Read Online Deadly Illusions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 3) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
Ads: Link
considering. “Can we play lost woman in the avalanche when we get home? I want to be a Mountie.”
Mandy smirked. “I have no idea what that is, but I’m game.”
“Okay,” James said, brushing a quick kiss against her lips before straightening up. “Now, what do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know, go and cheer him up,” Mandy said.
“How? I can’t give him what he really wants.”
“No,” Mandy said. “You can take his mind off of his troubles, though.”
James thought about it a second, his face breaking out into an evil grin. “I have an idea.”
“I figured you would.”
FINN was still standing off to the side, lost in thought, when a snowball plowed into his jaw. Since his mood was already dark, he looked around for someone to beat – expecting to find one of his brothers as he wiped the wet slush from his face.
It wasn’t James or Grady standing there watching him. It was a small boy with bright, green eyes, and an impish grin. All of Finn’s anger dissipated. “Did you throw that snowball?”
The kid’s smile faded. “That guy told me to.”
Finn looked in the direction the boy was pointing, finding James doubled over with laughter. Grady was standing a few feet behind him smiling widely.
“Did he now?”
The boy nodded, his lower lip trembling. Finn knelt down, motioning for the boy to come closer. The boy seemed nervous, but he took a few steps forward.
“What’s your name?” Finn asked.
“Ethan.”
“Well, Ethan, do you want to help me get my brother back?”
“You’re not mad?”
“Nope. I’ll only be mad if you’re not on my team. With an arm like that, we can’t lose.”
The smile was back. “Cool. Can my brother play, too?”
“Get everyone,” Finn said. “Because we’re going to take them down.”
James and Grady must have realized their predicament, because they were running before the mob of kids – all armed with snowballs and squeals of delight – started chasing them.
EMMA watched the snowball fight progress with undisguised glee. When you grow up without money, you have to find cheap ways to amuse yourself when you’re a kid. Snowball fights had been a particular favorite in the Pritchard house.
James and Grady were at a distinct disadvantage. They’d been pelted with so many snowballs, Emma had lost count. Finn seemed to be enjoying serving as general to his little army. And, while most of the parents opted to stay out of the melee, a few of the fathers joined in.
The joy on the street was palpable.
Well, to almost everyone.
“This is so immature,” said Gwen, one of the other Aspen models. “Although, I have to say, those guys who started the fight are pretty hot.”
Emma nodded noncommittally. “I guess.”
Gwen pushed her lips out so she could apply some gloss. “Maybe I should join them.”
“Which one do you like?” Emma asked, making a silent wish that she wouldn’t say Finn.
“I like the one in the hat,” Gwen said. “I think he’s going to be my date for the night. I bet he looks good when you strip all those clothes off him.”
Emma frowned. “I think he has a girlfriend.”
Gwen was haughty. “I don’t think any bargain-basement girlfriend is going to be a match for me.”
“Well then, why don’t you go and get him,” Emma challenged, hoping against hope that James really was as loyal to his girlfriend as Finn suggested.
MANDY had avoided getting hit by a snowball for more than a half hour. She knew her luck wouldn’t hold out forever.
When the assault finally came, it was Finn leading the charge.
Four small children popped up on the other side of the table and pelted her with a barrage of hits. Heidi squealed, ducking. Mandy didn’t bother, wiping her face and pointing at Finn threateningly. “You’re dead.”
“Come and get me, blondie,” Finn sang out.
Mandy jumped over the table, running out into the melee. She scooped up a pile of snow, packing it tight. She launched it
Mandy smirked. “I have no idea what that is, but I’m game.”
“Okay,” James said, brushing a quick kiss against her lips before straightening up. “Now, what do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know, go and cheer him up,” Mandy said.
“How? I can’t give him what he really wants.”
“No,” Mandy said. “You can take his mind off of his troubles, though.”
James thought about it a second, his face breaking out into an evil grin. “I have an idea.”
“I figured you would.”
FINN was still standing off to the side, lost in thought, when a snowball plowed into his jaw. Since his mood was already dark, he looked around for someone to beat – expecting to find one of his brothers as he wiped the wet slush from his face.
It wasn’t James or Grady standing there watching him. It was a small boy with bright, green eyes, and an impish grin. All of Finn’s anger dissipated. “Did you throw that snowball?”
The kid’s smile faded. “That guy told me to.”
Finn looked in the direction the boy was pointing, finding James doubled over with laughter. Grady was standing a few feet behind him smiling widely.
“Did he now?”
The boy nodded, his lower lip trembling. Finn knelt down, motioning for the boy to come closer. The boy seemed nervous, but he took a few steps forward.
“What’s your name?” Finn asked.
“Ethan.”
“Well, Ethan, do you want to help me get my brother back?”
“You’re not mad?”
“Nope. I’ll only be mad if you’re not on my team. With an arm like that, we can’t lose.”
The smile was back. “Cool. Can my brother play, too?”
“Get everyone,” Finn said. “Because we’re going to take them down.”
James and Grady must have realized their predicament, because they were running before the mob of kids – all armed with snowballs and squeals of delight – started chasing them.
EMMA watched the snowball fight progress with undisguised glee. When you grow up without money, you have to find cheap ways to amuse yourself when you’re a kid. Snowball fights had been a particular favorite in the Pritchard house.
James and Grady were at a distinct disadvantage. They’d been pelted with so many snowballs, Emma had lost count. Finn seemed to be enjoying serving as general to his little army. And, while most of the parents opted to stay out of the melee, a few of the fathers joined in.
The joy on the street was palpable.
Well, to almost everyone.
“This is so immature,” said Gwen, one of the other Aspen models. “Although, I have to say, those guys who started the fight are pretty hot.”
Emma nodded noncommittally. “I guess.”
Gwen pushed her lips out so she could apply some gloss. “Maybe I should join them.”
“Which one do you like?” Emma asked, making a silent wish that she wouldn’t say Finn.
“I like the one in the hat,” Gwen said. “I think he’s going to be my date for the night. I bet he looks good when you strip all those clothes off him.”
Emma frowned. “I think he has a girlfriend.”
Gwen was haughty. “I don’t think any bargain-basement girlfriend is going to be a match for me.”
“Well then, why don’t you go and get him,” Emma challenged, hoping against hope that James really was as loyal to his girlfriend as Finn suggested.
MANDY had avoided getting hit by a snowball for more than a half hour. She knew her luck wouldn’t hold out forever.
When the assault finally came, it was Finn leading the charge.
Four small children popped up on the other side of the table and pelted her with a barrage of hits. Heidi squealed, ducking. Mandy didn’t bother, wiping her face and pointing at Finn threateningly. “You’re dead.”
“Come and get me, blondie,” Finn sang out.
Mandy jumped over the table, running out into the melee. She scooped up a pile of snow, packing it tight. She launched it
Similar Books
