Hard: A Military Stepbrother Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

she’d want would be to hear from me.
    And
hell - it wasn’t like I had anything to say. I didn’t even like the damn girl!
    I
hadn’t liked her razor-sharp tongue. Her prissy attitude. Her red-hot passion.
Her fuck-me lips. Her sweet curves.
    Goddamn
it.
    I
hovered there, one second…two…
    And
slammed the phone back in the cradle. The hesitation answered my question - I
was trained for making fast decisions under pressure, so that indecision was a
choice in itself. After I’d sat through the snooze-fest this was sure to be, I
was going to finally call the damned number.
    I
chalked this whole thing up to unfinished business - to the fact that my new
code of honor couldn’t stand that I’d broken my word. It had been a stupid,
lust-filled promise, but it still reverberated through me.
    I
might have been an arrogant bastard when I was growing up, but I did what I
said I would - even if people may have preferred me not to. And until that one
dangerous night, I’d never cared enough about anything to make promises I
wouldn’t keep.
    I’m
never going to let you go…
    But
I had - and without a word, too. Out of all the shitty things I’ve done in my
life, I wouldn’t have thought it ranked that high - but it was the one I
remembered.
    And
tonight, I was going to fix it.
    Calm
found me instantly. Decision made, all doubt and hesitation disappeared. I had
my mission - and once that happened, failure wasn’t an option.
    Oddly,
that thought settled me more than even Dale’s invitation had. Perhaps I’d even
be able to act pleasant throughout dinner tonight.
     
    *  *  *
     
    By
the time I turned through the large iron-wrought gates guarding the long
driveway, I was suspicious. Coming up this way was strange enough, but I’d
passed any possibility of an out of place middle-class house now, and the
entrance clearly marked this as one of the more impressive beach-front estates.
    I
checked the postcode again, reluctant to turn up unexpected on the doorstep of
some rich family mansion, hoping to hell she hadn’t been high on something when
she sent it. But the gates had opened easily enough for me, and somehow the
idea that I might be in the right place was more concerning than a typo
in the address.
    I
was up the path and slowing to a halt in a dedicated parking area before I had
a chance to consider it further, eyes darting about as I got out of the car and
took in the shadows under the pretty trees surrounding the front of the large
mansion. There were nice marble pillars on either side of the archway that
framed the porch door, an extravagance that seemed built to be reminiscent of
an older, traditional style manor, which the place certainly lived up to. I
glanced down again at my slightly worn shirt and jeans - I didn’t have much use
for too many civilian clothes - and wondered again just how this night was
going to go.
    “Seth!”
    I
didn’t get a chance to compose myself before the door swung open and I was
faced with my mother darting down to wrap her arms around me in the overly
effusive way she’s always had. It would have worked slightly better if she’d
been anywhere near my size or shape, but I managed to extract my arms to give
her a brief squeeze and then step back without too much difficulty.
    “Mom.”
    Her
eyes were gleaming as she looked up at me, her face written in such honest
pleasure at seeing me that the stab of guilt returned, and I gave her a small
smile. Her face still had the stunning beauty I remembered, still defying age
and adding to the blessing that I’d always secretly hated. But then I’d never
had reason to enjoy the attention it had bought her.
    More
importantly though, her gaze was bright and clear, looking at me with an
awareness that was reassuring. She seemed well - and for that at least, I was
willing to give her some time.
    “I’m
so glad you’re home - I’ve wanted you to meet Terry for so long!”
    I
let her drag me up the porch stairs, apparently not wanting to