The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [97]
“Misty…”
“Don’t use that tone on me, Morgan Hudson. You got what you wanted, all the nitty-gritty details. Well, now I’m done. I want to get out of here. I need to go find a job, and I’m just plain not up to fighting with you anymore, so if you’ll excuse me—”
“No.”
“No?” Incredulous, she turned to face him. “What do you mean, no?”
He stood, then caught her arm and pulled her to her feet. Still holding her, his gaze intent on her face, he said softly, “I mean you’re not going anywhere, Malone. You’re going to stay right here.”
4
MORGAN STARED at Misty, knowing that despite her outraged frown, there was no way he could let her go, not now. Her shoulders felt narrow and frail beneath his big hands, and he wished like hell she looked pregnant, so she’d be easier to resist. But she didn’t. She looked soft and sexy, even with a red nose and those hideous glasses. He wanted her more than ever, but that was beside the point.
At least she wasn’t planning on getting married. Though it wasn’t any of his damn business, the very idea had set his teeth on edge. She could certainly do better than settling for some clown who didn’t want his own child. He swore to himself that was the only reason it bothered him. Then he called himself a fool.
“You can’t be off on your own right now. You said it yourself, you don’t have a job, and you’re sick.”
She gave him a blank stare, as if he was a stranger.
“Damn it, Misty, you know I’m right!”
“I know you’re nuts, that’s what I know.” He made a grumbling sound, and she said in exasperation, “It’s morning sickness, Morgan, that’s all. I’m fine the rest of the time. I’m perfectly capable of finding and working a job. Pregnant woman do it all the time, you know.”
Actually, his mind was buzzing with possibilities. If she stayed—and she would because he didn’t intend to give her a choice—he could give her a job. He’d long since figured they needed someone to answer the phones at the office, but more often than not folks just called him directly. It was a small county, and the crime level was amazingly low, so he’d been in no rush to hire a new deputy. But a secretary of sorts, someone to keep track of his schedule and forward calls and take notes, that’d be a blessing.
He’d put off the hiring for some time now. He hadn’t really wanted anyone else mucking around his offices. But now…
He eyed her belligerent expression and winced. Better to tell her about the job later, when she wasn’t so annoyed with him. He gave her a slight shake. “So what do you intend to do?”
“I intend to punch you in the nose if you don’t stop manhandling me!”
His fingers flexed on her shoulders, very gently, and he saw her eyes darken. He hadn’t hurt her, would never deliberately hurt her. No, her complaint was for an entirely different reason. “Manhandling, huh?” he asked softly. “And here I thought I was being all that was considerate and caring.”
She bit her lip in indecision, then resolutely shook her head. “Not likely, Morgan. You’re up to something, I just haven’t figured out what yet.”
Her opinion of him was far from flattering, with good reason, he supposed. He dropped his hands and turned to think, only to hear her stomping away. He caught the back of her robe and drew her up short. “Whoa. Now where are you off to? We have to finish discussing this.”
Through gritted teeth, she said, “There’s no we to it, and there’s nothing to discuss.” She swatted his hands away and jutted her chin toward him. “I’m going in to shower and dress, and then I’m leaving. You won’t have to worry about me at all, and your precious brothers will be safe from my lascivious tendencies.”
Damn it, she was trying to make him feel guilty—and succeeding. “You let me think the worst about that, Malone. Admit it.”
“You always assume the worst,” she argued.