Read Online Dylan (Bachelors of the Ridge #1) by Karla Sorensen - Free Book Online
Authors: Karla Sorensen
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chucked a throw pillow at Garrett, who caught it easily and lobbed it back, hurling a horribly dirty name at Dylan while he did it. While they ragged on each other, I stood on the periphery, like I always did, watching the easy back and forth, the effortless way they interacted and suddenly felt tears clogging my throat.
Neither one of them noticed when I started blinking rapidly and turned toward the kitchen so I could get my purse. Leonidas followed after me, leaning up against my leg when I searched for my keys with shaking hands.
The warm press of his little body steadied me, but also made me feel a little silly. It was no wonder I couldn’t do this—make friends in any other way than the surface and superficial. I couldn’t even stand in the same room and not feel completely overwhelmed with envy at their ability to exist together comfortably.
“Hey,” Dylan said from behind me. “You’re heading out?”
Taking a second to make sure my face was composed, I nodded, then turned with a bright smile on my face. “Yeah, it’s been a long day.”
He tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and gave me a sheepish look that made his forehead wrinkle up. His forehead wrinkled and I wanted to die at the sexiness. I needed away from this man like an hour ago. “Yeah, I guess that’s my fault.”
“No,” I rushed to say, “not in a bad way. I was glad to help.”
Garrett walked up next to me and dropped a heavy arm around my shoulders, squeezing me into his side. “Nice to meet you, Kit Kat.”
“That’s so unoriginal,” I said, pulling away from his embrace, completely terrified that one friendly hug would send me straight into uncontrollable waterworks. So I looked back at Dylan while I hooked my purse over my shoulder. “Remember, if he wakes you up in the middle of the night, he probably has to go. So take him out.”
He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
I leaned down to drop a kiss onto Leonidas’ head and then straightened, only to find them both trying to wipe smiles off their ridiculously good-looking faces.
Embarrassment probably should have been the feeling that swamped me, but surprisingly it wasn’t. I did something that made them both smile, and maybe it was sad that it warmed me as much as it did. Then I supposed I was sad.
I waved and turned to leave.
“Hang on,” Dylan said and I paused, looking over my shoulder. “You know, some of Garrett’s friends, well, my friends too I guess, are coming over on Friday night to have beer and play some cards. You should come. If you’re not busy, that is.”
My hands felt clammy at the invitation and I looked between the guys. Garrett’s eyebrows lifted briefly, but he didn’t say anything.
“You’re … you’re inviting me to your guys’ night?”
“If you want to come, then yeah. No pressure, just hangin’ out.”
A warm ball pressed against my chest, filling me with so much, so quickly that I almost looked down to see if it was a physical thing crawling into my skin. I’d probably have panic attacks the entire drive over, but they were just so kind, I couldn’t say no with them watching me the way they were. Blinking rapidly, praying I didn’t start crying, I nodded at him.
“Sounds good. What time?”
Dylan looked at Garrett, who just shrugged. “Any time after seven is fine.”
Gripping the strap of my purse with both hands so I didn’t fling myself at both of them for hugs, I smiled. “Okay. I’ll see you guys on Friday then.”
“See you Friday, Sprite.”
* * *
Dylan
“ W hat are you doing there , man?” Garrett asked from behind me. The sound of Kat’s rust bucket car faded as she pulled down the street, and I didn’t turn right away to answer. Probably because I had no idea what to say. The invite had been a total impulse, the look in her eye all night while she watched me and Garrett practically screaming at me that she was lonely.
“What do you mean?” I went with playing dumb, keeping a
Neither one of them noticed when I started blinking rapidly and turned toward the kitchen so I could get my purse. Leonidas followed after me, leaning up against my leg when I searched for my keys with shaking hands.
The warm press of his little body steadied me, but also made me feel a little silly. It was no wonder I couldn’t do this—make friends in any other way than the surface and superficial. I couldn’t even stand in the same room and not feel completely overwhelmed with envy at their ability to exist together comfortably.
“Hey,” Dylan said from behind me. “You’re heading out?”
Taking a second to make sure my face was composed, I nodded, then turned with a bright smile on my face. “Yeah, it’s been a long day.”
He tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and gave me a sheepish look that made his forehead wrinkle up. His forehead wrinkled and I wanted to die at the sexiness. I needed away from this man like an hour ago. “Yeah, I guess that’s my fault.”
“No,” I rushed to say, “not in a bad way. I was glad to help.”
Garrett walked up next to me and dropped a heavy arm around my shoulders, squeezing me into his side. “Nice to meet you, Kit Kat.”
“That’s so unoriginal,” I said, pulling away from his embrace, completely terrified that one friendly hug would send me straight into uncontrollable waterworks. So I looked back at Dylan while I hooked my purse over my shoulder. “Remember, if he wakes you up in the middle of the night, he probably has to go. So take him out.”
He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
I leaned down to drop a kiss onto Leonidas’ head and then straightened, only to find them both trying to wipe smiles off their ridiculously good-looking faces.
Embarrassment probably should have been the feeling that swamped me, but surprisingly it wasn’t. I did something that made them both smile, and maybe it was sad that it warmed me as much as it did. Then I supposed I was sad.
I waved and turned to leave.
“Hang on,” Dylan said and I paused, looking over my shoulder. “You know, some of Garrett’s friends, well, my friends too I guess, are coming over on Friday night to have beer and play some cards. You should come. If you’re not busy, that is.”
My hands felt clammy at the invitation and I looked between the guys. Garrett’s eyebrows lifted briefly, but he didn’t say anything.
“You’re … you’re inviting me to your guys’ night?”
“If you want to come, then yeah. No pressure, just hangin’ out.”
A warm ball pressed against my chest, filling me with so much, so quickly that I almost looked down to see if it was a physical thing crawling into my skin. I’d probably have panic attacks the entire drive over, but they were just so kind, I couldn’t say no with them watching me the way they were. Blinking rapidly, praying I didn’t start crying, I nodded at him.
“Sounds good. What time?”
Dylan looked at Garrett, who just shrugged. “Any time after seven is fine.”
Gripping the strap of my purse with both hands so I didn’t fling myself at both of them for hugs, I smiled. “Okay. I’ll see you guys on Friday then.”
“See you Friday, Sprite.”
* * *
Dylan
“ W hat are you doing there , man?” Garrett asked from behind me. The sound of Kat’s rust bucket car faded as she pulled down the street, and I didn’t turn right away to answer. Probably because I had no idea what to say. The invite had been a total impulse, the look in her eye all night while she watched me and Garrett practically screaming at me that she was lonely.
“What do you mean?” I went with playing dumb, keeping a
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