Fan the Flames Read Online Free PDF Page B

mind.”
    “What is it?”
    “We both know that my brother bullied you horribly during high school,” he said, dropping his voice a little. “Timothy wasn’t the kindest person to you, so I’m a little worried you might unintentionally take some of your past resentment about Timothy out on Reid.”
    Brody instantly regretted saying anything and wanted to take the words back as the smile vanished from Ja’Nael’s face. But it was way too late for that, so he would just have to deal with the consequences, whatever they might be.
    “Mr. Wagner. Unlike your vicious brother, I know how to not bully or single out someone because of their differences. Reid has nothing to do with my past with his father. I can definitely see that being a jerk runs in the bloodline though.” She hissed the final part of her comment at him from under her breath.
    Brody opened his mouth to apologize for jumping to conclusions, but the sound of Reid’s excitement cut him off.
    “Uncle Brody, you came back!” his nephew cried as he got up off the rug and raced toward him.
    “Yes, I did,” he answered, picking up Reid. “Didn’t I tell you that I wouldn’t leave my favorite person in the world here? Who would help me decide what to have for supper?”
    From the corner of his eye, he watched as Ja’Nael moved away from him and went over to Reid’s backpack. She grabbed it off the hook along with his jacket before turning back toward them.
    He was even further from getting a date with her after his slip of the tongue. Of course, she wouldn’t hold a grudge against an adult and take it out on a child. What adult in their right mind would do something so mean?
    She sure in the hell wasn’t showing any sings of interest in him now. He had taken two huge steps back by insulting her, which wasn’t something he’d tried to do with his stupid comment.
    “Uncle Brody, are you listening to me?” Reid demanded, hitting him on the arm.
    “Yeah, I’m listening to you.” Brody dragged his attention away from Ja’Nael’s hourglass body and focused on his nephew.
    “Well, can we?” Reid asked, staring at him with hope in his young eyes.
    “Can we, what?” he questioned, placing his nephew back on the floor. Brody realized that he hadn’t paid attention to one word coming out of Reid’s mouth a few minutes ago.
    “You lied to me, Uncle Brody. You weren’t listening to me,” the tiny voice whined as Ja’Nael stopped next to him.
    “I’m sorry little man,” Brody apologized. “Will you ask me again? I promise I will pay better attention this time.”
    “Can we go and get ice cream when we leave?”
    “No, we can’t. You know I never let you have ice cream during the week, and especially not on pizza night,” he answered, placing his hand on the tiny shoulder in front of him. “I’ll let you get some this weekend.”
    Reid jerked away from him and went to stand next to Ja’Nael. “I don’t want to go home with you. I will stay here and sleep at the preschool like Ms. Haughton does.”
    “What are you talking about?” he asked, wondering where Reid had gotten the silly idea that Ja’Nael slept at the school. “Why would you think your teacher lives here?”
    Soft laughter drew Brody’s attention back to Ja’Nael who was standing there, smiling down at Reid, who had his hand wrapped around her leg. The sound completely lit up her stunning face, drawing him to her even more. He liked how it brought out her chocolate eyes, adding a softness to her.
    “I can answer that one for you,” she said, touching him on the arm.
    His gaze shot down to her perfectly manicured hand then back up to her face. “Please, Ms. Haughton, tell me what I’m missing,” he said in a low voice. “I’ll be more than happy to let you help me find it.”
    Ja’Nael jerked her hand and dropped it back down at her side, and she probably would have taken a step back if Reid’s arms hadn’t been wrapped around her leg like a boa