Read Online Crushing on Love (The Bradens of Peaceful Harbor, Book Four) by Melissa Foster - Free Book Online

over, peering into it. Denim stretched across his perfect ass. He rose to his full height as her Jeep neared, and she lost her breath. Why, oh why, did he have to be shirtless? Couldn’t he wear a ski parka? Or even better, full-body armor?
    He sauntered toward the road, and she had no choice but to stop or look like a bitch. He peered into her open window, his eyes drifting to her miniskirt. “Hey there, Butterfly. Where’re you off to looking so pretty?”
    She felt herself swooning. No swooning!
    She wasn’t going to get swept up in him any more than she already was.
    “Meeting friends at Buckley’s.”
    His eyes narrowed. “Buckley’s? That’s where Cal hangs out, isn’t it?”
    “I don’t know,” she said flippantly, although now that he’d said it, she remembered it was true. Good, let him get jealous. Served him right.
    “Jade’s coming, and she promised to tell me all your dirty little secrets.” She was only teasing. Jade would never offer up anyone’s dirty secrets.
    The muscles in his neck corded tight. His eyes drifted down her legs, stirring all the heat she’d spent the day trying to pretend didn’t exist. She didn’t have a chance of not swooning over him when all it took was one look to make her go crazy.
    “Good luck with that,” he said with a smirk, moving away from the window and straightening up, giving her a mouthwatering view of his bare chest.
    She tried to look away, but her eyes were glued to him. After last night, she wondered if he had any dirty secrets at all—or so many she’d be better off not knowing.
    “Have a good time, Butterfly, and be careful on these roads. Turn on your headlights, and if you have any trouble, you know how to reach me.”
    She wondered what would happen if she called him from her bedroom. Hey, Grizz, I need some wood… Would he blow her off or turn her on?
    “Thanks, Grizz.” How did he go from raging inferno last night to casual neighbor today? She couldn’t even stay irritated with him long enough to spin wheels and drive away. God, this crush was turning her into a wimp. “Everything okay with your truck? Need a ride somewhere?”
    He wiped his hands on a rag she hadn’t noticed. “I’m good.”
    “You know, you should get out and have some fun sometimes. It’s good for you.” She realized he’d said he had to go into town last night, and he’d never gone. She wondered if he’d made that up just so Will wouldn’t end up in her cabin. That thought brought rise to the emotion she was starting not to trust— hope .
    He raised his arms out to his sides. “Look around you. This is my fun.”
    She sighed. “Are you at least going to the barn dance the night before I leave?”
    “Sorry, but these legs don’t dance.”
    She rolled her eyes. “You could if you tried.”
    “Not my thing, Butterfly.”
    “Too bad. I’m going, and I love to dance.”
    “Have fun with that.” He turned and walked away.
    She stewed all the way to Buckley’s. The only one I need rescuing from is you.
    She’d put herself out there last night and he’d turned her away. She should have spent the day returning Cal’s and Will’s calls, not stewing over a man who said he’s not selfish enough to get involved with her. But every time she’d picked up her phone to return one of their calls, she’d lost service. A sign from the universe? She was a scientifically minded woman and wasn’t supposed to believe in things like cosmic signs. But her girly heart apparently didn’t care about her advanced degree. It had clung to the silly universe idea and refused to let go.
    Tempest would be so proud .
    She smiled at the thought of her older sister, who loved all things cosmic and spiritual. She’d probably write a song about it. As a music therapist, Tempest wrote songs about everything. Shannon often found herself thinking, WWTD ? But her What-Would-Tempest-Do frame of mind often led her to do the opposite, since they were so different. Tempest was