Read Online Secret Obsession (romantic suspense) (Red Stone Security Series Book 12) by Katie Reus - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Katie Reus
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hard to transition back?”
He lifted a shoulder. That was a complicated answer and not one for a beach day. “I had it harder than some, easier than others.”
She nudged him with her hip. “That’s a very evasive answer.”
He just grinned. Being around Raegan was a breath of fresh air. “Maybe I’ll tell you more one day.” The thought of opening up to anyone was hard enough, but especially a woman who he was starting to have real feelings for.
“I’m glad you came with me today.”
“I am too.” After their kiss this morning he’d been feeling unsettled. She hadn’t brought it up and he wasn’t going to either. Not yet anyway. “Your friends were nice.”
“Thanks. I think Jules feels a lot better now after seeing me. Or she seemed to.”
He nodded. It was clear both her friends had been experiencing a lot of guilt over last night.
“Ford?” A familiar male voice made him stop dead in his tracks. All the muscles in his body pulled taut at the sound of his brother calling his name. Seriously? What the fuck?
Raegan stopped with him and they both turned to watch Dallas, wearing board shorts and a T-shirt, heading toward them. His dark hair was a little longer than Ford’s, but there was no mistaking they were related. Even though this was the last person he wanted to see, he forced himself to be civil even as annoyance surged through him. He was past anger, but that didn’t mean he needed or wanted to see his brother. “Hey, Dallas.”
“What are you doing here?” his brother asked, an iced coffee in hand.
“Public beach.” He shrugged, not caring if he sounded like a dick.
“Oh yeah, I mean, I just…I’m surprised, is all. It’s good to see you.” He looked at Raegan, gave a nervous smile. “I’m Dallas, Ford’s brother.”
Raegan was all smiles as she shook his hand. “Raegan, Ford’s friend.”
He wanted to be more than friends, but right now, he just wanted Dallas gone. Being around his older brother brought up too much bullshit he didn’t want to deal with. Especially when he was with Raegan. He just wanted today to be about her.
“You guys here for the windsurfing thing?” Dallas continued when all Ford wanted to do was leave.
Ford had no idea what his brother was talking about. “No.”
“Oh, well…I’m here with my new girlfriend.” He motioned over to a blonde-haired woman in her thirties. The woman smiled at them. “She works for the firm. Another lawyer like me,” he said, looking at Raegan, his smile polite. “If you guys want to join us—”
“We’ve got plans, but thanks for the offer.” Yeah, Ford knew he was being an ass but he couldn’t just stand around and pretend with Dallas.
“Right. Well…maybe I’ll see you at Mom and Dad’s next weekend?”
“Yeah, maybe.” He avoided Sunday dinners when he knew Dallas would be there. Something his brother had to know.
“It was nice to meet you,” Raegan murmured, hitching her bag slightly against her side.
“You too. Ford, I, uh, I’ll see you around.”
He didn’t say anything as his brother left. “You want to grab a drink before we hit the sand?” he asked, turning back to Raegan.
“Um, no.” She linked her arm through his as they continued down the boardwalk. He savored the unexpected closeness, even as he braced himself for the inevitable questions. “Is your brother a puppy murderer or something?”
He snorted. “No.”
“Then what was that about? I know it’s a super nosy question but I’ve never imagined you being so cold with someone.”
“But you have imagined me in other scenarios?”
Now she snorted. “You’re such a guy.”
“That’s not an answer.” And he wanted to know if she had thought about him, fantasized about him. He might have been burned before but sweet Jesus he needed to let that shit go. If he wanted to move on, he knew he needed to deal with the past. He’d just never wanted someone enough to move on from that. And he sure as hell
He lifted a shoulder. That was a complicated answer and not one for a beach day. “I had it harder than some, easier than others.”
She nudged him with her hip. “That’s a very evasive answer.”
He just grinned. Being around Raegan was a breath of fresh air. “Maybe I’ll tell you more one day.” The thought of opening up to anyone was hard enough, but especially a woman who he was starting to have real feelings for.
“I’m glad you came with me today.”
“I am too.” After their kiss this morning he’d been feeling unsettled. She hadn’t brought it up and he wasn’t going to either. Not yet anyway. “Your friends were nice.”
“Thanks. I think Jules feels a lot better now after seeing me. Or she seemed to.”
He nodded. It was clear both her friends had been experiencing a lot of guilt over last night.
“Ford?” A familiar male voice made him stop dead in his tracks. All the muscles in his body pulled taut at the sound of his brother calling his name. Seriously? What the fuck?
Raegan stopped with him and they both turned to watch Dallas, wearing board shorts and a T-shirt, heading toward them. His dark hair was a little longer than Ford’s, but there was no mistaking they were related. Even though this was the last person he wanted to see, he forced himself to be civil even as annoyance surged through him. He was past anger, but that didn’t mean he needed or wanted to see his brother. “Hey, Dallas.”
“What are you doing here?” his brother asked, an iced coffee in hand.
“Public beach.” He shrugged, not caring if he sounded like a dick.
“Oh yeah, I mean, I just…I’m surprised, is all. It’s good to see you.” He looked at Raegan, gave a nervous smile. “I’m Dallas, Ford’s brother.”
Raegan was all smiles as she shook his hand. “Raegan, Ford’s friend.”
He wanted to be more than friends, but right now, he just wanted Dallas gone. Being around his older brother brought up too much bullshit he didn’t want to deal with. Especially when he was with Raegan. He just wanted today to be about her.
“You guys here for the windsurfing thing?” Dallas continued when all Ford wanted to do was leave.
Ford had no idea what his brother was talking about. “No.”
“Oh, well…I’m here with my new girlfriend.” He motioned over to a blonde-haired woman in her thirties. The woman smiled at them. “She works for the firm. Another lawyer like me,” he said, looking at Raegan, his smile polite. “If you guys want to join us—”
“We’ve got plans, but thanks for the offer.” Yeah, Ford knew he was being an ass but he couldn’t just stand around and pretend with Dallas.
“Right. Well…maybe I’ll see you at Mom and Dad’s next weekend?”
“Yeah, maybe.” He avoided Sunday dinners when he knew Dallas would be there. Something his brother had to know.
“It was nice to meet you,” Raegan murmured, hitching her bag slightly against her side.
“You too. Ford, I, uh, I’ll see you around.”
He didn’t say anything as his brother left. “You want to grab a drink before we hit the sand?” he asked, turning back to Raegan.
“Um, no.” She linked her arm through his as they continued down the boardwalk. He savored the unexpected closeness, even as he braced himself for the inevitable questions. “Is your brother a puppy murderer or something?”
He snorted. “No.”
“Then what was that about? I know it’s a super nosy question but I’ve never imagined you being so cold with someone.”
“But you have imagined me in other scenarios?”
Now she snorted. “You’re such a guy.”
“That’s not an answer.” And he wanted to know if she had thought about him, fantasized about him. He might have been burned before but sweet Jesus he needed to let that shit go. If he wanted to move on, he knew he needed to deal with the past. He’d just never wanted someone enough to move on from that. And he sure as hell
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