Read Online Marked Heart (Marked Heart #3) by M. Sembera - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: M. Sembera
Ads: Link
like she was about to laugh as she questioned, "Were you expecting it to be a big deal?"
"Yeah!" he blurted, wondering why it wasn't.
Appearing as though she felt bad for letting him down, she replied, "Sorry, I didn't know this was some sort of a revelation for you."
Baffled, he couldn't help standing there shaking his head at her.
Standing up from behind her desk, Charlotte walked over to him.
Holding her hands up, she shared, "Look, I don't judge."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
With a hint of knowing in her expression she shared, "I just assumed since y'all hook up once a week..."
Taken aback he cut her off, swearing, "No, we don't."
"Then what do the two of you do every Thursday night?" Charlotte questioned with an air of disbelief.
"Drink beer and play board games."
"Seriously?"
Nodding, Braden asked, "What would make you think that?"
Laughing at him, she replied, "Don't sound so offended."
"I'm not, but we're not and why would you think we were?"
As her laughter faded she answered, "It seemed reasonable seeing as you won't commit to Mina and she's holding back from getting with Pat."
Braden paused to think for a moment before asking, "Holding back as in..." leaving the question open for her to fill in the blank.
Charlotte quickly turned and walked behind her desk.
Taking a seat, she smiled, replying, "You should break up with Mina and ask her out."
"I did," he shared before clarifying, "Break up with Mina."
"Then I suggest you get to her before Pat does."
It took a minute of her glancing between him and the door with a serious expression before he got the hint and walked out.
Scanning the crowd, Braden looked for Liv on his way up to the bar. Spotting her sitting alone was a relief. He stayed focused on her, watching her red lips sip from the drink in her hand, leaving their mark against the glass as he made his way over. When he reached her, Braden stood at her side instead of taking a seat. As she stared down into her glass, he stole it from her grasp and took a sip.
"Gin?"
Keeping her eyes down, Liv replied, "Tastes like it."
Braden glanced over seeing his brother with a hard scowl across his face hold up four fingers.
"You wanna get a table?" he cautiously asked, knowing she only drank liquor when she was upset.
Lowering her forehead to the palms of her hands, she shook her head.
"Take me home."
~
The drive out to the farmhouse was silent. It wasn't until they were inside that Liv said a word to him.
Opening her refrigerator, she offered, "Beer?"
Braden wished she would take her sunglasses off, as she handed him a bottle. He could see her eyes but just barely and not enough to figure out what was wrong.
Setting his beer on the counter, he watched her grab one for herself, saying, "You can go."
"I don't want to."
Shaking her head, she urged, "Please. Go."
Reaching to her face, Braden pulled her sunglasses off before asking, "Why?"
"I want to be alone."
Finding it hard to believe her, he questioned, "Then why were you at the bar?"
"I wanted to drink."
Frustration started to build inside him at the thought of her not wanting him there.
"And what? Pat not showing up just ruined your night?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you."
Liv was right, she didn't but that didn't stop him from wanting her to.
"I would never turn you away." Braden swore as he walked passed her.
M 11 H
It took several attempts of turning the key in the ignition, and jiggling wires under the hood before Braden caved and called his brother. He hated asking Auggie for help but had no choice when his El Camino wouldn't start. While he waited, Penny and Seth showed up, which was cool because he liked hanging with Seth but then Mina walked over at the exact same time Auggie drove up in his diesel with both Charlotte and Liv.
As the three of them hopped out of Auggie's truck, Charlotte and Liv were laughing which happened to piss Braden off a little.
"Don't ya think it's about time to let the old girl die
"Yeah!" he blurted, wondering why it wasn't.
Appearing as though she felt bad for letting him down, she replied, "Sorry, I didn't know this was some sort of a revelation for you."
Baffled, he couldn't help standing there shaking his head at her.
Standing up from behind her desk, Charlotte walked over to him.
Holding her hands up, she shared, "Look, I don't judge."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
With a hint of knowing in her expression she shared, "I just assumed since y'all hook up once a week..."
Taken aback he cut her off, swearing, "No, we don't."
"Then what do the two of you do every Thursday night?" Charlotte questioned with an air of disbelief.
"Drink beer and play board games."
"Seriously?"
Nodding, Braden asked, "What would make you think that?"
Laughing at him, she replied, "Don't sound so offended."
"I'm not, but we're not and why would you think we were?"
As her laughter faded she answered, "It seemed reasonable seeing as you won't commit to Mina and she's holding back from getting with Pat."
Braden paused to think for a moment before asking, "Holding back as in..." leaving the question open for her to fill in the blank.
Charlotte quickly turned and walked behind her desk.
Taking a seat, she smiled, replying, "You should break up with Mina and ask her out."
"I did," he shared before clarifying, "Break up with Mina."
"Then I suggest you get to her before Pat does."
It took a minute of her glancing between him and the door with a serious expression before he got the hint and walked out.
Scanning the crowd, Braden looked for Liv on his way up to the bar. Spotting her sitting alone was a relief. He stayed focused on her, watching her red lips sip from the drink in her hand, leaving their mark against the glass as he made his way over. When he reached her, Braden stood at her side instead of taking a seat. As she stared down into her glass, he stole it from her grasp and took a sip.
"Gin?"
Keeping her eyes down, Liv replied, "Tastes like it."
Braden glanced over seeing his brother with a hard scowl across his face hold up four fingers.
"You wanna get a table?" he cautiously asked, knowing she only drank liquor when she was upset.
Lowering her forehead to the palms of her hands, she shook her head.
"Take me home."
~
The drive out to the farmhouse was silent. It wasn't until they were inside that Liv said a word to him.
Opening her refrigerator, she offered, "Beer?"
Braden wished she would take her sunglasses off, as she handed him a bottle. He could see her eyes but just barely and not enough to figure out what was wrong.
Setting his beer on the counter, he watched her grab one for herself, saying, "You can go."
"I don't want to."
Shaking her head, she urged, "Please. Go."
Reaching to her face, Braden pulled her sunglasses off before asking, "Why?"
"I want to be alone."
Finding it hard to believe her, he questioned, "Then why were you at the bar?"
"I wanted to drink."
Frustration started to build inside him at the thought of her not wanting him there.
"And what? Pat not showing up just ruined your night?"
"I don't have to explain myself to you."
Liv was right, she didn't but that didn't stop him from wanting her to.
"I would never turn you away." Braden swore as he walked passed her.
M 11 H
It took several attempts of turning the key in the ignition, and jiggling wires under the hood before Braden caved and called his brother. He hated asking Auggie for help but had no choice when his El Camino wouldn't start. While he waited, Penny and Seth showed up, which was cool because he liked hanging with Seth but then Mina walked over at the exact same time Auggie drove up in his diesel with both Charlotte and Liv.
As the three of them hopped out of Auggie's truck, Charlotte and Liv were laughing which happened to piss Braden off a little.
"Don't ya think it's about time to let the old girl die
Similar Books
