continued to beat at maximum speed, clamoring loudly in her ear. She didn’t dare look at him. She couldn’t, without his knowing that she wasn’t any better off than Cleo was with Dog.
    “Turn around and look at me,” he instructed her gently, and when she didn’t comply he placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly moved her to face him. Then he ran his thumb along the edge of her jaw. “Look at me,” he repeated.
    Lacey closed her eyes and lowered her head. “I think you should leave.”
    Using his thumb, he lifted her chin. “Open your eyes.”
    She had no choice but to do as he asked. Reluctantly her eyes opened and slid effortlessly to his.
    “I remember the day you moved in.” He spoke softly, clearly. His gaze was as dark and intense as she’d ever seen. “I realized then how badly I wanted to get to know you.