Free Conned by Jessica Wilde Page A

frowned, "I'm sorry?"
    The smile on Ash's face was bright and mischievous, it made
her a little nervous. "Your hair is gorgeous and your face is seriously
flawless. I'm assuming you just woke up and didn't even get yourself ready, but
you don't look like you need to at all." She stood from the stool she had
been sitting on, her dark hair falling over her injured shoulder, and picked up
her list. "I'm off to the store with Gus, have Con text me if you guys
need anything that you think of over the next little while. He's out back, you
should go find him."
    Emily could barely keep up, the woman was speaking so fast,
and rambling like she was nervous or anxious about something. Before she could
ask what was wrong, Ash was out the door and the only sound that broke the
silence was the lawn mower starting back up.
    She shrugged and made her way to the door that led out into
the backyard. She was so distracted by the lanterns and strings of lights that
had been set up for the party that she didn't see Conall until it was too late
to make a run for it.
    She knew the man was fit, but for the love of God, did he
have to be that fit?
    He was pushing the mower toward her and she froze when he
looked up and the roaring of the motor immediately died out. He was sweaty,
tanned, shirtless, and his muscles flexed deliciously as he gripped the handle
of the mower. She opened her mouth to say something, but the only thing that
came out was a tiny squeak.
    "Good morning, Emily. Did I wake you?"
    No idea, but I don't mind if you ever do in the future, she thought.
    "No."
    "Good," he said, his blues eyes darkening as they
flickered to her hair that was hanging over her shoulders in a messy braid.
    She was suddenly nervous about her appearance, then
remembered Ash's assurance that she looked good. The woman had obviously known
that Emily wouldn't want to look like she had just woken up when she saw
Conall. Ash was sneaky as hell, but smart.
    "Have you eaten breakfast?" Conall asked and wiped
his hands on the gym shorts he was wearing low on his hips.
    She glimpsed the waistband of his underwear and felt her
eyes widen when she saw his abdomen, firm and rippled with muscle. Even his
belly button was sexy. That had to be illegal, right? She moved her gaze upward
and shook her head slowly in response of whatever the question had been and her
eyes zeroed in on a tattoo that covered his left shoulder and stretched out to
the area over his heart. She couldn't make out all the details, but the image
was beautiful and she wanted a closer look more than anything at the moment.
    "I'm gonna shower then."
    She nodded, unable to take her eyes off of the tattoo and
incapable of speech or anything else.
    "Emily?"
    Her eyes finally moved up to see that he was smiling at her
and her cheeks went hot as she scrambled for something to say. "What about
the lawn?"
    He frowned and looked behind him at the half finished lawn,
then turned back and started toward the door. "Gus will finish it later.
We got shit to do."
    In the next moment, all the wonder she had felt from seeing
him sweaty and shirtless with a body women would kill to touch, was replaced
with irritation. She wasn't sure if he meant to be rude or if that was just how
he spoke to everyone.
    Shit to do.
    She didn't think on it for very long and decided it was
better that he treated her no differently than he would any other witness he
was protecting. She already liked his family too much and that was going to
make it hard to leave when the trial was over and done with. No point in liking
him for anything other than his impressive physique.
    She was watching his back as she followed him inside the
house. His muscles moved gracefully with every step he took and she was
mesmerized.
    He held the door open for her and mumbled, "I'll be
ready in a few minutes," then immediately started for the stairs.
    "Where are we going?"
    He kept moving, but answered her question as if it was
obvious. "I'm taking you to