Free Heart Raider (Heartthrob Series, Book 1) by Sophia Knightly Page A

Spanish song she sang in a throaty voice. An apron was tied around her waist and her long black ponytail reached the apron ties just above her behind. The edge of her shorts barely covered where her full bottom cheeks met curvy thighs, and the girl’s firm, golden flesh didn’t have an ounce of cellulite.
    Was this Daisy’s usual work attire? Veronique hoped not. Nick was sure getting an eyeful today. She stole a glance at him, fully expecting his eyes to be glued to Daisy Duke’s provocative posterior, but they weren’t. His attention was on Felipe, who looked spitting mad.
    “Daisy! What are you doing here?” Felipe demanded.
    In mid-song, Daisy whirled around and greeted her father with a sassy smile. “Oh, hi, Papi. I was making breakfast for Señor Nick.”
    She held up the platter of eggs and bacon. Ignoring her father’s irate face, she carried it to the kitchen table and set it down.
    “Look,” Daisy said, pointing to the nicely set table.
    “I told you not to come here last night!” Felipe thundered in Spanish. “Why did you lie to me?”
    Daisy darted a mortified glance at Nick. “I didn’t lie. I was going to stay with Doña Miriam like I told you, but when I got to her house, her son had already taken her to Fort Myers.”
    They argued in rapid fire Spanish and Veronique understood most of it. From the annoyed look on his face, Nick did too.
    Felipe’s dark eyes glowered with censure. “Your mother spoils you too much, watching your baby and making life easy. You should have been home taking care of Manolito. He’s sick.”
    Daisy quickly switched to English. “Mami knows better how to take care of him. Don’t be mad, Papi. I came to help Señor Nick. He’s been so generous with us—” she said, giving Nick a sidelong glance from beneath her curly lashes.
    “Yes, too generous with you. You will work clearing the yard with me today,” Felipe said firmly.
    “No! You know I hate to work outside.” Daisy’s hands formed fists at her sides as she stood in rigid defiance before her father. The nostrils of her tip-tilted nose flared and her cheeks turned crimson beneath flashing eyes. “Señor Nick needs me here,” she said, gesturing toward the pans on the stove.
    “Don’t worry about that. I can help with the housework,” Veronique interjected, eliciting a raised brow from Nick.
    Daisy gave her a hate stare. “You?” she spat out scornfully.
    “Be quiet,” Felipe commanded his daughter.
    Baxter’s ears pulled back and he began to growl.
    “I’ll say what I want.” Daisy untied her apron, tossed it to the floor and ran toward the door. Baxter got up from his prone position and followed.
    “Come back here, Bax,” Nick commanded. The lab came to his side and nudged Nick’s hand with his snout. He patted the top of Baxter’s head. “Good boy.”
    Felipe yelled after Daisy, “Where are you going?”
    A slammed door was her only response as she flew outside.
    Felipe turned to Nick. “I apologize for Daisy. She acts like a child sometimes. She’s nineteen and should know better!” Red-faced, he retreated from the kitchen.
    Nick looked disgusted when Felipe closed the door. “ Nineteen? Hell, she lied about that too. I knew she was taking night classes at the junior college, but I had no idea she was so young.”
    Veronique raised her eyebrows. “Why would she tell you otherwise?” she asked as she filled two mugs with steaming coffee from the stovetop percolator and joined him at the table. If Daisy was taking night classes, she must have been a good student in high school.
    Nick shrugged. “Beats me.” He took the outstretched mug from her. “Aah,” he said, inhaling the strong aroma. “She makes good coffee though. Let’s eat.”
    “Hold it. We have to conserve water. Let’s use the paper plates I brought.” Veronique made short work of replacing the dishes with paper plates and the flatware with plastic utensils.
    She slowly chewed a strip of perfectly crisp