Crushing on Love (The Bradens of Peaceful Harbor, Book Four) Read Online Free PDF Page B

patio. “Soda? Water? Beer?”
    “Shannon?” Steve asked, pulling a chair out from beneath the glass table for her.
    “I’m okay, thanks.” She sat down, and he claimed the seat beside her.
    “I’m cool, too. Thanks for making time for me today, Mack. I know you’re busy.”
    “Man, you’re like our brother.” Mack took the seat opposite Steve. “You know we’ll always make time for you.”
    “You can’t imagine how much that means to me. You know I feel the same way.” Steve rose to his feet as Will came up the hill. Will’s eyes made a beeline for Shannon, who looked radiant with the sun beating down on her beautiful face. Steve set a hand on the back of her chair, hating himself a little for laying claim to a woman who wasn’t his.
    “Steve!” Will opened his arms and yanked him in tight. “Damn, I’ve missed you.”
    “Missed you, too, bud.” He hadn’t seen them since a few weeks after their father passed away.
    “Who’s this gorgeous creature?” Will bent down on one knee beside Shannon and kissed her hand.
    “Get up, you fool,” Mack said. “Can’t you see she’s spoken for?”
    “No, I’m not,” Shannon said, wrinkling her nose in confusion.
    Steve tried to remember why he’d thought it was a good idea for her to come along when he knew damn well Will and Mack would be crazy not to try to pick her up.
    “Will, Shannon Braden. Shannon, Will Cumberland.” Steve grabbed Will by the arm and lifted him to his feet. “Braden. As in Rex will kick your ass halfway across the state if you mess with her.”
    Will laughed and sat across from Shannon. “As I remember it, he kicked your ass for saying you wouldn’t mind getting a piece of his sister, Savannah.”
    “Yeah, let’s not go there.” Steve scrubbed a hand down his face.
    “Really?” Shannon’s eyes lit up. “Oh my gosh, you have to tell me about that.”
    “No, I don’t,” Steve said, hoping to throw her off the scent of that particularly embarrassing story.
    “Rex is so possessive,” Shannon said. “You should see him with their new baby, Hal, named for Rex’s father, of course. I swear that baby is attached to Rex every minute he’s not running the ranch, and half the time when he is. He’s so freaking adorable. Anyway, Rex is the same way with his nieces and nephews. He’s always got kids clinging to him. No one messes with Rex Braden’s family.” She grabbed Steve’s arm and leaned in so close her breath became his. “I want every last detail. Did you put up a good fight, at least?”
    “Wow, you don’t let up, do you?” Mack said with a grin. “She definitely has Braden blood.”
    “Thank you,” Shannon said with a proud smile.
    “She’s tenacious,” Steve agreed. “Since we’re not here to talk about old times, how about I share that with you later?” Like in a million years.
    “Oh, right.” She pressed her lips together but failed in containing her contagious smile. She lowered her voice and whispered, “But if you don’t tell me, I’ll ask Rex.”
    Will and Mack burst into laughter.
    “Damn, you are a wild one,” Will said. “How’d you like to have a drink with me tonight?”
    Mack’s brows rose with amusement. Steve’s slanted in anger.

    WOW . STEVE KNEW how to pick his friends. Mack and Will were smokin’ hot. They looked like a double shot of Henry Cavill, complete with matching dimples in their chins. But they had nothing on her grizzly man. She shifted her eyes to Steve, who had a death stare locked on Will. He quickly tried to mask the threatening look with splayed hands and a halfhearted smile.
    With hope that he wasn’t messing with her after all, she said, “Actually, I’m supposed to scout locations for my research with Steve tonight.”
    “That’s okay,” Steve said, shocking— and upsetting —her. “The mountain isn’t going anywhere.”
    Her thoughts came to a sudden halt. He wanted her to go out with Will? Then what was that look? She didn’t want to