Read Online Marked Heart (Marked Heart #3) by M. Sembera - Free Book Online
Authors: M. Sembera
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sense to put her chuck's on before she left the house.
Everything was thrown off kilter from the moment she woke up late. She didn't hear her alarm, then when she did get up, Braden was already awake. That would have been fine though, except the burner on her gas stove went out and she couldn't get it to re-light. When Braden tried, he got it but because it was turned on high for the fifteen minutes while she was trying, a huge flame shot up and scared the hell out of both of them. He dropped the lighter onto the burner and it burst before either one of them could turn the burner off. By the time the catastrophe was over, Liv lost two cup towels, her favorite pan, and her whole house smelled like gas and burnt plastic. As insane as her stove catching on fire was, that wasn't what sent her out of the house in a black tank top and skull and crossbones pajama bottoms. It was when she was trying to air out the house and Braden came up beside her to help her open one of the windows that wouldn't budge. Pushing up from both sides, when it broke free and opened, it happened so fast, she lost her balance and almost fell. Braden caught her before she hit the floor, and she appreciated that, but when she was steady and his hand on her side tightened at her waist, she couldn't get out of there fast enough.
After smoothing her lipstick over her lips, Liv looked at herself in the mirror. Her view was darkened slightly by the aviator sunglasses she planned to wear all day in the absence of eye makeup. Making a face in the mirror, she mentally chastised herself for not being able to shake off the urges Braden's touch invoked.
~
Straight from the shop to The Dog House after work, Liv sat on a barstool at the far corner of the bar. Texting Charlotte, she waited for Auggie to make his way over.
"Nice pj's." Auggie teased.
Laughing, Liv replied, "Gin and tonic."
"Bad day?" he questioned, walking to the center of the bar to make her drink.
As he set her glass down in front of her, Liv shared, "Your brother damn near caught my whole kitchen on fire this morning."
"So you said screw it I'm not getting dressed today?"
She smirked at him, answering, "Somethin' like that."
Auggie laughed, offering, "I know you got sleeves but you need a jacket. It's supposed to be in the fifties tonight."
Lifting her drink, she assured, "This should keep me warm," before taking a sip and then drinking the rest down. "Another."
"You okay?" he questioned with a scowl on his face.
"You bet."
Auggie gave a slight grunt in disbelief as he turned to make her another drink.
Once drink number two was out of the way, Liv took her time slowly sipping her third gin and tonic. She wanted to relax and clear her mind, not get sloppy fall off the barstool drunk. As the bar started to fill up with the usual Friday night crowd, she glanced down at her phone.
C: If you keep turning him down, he's going to stop asking.
L: It hasn't stopped him yet.
C: What's stopping you?
L: It's complicated.
C: Call it what you like. I still say go for it.
~
Walking into the back door of The Dog House, Braden walked straight into Charlotte's office instead of heading to the main area of the bar.
"Got a minute?" he asked, pulling her attention away from her cell phone as she looked up at him.
Charlotte quickly sent a text then set her phone down saying, "What's up?"
"Who was that?" he questioned, eyeing her phone on the desk.
Curling the corner of her mouth into a smile, she flipped her cell face down as she replied, "Did you need something?"
Closing her office door, he asked, "Can you keep a secret?"
Eyeing him suspiciously, she replied, "Yes."
Braden took a deep breath before confessing, "I'm kinda diggin' Liv."
Charlotte appeared more confused and less surprised then he thought she should.
"Oh-kay..."
Giving her a dirty look, Braden griped, "Just okay, that's it?"
Shrugging a shoulder at him, she added, "I'm sure you are."
"Am I missing something?"
Charlotte looked
Everything was thrown off kilter from the moment she woke up late. She didn't hear her alarm, then when she did get up, Braden was already awake. That would have been fine though, except the burner on her gas stove went out and she couldn't get it to re-light. When Braden tried, he got it but because it was turned on high for the fifteen minutes while she was trying, a huge flame shot up and scared the hell out of both of them. He dropped the lighter onto the burner and it burst before either one of them could turn the burner off. By the time the catastrophe was over, Liv lost two cup towels, her favorite pan, and her whole house smelled like gas and burnt plastic. As insane as her stove catching on fire was, that wasn't what sent her out of the house in a black tank top and skull and crossbones pajama bottoms. It was when she was trying to air out the house and Braden came up beside her to help her open one of the windows that wouldn't budge. Pushing up from both sides, when it broke free and opened, it happened so fast, she lost her balance and almost fell. Braden caught her before she hit the floor, and she appreciated that, but when she was steady and his hand on her side tightened at her waist, she couldn't get out of there fast enough.
After smoothing her lipstick over her lips, Liv looked at herself in the mirror. Her view was darkened slightly by the aviator sunglasses she planned to wear all day in the absence of eye makeup. Making a face in the mirror, she mentally chastised herself for not being able to shake off the urges Braden's touch invoked.
~
Straight from the shop to The Dog House after work, Liv sat on a barstool at the far corner of the bar. Texting Charlotte, she waited for Auggie to make his way over.
"Nice pj's." Auggie teased.
Laughing, Liv replied, "Gin and tonic."
"Bad day?" he questioned, walking to the center of the bar to make her drink.
As he set her glass down in front of her, Liv shared, "Your brother damn near caught my whole kitchen on fire this morning."
"So you said screw it I'm not getting dressed today?"
She smirked at him, answering, "Somethin' like that."
Auggie laughed, offering, "I know you got sleeves but you need a jacket. It's supposed to be in the fifties tonight."
Lifting her drink, she assured, "This should keep me warm," before taking a sip and then drinking the rest down. "Another."
"You okay?" he questioned with a scowl on his face.
"You bet."
Auggie gave a slight grunt in disbelief as he turned to make her another drink.
Once drink number two was out of the way, Liv took her time slowly sipping her third gin and tonic. She wanted to relax and clear her mind, not get sloppy fall off the barstool drunk. As the bar started to fill up with the usual Friday night crowd, she glanced down at her phone.
C: If you keep turning him down, he's going to stop asking.
L: It hasn't stopped him yet.
C: What's stopping you?
L: It's complicated.
C: Call it what you like. I still say go for it.
~
Walking into the back door of The Dog House, Braden walked straight into Charlotte's office instead of heading to the main area of the bar.
"Got a minute?" he asked, pulling her attention away from her cell phone as she looked up at him.
Charlotte quickly sent a text then set her phone down saying, "What's up?"
"Who was that?" he questioned, eyeing her phone on the desk.
Curling the corner of her mouth into a smile, she flipped her cell face down as she replied, "Did you need something?"
Closing her office door, he asked, "Can you keep a secret?"
Eyeing him suspiciously, she replied, "Yes."
Braden took a deep breath before confessing, "I'm kinda diggin' Liv."
Charlotte appeared more confused and less surprised then he thought she should.
"Oh-kay..."
Giving her a dirty look, Braden griped, "Just okay, that's it?"
Shrugging a shoulder at him, she added, "I'm sure you are."
"Am I missing something?"
Charlotte looked
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