Close Your Eyes Read Online Free PDF Page A

horse, and the impossible comparison made her smile weakly.
    What am I thinking? This is Matt , for god’s sake. He ’s still Ry’s little brother, even though he’s now half a head taller than his older brother.
    ‘Yeah, fine , ’ she answered as he walked across the opening in the hedge, his stride smooth and purposeful. His olive oilskin jacket glistened with the droplets of rain . A fine sheen of moisture darken ed his strawberry - blond hair and clung to his surprisingly long eyelashes.
    ‘What are yo u doing here in this weather?’ H e stood next to her, his blue eyes confused. ‘I mean, the rain is only going to get worse, Meg .’
    She laughed . It was just too precious, listening to Matt chatting about weather when her world was falling apart. She didn’t even notice when her laughter turned to sobs. O nly the taste of her tears alert ed her to the fact that she was on the way to completely falling apart , a nd in front of her boyfriend’s brother , too. His expression changed from confusion to concern.
    ‘Hey , what’s wrong?’ he asked again, his hands coming to rest on her shivering shoulders. ‘Come on, tell me.’
    Why the hell not? I’m past the meaningless pleasantries that seem to be a rule in the Harper house. She couldn’t imagine any of them bursting into tears like this , no matter what. Elisa’s face , serene and absolutely in control even as her messy divorce became public knowledge, came to mind. But she was an actress . It must have been helpful to be able to act after finding out her husband had cheated on her, despite her own liaison with her co- star.
    Well, Megan wasn’t an actress . H er few parts in school plays were the total extent of her acting career. The thought brought her back to Ry an , and the way he could perfect ly portray whatever character he had to play. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes, mixing with the cold rain that left her cheeks numb.
    ‘ Ry … we had an awful row , and he left, and I don’t know what to do , ’ she mumbled, her voice breaking miserably as her teeth chattered. ‘God, I made such a mess of things, Matt .’
    ‘Don’t beat yourself up too much . ’ Surprisingly gentle, he stroke d her hair with his large hand , warm and slightly rough. ‘ Whatever it is, things will be just fine. I know it , Meg . Ry cares about you far too much to do anything stupid.’
    It was easy to melt into his embrace, her cheek resting against the coolness of his olive - green jacket. He smelled good, she thought absentmindedly as some of the misery that gripped her after Ry an ’s departure dissipated . His arms went around her, protecting her from the rain . She found his steady heartbeat under her cheek oddly reassuring. T he rhythmic movement of his hands against her back lulled her into a hazy peacefulness .
    He feels different than Ry . He was somehow more solid and large r , his broad chest a perfect place to rest her tired head.
    S he listened to his voice telling her not to worry. Letting her guard down and feeling close to him was very easy, and she clung to this sensation of peace and safety. It must be the fact that he’s Ry’s brother.
    The irony of the emotions he evoked was not lost on Megan as she began to think clearly again . Matt was not even remotely peaceful or safe ; that much had been established over the last few years. T he whole town knew about his wild streak . His teenage rebellion was the topic of many conversations within the community. God knew he had done enough stupid things to provide them with plenty of material . Unlike Ry an , Matt caused his family enough grief and embarrassment to last a lifetime.
    And yet, as he smiled down at her in the pouring rain, Megan felt that his deeds painted a distorted and incomplete picture . The sincerity and warmth in his eyes made her trust him, and she was grateful for his presence.
    ‘Let’s get you inside,’ he offered, his eyebrows rising at her panicked expression. ‘Heck, no,