Read Online Only Mine by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online Page A

to him for ten or twelve weeks, or however the hell long the show lasted. Although disliking the host was the least of his problems right now.
    Sasha and Lani linked hands and stepped to the side of the stage. The host put his arm around Stephen. “Guess you’re next. Nervous?”
    â€œMore excited than nervous,” Stephen said.
    The host nodded to the girls waiting behind them. “Got a favorite?”
    Stephen smiled. Unlike his brother, he didn’t feel the need to charm the world. He’d always been serious. More studious. He had a sincerity the girls had always liked. If Sasha was the flash, then Stephen was the substance.
    â€œDo I have to pick just one?” his brother asked.
    The host chuckled. “You need to leave some for the rest of the contestants. How about if I pick one for you?”
    Steven turned back to the camera. “Whichever one you pick is fine with me.”
    The host called for quiet. Finn wanted to point out that no one was talking but knew his comments wouldn’t be appreciated. Once again the host removed a card from his suit pocket and held it up for the camera.
    â€œAurelia.”
    The camera panned across the girls, then paused as one of them stepped forward. Finn frowned. It wasn’t that the girl was unattractive, or even badly dressed. She was just…different from the other girls. Less polished, less sophisticated. Plain.
    She wore a navy dress that fell past her knees, low-heeled shoes and no makeup. Her long hair fell in her face, making it hard to see her eyes, not that she looked up as she approached. When she finally stepped next to Stephen and glanced at him, her expression was more one of horror than anticipation.
    Finn studied her for a second, then frowned. “Wait a minute. How old is she?”
    â€œAurelia?” Dakota shrugged. “Twenty-nine or thirty. She was a year or two ahead of us in school.”
    He swore. “There’s no way this is happening. I’m going to crush Geoff. I’m going to leave him bleeding and broken on the side of the road.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    He spun toward Dakota and glared at her. “Can’t you see it? She’s what? Nearly ten years older than Stephen. There is no way in hell I’m going to stand by while my brother is devoured by some cougar.”
    The corners of Dakota’s mouth twitched. “Seriously? You think Aurelia is a cougar?”
    â€œWhat else would she be? Look at her.”
    â€œI am,” Dakota said. “ You look at her. She’s mousy. She was always like that in high school. I don’t know her whole story but I’m pretty sure I remember she has an awful mother. Aurelia never got to do anything. She wasn’t allowed to go to school dances or football games. It’s kind of sad. You don’t have to worry—she’s not the type to trap him by getting pregnant or something.”
    â€œCry me a river. I don’t care about her past, I care about her being with my brother.” He froze. “Pregnant?” He swore. “She can’t get pregnant.”
    Dakota winced. “I shouldn’t have said that. Stop worrying. She’s no danger to Stephen. Come on, Finn, she’s a nice girl. Isn’t that what you want for your brother? A nice girl?”
    â€œSure I want a nice girl, but I want a nice girl who’s his age.”
    Dakota grinned. “It may seem like a big age difference now, but when he’s forty-two she’ll only be fifty.”
    â€œYou’re not making me feel better. I don’t think you’re even trying.”
    Finn was done talking. Bad enough that his brothers had come to Fool’s Gold to be on the stupid show. Maybe he could learn to live with that, but he was not going to stand here and let his brother be set up for a fall.
    But before he could stomp down to the front of the stage and disrupt the live broadcast, Dakota stepped in front of