Read Online Taking Chances: A Donnelley Brother's Novel by Alannah Carbonneau - Free Book Online
Authors: Alannah Carbonneau
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against the very arms that kept me from total breakdown. “Let me go.”
“Nope.” His arms tightened. “Are you alright?”
“No.” I shook my head, wondering why he wasn’t running for his life from the crazy woman who cried like this over hurt feelings. But honestly, although he may have been the starting reason for my tears, he had nothing to do with them now. Now, it was all about the loss of my big brother - the loss of my protector and tormentor. The loss of my best friend.
I begged again, trying unsuccessfully to restrain my tears. “Please let me go.”
Collin didn’t reply as he bent his knees into the backs of mine, forcing my legs to bend. Slowly, he lowered us to our knees on the grassy ground beneath my feet. His entire form encased mine as he held me, rocking me gently as I emptied myself of my pain.
When I had finished crying, my body no longer trembling with pain and sorrow and loss, I felt his arms loosen from around my waist, but only a fraction. Then, his rough voice sounded into my hair. “Were those tears for him, Hadley?”
I stiffened. “Who?” My voice cut off and I steadied myself before attempting to speak again. “Who told you? What do you know?”
“My mom, right after you ran.” For the first time, he sounded slightly uncertain. “It’s why I chased after you.”
“What did she tell you?” I croaked, closing my eyes against their burning. Thankfully, there simply were no more tears to cry. I’d run myself dry.
“She told me she didn’t bring you here. That you’re here because your mom called and your dad booked your cabin - for six months.” His voice lowered. “That you just lost your brother.”
My body deflated and his arms tightened around me - his strength keeping me from crumbling into my pain.
For a moment there was silence. Then, he spoke again. “I’m really sorry you walked in on that, Hadley. It wasn’t for you to hear. It really had nothing to do with you.”
“That’s not what it sounded like.” I snorted unbecomingly. “Actually, it sounded like it had everything to do with me.”
“It didn’t.” He vowed roughly and I stiffened. “It was between my mom and me. She keeps trying to meddle in mine and my brother’s lives - I love her, but shit, she can’t force us all into settling down. It doesn’t work like that.”
“I can assure you that she’s not trying to set us up, Collin.” I tried to slip away from the confines of his embrace, but he refused to relent his hold and I settled back into the hard warmth of his chest, my head falling into the crook of his neck. “Please let me go.” I asked tiredly.
“Naw.” He shook his head gently so as not to force mine up from his shoulder. “I kinda like the way you feel.”
This made me stiffen and I replied coldly. “Yeah, well as you so clearly informed your Mother, Reese, and myself, you’re not the relationship kind of guy - and I’m no easy girl.” Screw sorrow, I was pissed now. “You might like the way I feel, but I’ll never be the kind of girl who loves and leaves.” I struggled in his arms and finally, he released me. “I know the kind of guy you are, Collin, and I’m not interested in getting myself burned by whatever flames you’ve got inside you.” I shook my head as I stumbled to my feet. “No thanks!”
Collin lifted himself to his feet, towering over me as he gazed down into my face. “I would burn you, Hadley.” He nodded before sighing. “Friends?”
I gazed up at him, wondering for a moment, if he was freaking insane. Then I nodded slowly, but firmly. “Yeah, friends. But just so you know, if you ruin my coffee time once more, this friend thing - it won’t work.”
Slowly, his lips curled into a grin. My heart raced. It was that freaking lady-killer grin I was beginning to really like. Damn. Why did all jerks have to be so darned hot?
“I ruined your coffee time?”
“Yeah.” I folded my arms beneath my breasts before pinning him with
“Nope.” His arms tightened. “Are you alright?”
“No.” I shook my head, wondering why he wasn’t running for his life from the crazy woman who cried like this over hurt feelings. But honestly, although he may have been the starting reason for my tears, he had nothing to do with them now. Now, it was all about the loss of my big brother - the loss of my protector and tormentor. The loss of my best friend.
I begged again, trying unsuccessfully to restrain my tears. “Please let me go.”
Collin didn’t reply as he bent his knees into the backs of mine, forcing my legs to bend. Slowly, he lowered us to our knees on the grassy ground beneath my feet. His entire form encased mine as he held me, rocking me gently as I emptied myself of my pain.
When I had finished crying, my body no longer trembling with pain and sorrow and loss, I felt his arms loosen from around my waist, but only a fraction. Then, his rough voice sounded into my hair. “Were those tears for him, Hadley?”
I stiffened. “Who?” My voice cut off and I steadied myself before attempting to speak again. “Who told you? What do you know?”
“My mom, right after you ran.” For the first time, he sounded slightly uncertain. “It’s why I chased after you.”
“What did she tell you?” I croaked, closing my eyes against their burning. Thankfully, there simply were no more tears to cry. I’d run myself dry.
“She told me she didn’t bring you here. That you’re here because your mom called and your dad booked your cabin - for six months.” His voice lowered. “That you just lost your brother.”
My body deflated and his arms tightened around me - his strength keeping me from crumbling into my pain.
For a moment there was silence. Then, he spoke again. “I’m really sorry you walked in on that, Hadley. It wasn’t for you to hear. It really had nothing to do with you.”
“That’s not what it sounded like.” I snorted unbecomingly. “Actually, it sounded like it had everything to do with me.”
“It didn’t.” He vowed roughly and I stiffened. “It was between my mom and me. She keeps trying to meddle in mine and my brother’s lives - I love her, but shit, she can’t force us all into settling down. It doesn’t work like that.”
“I can assure you that she’s not trying to set us up, Collin.” I tried to slip away from the confines of his embrace, but he refused to relent his hold and I settled back into the hard warmth of his chest, my head falling into the crook of his neck. “Please let me go.” I asked tiredly.
“Naw.” He shook his head gently so as not to force mine up from his shoulder. “I kinda like the way you feel.”
This made me stiffen and I replied coldly. “Yeah, well as you so clearly informed your Mother, Reese, and myself, you’re not the relationship kind of guy - and I’m no easy girl.” Screw sorrow, I was pissed now. “You might like the way I feel, but I’ll never be the kind of girl who loves and leaves.” I struggled in his arms and finally, he released me. “I know the kind of guy you are, Collin, and I’m not interested in getting myself burned by whatever flames you’ve got inside you.” I shook my head as I stumbled to my feet. “No thanks!”
Collin lifted himself to his feet, towering over me as he gazed down into my face. “I would burn you, Hadley.” He nodded before sighing. “Friends?”
I gazed up at him, wondering for a moment, if he was freaking insane. Then I nodded slowly, but firmly. “Yeah, friends. But just so you know, if you ruin my coffee time once more, this friend thing - it won’t work.”
Slowly, his lips curled into a grin. My heart raced. It was that freaking lady-killer grin I was beginning to really like. Damn. Why did all jerks have to be so darned hot?
“I ruined your coffee time?”
“Yeah.” I folded my arms beneath my breasts before pinning him with
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