His Christmas Virgin by Carole Mortimer Page A

into the kitchen, her breath catching in her throat as she saw him casually dressed for the first time. The thin black cashmere sweater was moulded to wide shoulders and the flatness of his chest and stomach, jeans that were faded from age and wear rather than designer-styled to be that way sat low down on his hips and emphasised the muscled length of his legs, and his feet were as bare as her own had been earlier when Bob Jenkins had arrived at the warehouse to replace her broken window. They were long and somehow graceful feet, their very bareness seeming to increase the intimacy of the situation.
    Jonas looked everything that was tall, dark, and most definitely dangerous!
    Mac raised startled eyes. ‘I decided to stay long enough to help you cook dinner at least.’
    Jonas’s enigmatic expression, as he stood in the doorway, gave away none of his thoughts. ‘Did you?’
    She stood up quickly, already regretting that decision as she felt the rising sexual tension in the room, her pulse actually racing.
    Even breathing was becoming difficult. ‘Would you like me to help prepare the vegetables or something?’ she offered lamely.
    Jonas very much doubted that Mac wanted to hear what he would have liked to ask her to do at this particular moment. He had never before even thought about sitting down on one of the kitchen chairs with a woman’s naked thighs straddled either side of him as he surged up into the heat of her, but the idea certainly had appeal right now. Making love to Mac anywhere appealed to him right now!
    â€˜Or something,’ he murmured self-derisively as he made himself walk across to the refrigerator and openthe door to look inside at the contents. ‘I have the makings of a vegetable and chicken stir-fry if that appeals?’ He looked at her enquiringly.
    â€˜That sounds fine.’
    Jonas was frowning slightly as he straightened. ‘Wouldn’t you be more comfortable out of those leathers? Unless of course you aren’t wearing anything underneath?’ he added mockingly. ‘In which case, neither of us is going to be comfortable once you’ve taken them off!’
    It was time to put a stop to this right now, Mac decided. They hadn’t even got as far as cooking dinner yet and already Jonas was talking about taking her clothes off!
    â€˜Of course I’m wearing something underneath,’ she said, scowling at Jonas’s deliberate teasing, sitting down to remove her boots before unzipping the leathers and taking them off to reveal she was wearing a long-sleeved white t-shirt and snug-fitting jeans above black socks. ‘Satisfied?’ she challenged as she stood up to lay her leathers over one of the kitchen chairs and place her heavy boots beside it.
    â€˜Not hardly,’ Jonas murmured.
    â€˜Jonas!’
    â€˜Mac?’ He raised innocent brows.
    She drew in a deep, controlling breath. ‘Just tell me what vegetables you want me to wash and cut up,’ she muttered bad-temperedly.
    â€˜Yes, ma’am!’ he shot back.
    To Mac’s surprise they worked quite harmoniously together as they prepared and then cooked the food, sitting down at the table to eat it not half an hour later. ‘You said you’ll be moving from here soon?’ she reminded Jonas curiously as she looked across the table at him.
    He nodded as he put his fork down on his plate and drank some of his wine before answering her. ‘By this time next year we should be neighbours.’
    Mac’s eyes widened. ‘You’re moving into the apartment complex next to me once it’s finished being built?’
    Jonas didn’t think she could have sounded any more horrified if he had said he was actually moving in with her. ‘That’s the plan, yes,’ he confirmed dryly. ‘Unless, of course, you decide to sell and move out, after all.’
    Her mouth firmed. ‘No, I can safely assure you that I have no intention of