Read Online Racing Home (Dirt Track Dogs Book 3) (Paranormal Wolf-Shifter Romance) by P. Jameson - Free Book Online Page B

out, taking her hand in his and turning it over and over, running his fingers along her skin.
    “How is it?”
    “Fine,” she breathed. Cleared her throat, and tried again. “It’s fine. I told you.”
    “I wanted to make sure.” But he didn’t let go of her hand. He pressed their palms together, his fingers falling in between hers.
    Annie let her gaze slowly drift to his face. He stared at their linked hands with a mixture of wonder and confusion. Like they were a miracle he couldn’t hope to explain.
    But that made no sense.
    “You have beautiful hands,” he whispered so faintly if they hadn’t been the only ones in the room she might not have heard him.
    But she did. She heard him, and even though he was just talking about her hands, his compliment threaded through her, lighting her up with joy. Her smile grew so wide it hurt her cheeks. He didn’t see it though, because he squeezed his eyes shut.
    “Damn it, that’s not what I meant,” he snapped, jerking his hand away. “I meant your hands are useful. You need them, you know, to work, and I didn’t want to screw that up for you. So. I’m glad they’re okay.”
    And like that, the thread of happiness turned sour.
    “Yep. Me too.” Annie’s smile faded but she spun away, grabbing the towel she’d left on the counter and wiping the area around the plates she’d set out. “Breakfast is ready. Can you tell the others? I’m going to shower and get dressed. You guys can help yourselves.”
    She didn’t wait for his answer. Instead, she took a note from his playbook and escaped as quickly as she could.

Chapter Eight
     
    The crew had finished breakfast, but Blister waited for Annie to return. He needed to talk to her. He wanted to learn about her family. He’d been trying to figure out a way to broach the subject ever since his conversation with Drake, but things kept getting in the way.
    He opened the dishwasher and began loading the breakfast plates.
    “You didn’t need to do the dishes.” Annie’s voice came from behind him, and he turned to look at her.
    Her curls were still damp from her shower. She was barefoot, in a pair of worn jeans, and a t-shirt that read Dirt is a Girl’s Best Friend . She was out of those tiny, hot as fuck shorts she’d probably worn to bed, but she was still kick-in-the-gut gorgeous.
    “I don’t mind,” he muttered, forcing his eyes away from her.
    “Okay.” He caught her shrug. “I’ll get started on lunch then.”
    While he finished loading, she began gathering ingredients. He had to figure out what to say to her. Now, before something else came up.
    “Why are you alone?” he blurted.
    Her body froze mid-action, and then she shook her head and continued her task. “Is there really a good answer to a question like that? If I knew why, I’d remedy it.” For the first time, he noticed the edge in her tone. She didn’t like talking about this, but he needed answers.
    “Where is your family? Friends?”
    “My family is gone. My friends are at DTD. Why are you asking?”
    “Because I want to know.”
    She grew quiet.
    “What happened to your parents?”
    She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “Did Ella tell you something?”
    “No.”
    “I don’t really talk about it.”
    “I get that. I do.”
    She went back to her work, but he wasn’t finished pushing. He had to know if his mate needed something from him as Drake had suggested. Because if she did…
    “What would it take to make you talk?”
    Facing him, she crossed her arms over her chest, drawing his attention momentarily to her breasts.
    “You want to know that badly? That you would bargain with me over the information?” She raised one eyebrow. “Why?”
    Why? Why, why, why. What could he tell her?
    He shrugged as casually as he could. “You said you had scars. I was curious.”
    Blister shut the dishwasher and turned the faucet off before looking at her again. She’d pulled her bottom lip between her teeth,