Southern Star: Destiny Romance Read Online Free Page A

don’t want me here, any more than I want to be here.’ She shrugged free of his hand. ‘Which raises the question: why am I here in the first place?’
    ‘Sweet Springs is a wreck, lady. You can’t stay there.’
    ‘I say where I stay.’ She threw the words at him. ‘You had no right to bring me here.’
    Despite himself, Mac couldn’t prevent his gaze dropping to where her bosom heaved beneath a white shirt that did nothing to conceal her assets. He couldn’t hold Lew’s befuddlement against the boy. The kid had been playing against a mistress of the game.
    Blaze Gillespie today was a million miles from the battered, barely conscious woman of last night. Light make-up concealed the bruising to her face and the shadows beneath her eyes. The tight jeans she’d poured herself into screamed sex, and the free-flowing, gleaming hair made a man want to wrap a hand in it and pull her glistening mouth up to his.
    But it was the way she carried herself that truly transformed her. All hint of vulnerability had vanished, and Blaze Gillespie was ready to kick arse – his, specifically.
    Her stomach rumbled, startling them both for a second. Her mouth moved as if she might laugh but instead she flung back her head to resume battle.
    ‘I’m surprised you got past Peggy,’ Mac said before she could get going again.
    ‘The woman in the kitchen?’
    He nodded. ‘My housekeeper.’
    ‘I slipped by while she was in the pantry.’
    ‘Right. I suppose it’s beneath you to speak to the help. Unless you want something.’
    ‘As I don’t plan on staying here, there was nothing to be said.’
    ‘Well, if you ask nicely she may feed you. You must be hungry.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘But she goes at three so you’d best hurry.’
    ‘I don’t want to eat, I want to leave. Now.’
    ‘Well, too bad. I won’t finish till five or so.’ He turned on his heel and walked to the doorway. ‘If you still want a lift to Sweet Springs, I’ll take you then. In the meantime, stay out of my hair and away from my men.’

Chapter Two
    Blaze was waiting on the front step when Macauley Black drew up at five thirty in a dark-blue truck, covered – as was pretty much everything – by a thin film of red dust. No sports car today, then. She leaned languidly against the pillar supporting the porch roof, her well-shod foot tapping impatiently, as he came to collect her bags.
    ‘Put them inside, not in the back. They’re Louis Vuitton.’
    He scowled in his familiar way and slung the bags ungently in the back, alongside coils of ropes and farm stuff Blaze had no hope of identifying.
    She narrowed her eyes and steeled herself for the tricky job of charming Macauley Black. He was a tough customer but she’d had tougher.
    ‘Have you visited the US at all?’ she asked as she slipped into the passenger seat.
    His dark look said he didn’t appreciate the attempt at small talk, but he nodded as he got into the driver’s side and started the engine. ‘Backpacked around both the Americas years ago. Now I’m too busy working.’
    ‘All work and no play make Mac a dull boy.’ Blaze turned the full wattage of her smile on him, and silently applauded herself as she saw his Adam’s apple move. He might despise her, but he wasn’t immune.
    ‘Lady —’
    ‘Blaze. We’re going to be neighbours so we might as well be on good terms.’
    ‘Ms Gillespie, to be honest, I hope you stay the hell away from Rosmerta. And I’ll steer clear of Sweet Springs.’ He hit a remote control on the dash and the wide gates of the property sprung open. ‘Talking of which, the place is a dump. You didn’t see it last night, but quite frankly it’s uninhabitable. Now, I can take you into town. The pub has rooms. Not fancy, but clean, all mod cons. You can stay there until you head back to the US.’
    Blaze swivelled to smile at him. ‘But I’m not going back to the US. I’m going to be living at Sweet Springs,’ she said calmly, enjoying it when