Read Online Kiss Me at Midnight (Entangled Flaunt) by Diane Alberts - Free Book Online Page B

couldn’t.
    He needed more of her before he boarded that flight.
    “You awake over here?” Alex said.
    Ethan started. He’d been so lost in thought that he hadn’t even heard anyone come up behind him. “Yep, I’m not that tired.”
    “With all those late nights you’ve been pulling lately, I figured you might have dozed off on me.” Alex handed Ethan a beer and sat down beside him. “Here. Drink up.” He held up his own bottle and clinked Ethan’s with his. “It’ll make you feel better, and you look like you need to feel better.”
    Ethan took a swig. “Beer doesn’t take away the problem. It just hides it for a little while.”
    “Hey, that works for me.” Alex shrugged. “Wanna talk about it?”
    “Not really.” Ethan took another drink and set the bottle down. He could feel Alex’s eyes burning into him, so he shrugged. “I’m fine, man. I’ve just got somewhere to be soon, so there’s not much time for talking.”
    “Who is she?”
    Ethan didn’t even bother to deny there was a she . “Ashley.” He squared his jaw and watched the stormy ocean. “But you probably already knew that. Everyone in this town talks.”
    Alex leaned forward. “I may have heard a rumor about you making out at the bowling alley with a hot, little number who happens to be Ashley, yeah. There’s gotta be a story there.”
    Yet another reason he hated this town. You couldn’t fart sideways without Father Rick hearing about it and inviting you to come to confession Saturday afternoon.
    “Not really.” Ethan took another swig of his drink. “We kissed. I left. And I’ll be heading back to Cali on Monday. So there’s not much to tell.”
    Alex sank back against the bench and crossed his ankles on the boardwalk. “I didn’t know you still had a thing for her.”
    “I did.” He paused, then let out a frustrated sigh. “But I’m still leaving town tomorrow night.”
    Alex whistled through his teeth. “I never said you weren’t, man.”
    “Yeah, well, I just wanted to make that clear.” He finished off his beer. “I hate this fucking place.”
    “I know.” Alex sighed and took a sip of his beer. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you.”
    Ethan turned to him. “Why would you be sorry? You were at college getting an education. It’s not as if you ran away and left me on my own.”
    “Didn’t I, though?” Alex met Ethan’s eyes, his own past haunting him, one that Ethan hadn’t even realized existed. “I think I did exactly that.”
    “Alex, you were living your life.” Ethan placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder, squeezing tight. “What were you supposed to do? Put your life on hold so you could save your nerdy brother? I didn’t want that, and neither should you have.”
    Alex flexed his jaw. “I could have went somewhere closer. Kicked ass on the weekend.”
    “You kicked enough asses for me over the years, and then I started kicking them all on my own.” Ethan squeezed Alex’s shoulder one last time. “I was fine without you, and you did nothing wrong.”
    Alex nodded, but seemed less than convinced. “If you say so.”
    “Dude. I’m fine.”
    “Alex?” a feminine voice asked. “Is that you?”
    Alex stiffened, cursed under his breath, straightened his shirt, and stood. Ethan watched in amazement. He’d never seen Alex act so fucking neurotic before. “Hey, Molly. Happy New Year.”
    Molly smiled. “It’s the second.”
    “Yeah, but still.” Alex rubbed his jaw, his gaze focused on Molly. “What are you up to?”
    Molly gestured behind her. “On my way to the office. I have to prepare for a hearing on Wednesday, and I put it off as long as possible. It’s time to get back to it. You know, being the expert witness and all.”
    “And we thought our jobs would only be listening to people’s problems all day.”
    She laughed. “Yeah, well. Added bonus of being a psychologist, I guess.” Her gaze fell on Ethan, and she pursed her lips. “Ethan? Is that you?”
    Ethan