Read Online Deadly Dealings (Hardy Brothers Security Book 13) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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though.”
James smirked. It was the first real smile he’d managed to muster all day. “All I want to hold is the blonde. If you get fresh with my sister while we’re all sleeping together, though, things are going to be rough in the morning.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.”
Eight
James woke to a “clicking” sound, and when he lifted his head the next morning he found Grady standing next to the couch snapping photographs with his cell phone.
“You guys are just so cute,” Grady teased, sticking his tongue out as Jake stirred. “I’m going to post these all over the Internet. You guys are going to be the hit of Facebook today, my friends.”
“I see you just let yourself into my house,” James grumbled, running his hand through his hair as he rolled Mandy slightly.
Mandy opened her eyes at the noise, her gaze bouncing between James and Grady as her morning muddled mind worked to clear. “What’s going on?”
“Grady is being a tool.”
“If you post any of those photos and my hair looks bad I’m going to sneak into your house and chop all of your precious hair off while you’re sleeping,” Ally warned as she struggled to a sitting position.
Jake sat next to her silently.
“What’s wrong with him?” Grady asked, gesturing toward Jake with one hand while he snapped a photo with the other.
“He doesn’t like mornings.”
“No one does,” James grumbled, pressing his lips to Mandy’s neck. “How are you, baby?”
“I’m … .” Mandy tilted her head to the side as she considered the question. Before she got a chance to finish her statement her stomach ruthlessly growled.
“You’re so hungry, baby,” James said, rubbing his hand over her flat midriff and frowning as he felt her rib bones. She was thin on a normal day. Two days without eating had caused her to shrink down to a level he wasn’t comfortable with. “Please tell me you’re going to try and eat something.”
“I am,” Mandy said, and she meant it for herself as much as James. “I actually … I don’t feel sick to my stomach.”
Hope flitted across James’ face. Her sleep had been mostly heavy, a nightmare causing her to whimper a few times and let him draw her close as he struggled to make sure she felt safe in slumber. If she could eat something – and keep it down – he would feel a lot better about their present situation. “What do you want? I will go and get you anything your heart desires.”
“I want a pony,” Ally said.
“No one was talking to you, Ally.”
“I don’t want to push it before I’m sure,” Mandy cautioned. “How about we start with scrambled eggs and toast?”
“Baby, I would buy you chickens and a bread factory right now if it meant you could eat something,” James said, nuzzling her neck.
Grady snapped another photograph. “That one is a keeper.”
“I will beat you,” James threatened.
“Do it down at the breakfast table,” Grady suggested. “I’m starving.”
“I guess that means I’m cooking,” Ally said.
“And it had better be good if you don’t want me spreading these photos all over the place.”
“VOILA!”
Ally slipped a plate in front of Mandy while Jake doled out heaping helpings of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and toast to everyone else.
Mandy glanced at the plate and then back at Ally. “Thank you.”
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Ally bit her lip, unsure.
“Not while you’re watching me.”
“Go.” James flicked Ally’s ear. “Leave her to eat on her own for a few minutes.”
James forced himself to focus on his own plate of food for the next five minutes, and when he finally couldn’t take it for one more second he risked a glance at Mandy’s plate and almost cried with relief when he saw that she’d eaten the bulk of the food Ally heaped on it.
“How do you feel, my baby?”
“I feel okay,” Mandy said, her blue eyes wide. “I … I feel okay. I don’t feel like I’m going to throw up. Stop worrying
James smirked. It was the first real smile he’d managed to muster all day. “All I want to hold is the blonde. If you get fresh with my sister while we’re all sleeping together, though, things are going to be rough in the morning.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.”
Eight
James woke to a “clicking” sound, and when he lifted his head the next morning he found Grady standing next to the couch snapping photographs with his cell phone.
“You guys are just so cute,” Grady teased, sticking his tongue out as Jake stirred. “I’m going to post these all over the Internet. You guys are going to be the hit of Facebook today, my friends.”
“I see you just let yourself into my house,” James grumbled, running his hand through his hair as he rolled Mandy slightly.
Mandy opened her eyes at the noise, her gaze bouncing between James and Grady as her morning muddled mind worked to clear. “What’s going on?”
“Grady is being a tool.”
“If you post any of those photos and my hair looks bad I’m going to sneak into your house and chop all of your precious hair off while you’re sleeping,” Ally warned as she struggled to a sitting position.
Jake sat next to her silently.
“What’s wrong with him?” Grady asked, gesturing toward Jake with one hand while he snapped a photo with the other.
“He doesn’t like mornings.”
“No one does,” James grumbled, pressing his lips to Mandy’s neck. “How are you, baby?”
“I’m … .” Mandy tilted her head to the side as she considered the question. Before she got a chance to finish her statement her stomach ruthlessly growled.
“You’re so hungry, baby,” James said, rubbing his hand over her flat midriff and frowning as he felt her rib bones. She was thin on a normal day. Two days without eating had caused her to shrink down to a level he wasn’t comfortable with. “Please tell me you’re going to try and eat something.”
“I am,” Mandy said, and she meant it for herself as much as James. “I actually … I don’t feel sick to my stomach.”
Hope flitted across James’ face. Her sleep had been mostly heavy, a nightmare causing her to whimper a few times and let him draw her close as he struggled to make sure she felt safe in slumber. If she could eat something – and keep it down – he would feel a lot better about their present situation. “What do you want? I will go and get you anything your heart desires.”
“I want a pony,” Ally said.
“No one was talking to you, Ally.”
“I don’t want to push it before I’m sure,” Mandy cautioned. “How about we start with scrambled eggs and toast?”
“Baby, I would buy you chickens and a bread factory right now if it meant you could eat something,” James said, nuzzling her neck.
Grady snapped another photograph. “That one is a keeper.”
“I will beat you,” James threatened.
“Do it down at the breakfast table,” Grady suggested. “I’m starving.”
“I guess that means I’m cooking,” Ally said.
“And it had better be good if you don’t want me spreading these photos all over the place.”
“VOILA!”
Ally slipped a plate in front of Mandy while Jake doled out heaping helpings of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and toast to everyone else.
Mandy glanced at the plate and then back at Ally. “Thank you.”
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Ally bit her lip, unsure.
“Not while you’re watching me.”
“Go.” James flicked Ally’s ear. “Leave her to eat on her own for a few minutes.”
James forced himself to focus on his own plate of food for the next five minutes, and when he finally couldn’t take it for one more second he risked a glance at Mandy’s plate and almost cried with relief when he saw that she’d eaten the bulk of the food Ally heaped on it.
“How do you feel, my baby?”
“I feel okay,” Mandy said, her blue eyes wide. “I … I feel okay. I don’t feel like I’m going to throw up. Stop worrying
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