Read Online Bringing Delaney Home (Cates Brothers #1) by Lee Kilraine - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lee Kilraine
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she stood up against the bridge railing ready to cast off. The musical laughter of the creek eased her spirit as it danced and swirled over and around the smooth stones below. Pointing the rod toward the stream, she drew it back and then threw it forward, trying for one smooth motion. Like the graceful arch of a ballet dancer’s back, the rod flexed just before she pushed it forward.
She was pretty sure her form would scandalize the regulars at Lonnie’s shop, but she had taught herself by watching videos on the Internet. No father/daughter bonding fishing lessons in her past. Shaking her head to clear that train of thought, she wiggled her rod to eliminate loops in her line. She was settling in to relax when the short burst of a police siren pulling behind her Jeep sliced right through her peace.
The sudden noise sent a surge of adrenaline through her body. Her heart raced and every muscle in her body tensed. Breathe. Relax .
It was no surprise to see Quinn step out of the police car and head her way. Every time she turned around, the man was close enough to steal her oxygen supply.
“Officer Cates. Lovely day for fishing, isn’t it?” She reeled in her line and threw it back out, the motion part of the ritual of fishing.
“It would be, except you’re breaking the law.”
“Oh, I don’t have a fishing license, but we didn’t used to need one years ago.”
“Still don’t,” Quinn said. “It’s the ‘No Fishing From the Bridge’ sign you’re standing next to that’ll get you thrown in the pokey.”
Okay, Quinn didn’t know about her missing foot, so he couldn’t know how impossible the climb down to the creek bank was for her. But he sure as heck knew nobody but nobody drove on this bridge. She glanced at the sign, then over at Quinn, and shrugged. “I thought that was more of a guideline than a rule. Besides, no one uses this road except Mr. Baxter and Junior. And I mean no one.”
“Actually, it’s more of the law than a guideline. And you’re breaking it. Plus, I’m still considering whether or not to book you on inciting a riot.”
That put a hitch in her smooth casting motion. Her rod twitched when her head turned toward Quinn, and she felt the hook and line jerk to the right. Instead of the welcoming splash of water, the rustle of greenery accompanied each tug on her line. “Darn it. Now look what you did.”
“What I did? I wasn’t the one who walked into Lonnie’s, started a debate about the best fishing knot, and left when the fists went flying.” Quinn reached into Delaney’s tackle box, pulling out a pocket knife. He reached over the bridge wall and cut the line on her fishing rod. “You are a walking, talking trouble magnet.”
“Hey, that was a brand-new hook! And I didn’t know asking about a knot was worse than comparing banana pudding recipes at the church bazaar.”
“I’m begging you not to bring that up anywhere around town either. I’m sorry about your hook. I was just trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help. Ever. Okay?” Delaney ran a hand distractedly up and down the fishing rod.
Quinn’s eyes followed her hand until he groaned and pried the rod out of her hands. He leaned it against the side of the bridge giving it one last glance before turning back. “Everyone needs help, Delaney. All you have to do is ask.”
Turning her head away, she leaned up against the bridge, her elbows propped on the edge, and watched the water bubble and roil below. She dragged in a breath and turned her head back to him. “You know, I asked you for help once. You turned me down.”
“Oh, now you want to talk about that? Because you sure as hell didn’t when it happened.”
“Not really. I just had a point to make.”
“I helped you.”
“That is not the way I remember it.”
“I was there for you.”
“Except for the part where you rejected me.”
“No. No, I didn’t. I just said no to sex. And you have no idea how much it killed me to do
She was pretty sure her form would scandalize the regulars at Lonnie’s shop, but she had taught herself by watching videos on the Internet. No father/daughter bonding fishing lessons in her past. Shaking her head to clear that train of thought, she wiggled her rod to eliminate loops in her line. She was settling in to relax when the short burst of a police siren pulling behind her Jeep sliced right through her peace.
The sudden noise sent a surge of adrenaline through her body. Her heart raced and every muscle in her body tensed. Breathe. Relax .
It was no surprise to see Quinn step out of the police car and head her way. Every time she turned around, the man was close enough to steal her oxygen supply.
“Officer Cates. Lovely day for fishing, isn’t it?” She reeled in her line and threw it back out, the motion part of the ritual of fishing.
“It would be, except you’re breaking the law.”
“Oh, I don’t have a fishing license, but we didn’t used to need one years ago.”
“Still don’t,” Quinn said. “It’s the ‘No Fishing From the Bridge’ sign you’re standing next to that’ll get you thrown in the pokey.”
Okay, Quinn didn’t know about her missing foot, so he couldn’t know how impossible the climb down to the creek bank was for her. But he sure as heck knew nobody but nobody drove on this bridge. She glanced at the sign, then over at Quinn, and shrugged. “I thought that was more of a guideline than a rule. Besides, no one uses this road except Mr. Baxter and Junior. And I mean no one.”
“Actually, it’s more of the law than a guideline. And you’re breaking it. Plus, I’m still considering whether or not to book you on inciting a riot.”
That put a hitch in her smooth casting motion. Her rod twitched when her head turned toward Quinn, and she felt the hook and line jerk to the right. Instead of the welcoming splash of water, the rustle of greenery accompanied each tug on her line. “Darn it. Now look what you did.”
“What I did? I wasn’t the one who walked into Lonnie’s, started a debate about the best fishing knot, and left when the fists went flying.” Quinn reached into Delaney’s tackle box, pulling out a pocket knife. He reached over the bridge wall and cut the line on her fishing rod. “You are a walking, talking trouble magnet.”
“Hey, that was a brand-new hook! And I didn’t know asking about a knot was worse than comparing banana pudding recipes at the church bazaar.”
“I’m begging you not to bring that up anywhere around town either. I’m sorry about your hook. I was just trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help. Ever. Okay?” Delaney ran a hand distractedly up and down the fishing rod.
Quinn’s eyes followed her hand until he groaned and pried the rod out of her hands. He leaned it against the side of the bridge giving it one last glance before turning back. “Everyone needs help, Delaney. All you have to do is ask.”
Turning her head away, she leaned up against the bridge, her elbows propped on the edge, and watched the water bubble and roil below. She dragged in a breath and turned her head back to him. “You know, I asked you for help once. You turned me down.”
“Oh, now you want to talk about that? Because you sure as hell didn’t when it happened.”
“Not really. I just had a point to make.”
“I helped you.”
“That is not the way I remember it.”
“I was there for you.”
“Except for the part where you rejected me.”
“No. No, I didn’t. I just said no to sex. And you have no idea how much it killed me to do
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