Keeping His Promise: A When It Happens Novella, Book 2 Read Online Free PDF

trouble.”
    “And out of my pants? Is that what you’re saying?”
    “This conversation is over.”
    He rubbed his hand over his mouth, then exhaled a rough breath as he stepped back from her. “I don’t waste my time on women who aren’t interested, and I sure as hell don’t force myself on them,” he said in a flat tone.
    What the…? “I didn’t think you did.”
    A smirk twisted that beautiful mouth. “No, you just think I’m a cheating piece of shit, right?”
    She swallowed the painful lump in her throat, wondering why this all felt so freaking wrong, when she was only trying to do the right thing.
    Taking a careful breath, she waited until the group of people walking past them reached the restaurant’s entrance, then said, “I should probably go back and find out what’s happening with Matt.”
    He jerked his chin toward the restaurant. “You’d be better off going in there and calling a taxi. From what Adam, the cop, told me, your friend Matt’s night is fucked. He’s gonna be busy trying to explain why he’s driving his girlfriend’s car without her permission. From the sound of it, she got pissed he was going out tonight without her, so she reported it stolen about an hour ago.”
    Filled with the sudden urge to kick Matt in his scrawny backside, she croaked, “He has a girlfriend?”
    “Yeah. Apparently he lives with her.”
    “Jesus.” She leaned back against the side of the SUV and sucked in a deep breath, feeling like she needed the air to keep her from completely deflating. “I’m gonna freaking kill him.”
    “I’d wait till the cops clear out first.” And just like that, he started walking away from her.
    With every step he took, she felt a jolt in her stomach, as if she were losing something she’d never even had. Something she didn’t even want—on an emotional level. Not when it would mean getting her heart trampled into mushy little pieces of stupidity.
    But, damn it, that didn’t mean she wanted to watch this man walk away from her. Not when she was still struggling to figure out what it was about him that drew her. And, yeah, he definitely drew her. Made her want to freaking cling to him, when she didn’t cling to anything or anyone.
    Didn’t she need an answer for that? Because if she didn’t figure one out, how the hell was she going to find this feeling again? Hopefully with a guy who wasn’t guaranteed to break her heart?
    “Look, you want me to take Paul’s truck and give you a ride?”
    She choked back a relieved gasp at the sound of his voice, shocked when she realized he’d stopped and turned around to face her again.
    He was trying to look casual as he waited for her answer, as if he didn’t really care if she accepted his help or not. But she could have sworn it was an act, given the way he watched her. Sharp, laser focus. Every ounce of it zeroed in on her.
    “Wh-what would your brother do?”
    He angled his head a bit to the side. “He can either go ahead and grab dinner and wait for me to come back for him, or have Adam and Kelley drop him off at his place. It’s not far from here.”
    “Oh. Okay,” she heard herself say, walking toward him. “I mean, yes, please. And thank you.”
    He gave her one of those sexy chin jerks, waiting for her to reach his side. Then they made their way over to the truck he’d shown up in.
    “Natalie! What are you doing?” Matt called out. She looked over to find him scowling at her from the far side of the police cruiser. When she didn’t immediately answer, he tried to come toward her, but the female cop blocked his way, saying something that made him scowl, but thankfully brought him to a stop.
    Shifting her gaze to Sean, she said, “The quicker we get out of here, the better.”
    He nodded in response. “Wait here while I grab the keys from Paul.”
    She stood by the front of the truck as he shared a quick word with his brother. Paul shot her a curious look, the sexy, almost knowing slant of his grin