Read Online Hearts at Play (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, Book 6) Contemporary Romance by Melissa Foster - Free Book Online
Authors: Melissa Foster
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with hers.
“This is so embarrassing.” She looked down again, but their hands were right there again, bringing her eyes back to his.
“Unless you stole that car, there’s not much that can be embarrassing.”
“Oh, yes, there is.”
He took a step backward, but she clung to his shirt at the waist where her hand had been resting. He looked down at the tether that kept him close.
“Brianna, if you’re married, I’m not that kind of guy. I like you, but I won’t be with another man’s wife. I can just give you a ride home and—”
“Married? I’m definitely not married.”
He brought their clasped hands up and ran his knuckle softly along her jaw. “Then what is it? What’s embarrassing?”
She held his gaze. He was so nice. How could she do anything but tell him the truth? Great. Now you’ll know I’m a broke loser. “Hugh, you’re so helpful and very generous, but I kind of need to use the mechanic that I know in case it’s expensive. He lets me work out payments.”
“I understand. Let’s not worry about that just yet. This might just turn out to be nothing at all. If it’s a big dollar amount and he can’t work out payments, then we’ll bring it to your guy. Does that work?”
He was so considerate. Even though he was right there in front of her, looking at her with those generous, thoughtful, dark eyes, she needed to feel that he was real. She pressed her fingers to his abs, just above his belt. Real. One-hundred-percent, rock-hard real .
Chapter Nine
AS THEY WALKED to Hugh’s car, his gut twisted. With the moonlight sparkling in Bree's eyes, he’d been a breath away from kissing her. She’d looked at him with such worry in her eyes that all he could think about was how good it would feel to kiss it away and bring the sparkle back to her eyes—the one he’d caught glimpses of earlier in the evening.
He clicked the key fob and unlocked the Roadster.
“Oh my God. Is that your car?”
“I could lie and say no, but I don’t really believe in being dishonest with people I consider friends.” He squeezed her hand, and she slipped her hand out of his grasp.
She stepped closer to the car and covered her mouth, then looked at Hugh and shook her head. “Who are you?” she whispered.
Hugh had never wanted to be someone different in his life. He was proud of the things he’d accomplished with his racing career, his college degree, and his family. But at that moment, with a hint of fear in Brianna’s eyes, he wished he were Joe Nobody. He stepped closer to her and ran his hands up her arms to her shoulders. She felt so small beneath his jacket.
“I’m the same guy I was in the bar and the same guy you had coffee with. I’m Hugh. Hugh Braden.” He shrugged.
She drew her eyebrows together again, and the worried look deepened, stealing her smile and replacing it with a serious mask. “But who are you?”
“How can I answer that, Bree? I’m a son, a brother, a friend to some people. That’s who I am. And a guy who wants to get to know you better.” He knew he couldn’t avoid telling her what she wanted to know, but every bit of him screamed, Let her see the real you first!
“What do you do for a living?”
He slid his hands across her shoulders and cupped her face with his hands. “Does that really make a difference?”
She stepped out of his grasp. “Maybe.”
“I’m not a drug runner, or a thief, or anything else that you’d be ashamed of.” The muscles in his neck knotted.
“Is it that difficult to tell me? Are you married?”
“No.”
“Ever been?”
“No, Bree.” He stepped forward, and she stepped backward. “Bree.” He glanced away and ran his hand through his hair. “All I wanted was to get to know you without my career hanging over our heads. That’s all. It’s so hard to be normal when people know who I am.”
“So you’re someone important?” She crossed her arms.
“No. I’m not.” He stepped closer. “I’ll tell you who I am,
“This is so embarrassing.” She looked down again, but their hands were right there again, bringing her eyes back to his.
“Unless you stole that car, there’s not much that can be embarrassing.”
“Oh, yes, there is.”
He took a step backward, but she clung to his shirt at the waist where her hand had been resting. He looked down at the tether that kept him close.
“Brianna, if you’re married, I’m not that kind of guy. I like you, but I won’t be with another man’s wife. I can just give you a ride home and—”
“Married? I’m definitely not married.”
He brought their clasped hands up and ran his knuckle softly along her jaw. “Then what is it? What’s embarrassing?”
She held his gaze. He was so nice. How could she do anything but tell him the truth? Great. Now you’ll know I’m a broke loser. “Hugh, you’re so helpful and very generous, but I kind of need to use the mechanic that I know in case it’s expensive. He lets me work out payments.”
“I understand. Let’s not worry about that just yet. This might just turn out to be nothing at all. If it’s a big dollar amount and he can’t work out payments, then we’ll bring it to your guy. Does that work?”
He was so considerate. Even though he was right there in front of her, looking at her with those generous, thoughtful, dark eyes, she needed to feel that he was real. She pressed her fingers to his abs, just above his belt. Real. One-hundred-percent, rock-hard real .
Chapter Nine
AS THEY WALKED to Hugh’s car, his gut twisted. With the moonlight sparkling in Bree's eyes, he’d been a breath away from kissing her. She’d looked at him with such worry in her eyes that all he could think about was how good it would feel to kiss it away and bring the sparkle back to her eyes—the one he’d caught glimpses of earlier in the evening.
He clicked the key fob and unlocked the Roadster.
“Oh my God. Is that your car?”
“I could lie and say no, but I don’t really believe in being dishonest with people I consider friends.” He squeezed her hand, and she slipped her hand out of his grasp.
She stepped closer to the car and covered her mouth, then looked at Hugh and shook her head. “Who are you?” she whispered.
Hugh had never wanted to be someone different in his life. He was proud of the things he’d accomplished with his racing career, his college degree, and his family. But at that moment, with a hint of fear in Brianna’s eyes, he wished he were Joe Nobody. He stepped closer to her and ran his hands up her arms to her shoulders. She felt so small beneath his jacket.
“I’m the same guy I was in the bar and the same guy you had coffee with. I’m Hugh. Hugh Braden.” He shrugged.
She drew her eyebrows together again, and the worried look deepened, stealing her smile and replacing it with a serious mask. “But who are you?”
“How can I answer that, Bree? I’m a son, a brother, a friend to some people. That’s who I am. And a guy who wants to get to know you better.” He knew he couldn’t avoid telling her what she wanted to know, but every bit of him screamed, Let her see the real you first!
“What do you do for a living?”
He slid his hands across her shoulders and cupped her face with his hands. “Does that really make a difference?”
She stepped out of his grasp. “Maybe.”
“I’m not a drug runner, or a thief, or anything else that you’d be ashamed of.” The muscles in his neck knotted.
“Is it that difficult to tell me? Are you married?”
“No.”
“Ever been?”
“No, Bree.” He stepped forward, and she stepped backward. “Bree.” He glanced away and ran his hand through his hair. “All I wanted was to get to know you without my career hanging over our heads. That’s all. It’s so hard to be normal when people know who I am.”
“So you’re someone important?” She crossed her arms.
“No. I’m not.” He stepped closer. “I’ll tell you who I am,
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