Long Shot: An MMA Stepbrother Romance Read Online Free PDF

bed and walks up to my face. She meows, like she’s telling me that something is wrong.

    “Let me sleep, Bee. I was at the hospital all fucking day.” I start to shoo my cat away, but then I hear something like a moan outside. I pause, and my ears perk up despite my aching desire to sleep.  

    It’s quiet for a moment, then there’s a moan again, louder this time. A shiver runs down my spine, and I bury myself under the sheets with one eye peeking out.  

    “There’s definitely someone out there, Bee. Go get ‘em. Be the guard-cat you were always meant to be.” She pats at my face with her hand, pulling the covers away. “No, Bee. Whoever it is can go next door, or home, or fucking somewhere that’s not here.” Beatrice meows again, and there’s a shift in the wind outside. A flash of lightning lights up the room for a moment, and a deep rumble of thunder isn’t far behind.  

    “Natty.” It’s the voice again. “Natty, come on.”  

    There’s a louder knock at the door. I hear a cough, then another moan, then gentle drops of rain beginning to fall. The voice is dark, masculine, with an edge of pain in it. I’d recognize it anywhere. I sigh and pull the covers completely over my head. He hasn’t seen me in three years, hasn’t responded to one email in that whole time, hasn’t even let me know he’s okay. And since I’ve been back on the island, he hasn’t once called to wish me well. Of course, tonight would be the night. The night of a storm, the night after my very first long shift. Josh always had a flair for doing the most inconvenient thing, ever.  

    “Paging Doctor Natalie!” His voice is louder now, more insistent. As if in response, the rain matches his volume, beating down harder on the tin roof. “Natalie!” His voice rings out. This is it, there’s nowhere I can really hide, nothing I can do to make him go away. His car is probably broken down outside, or someone is after his sorry ass for something he did. I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and stomp across the ancient hardwood floor. The door sticks when I go to open it the first time, and I pull hard on the doorknob. Lightning flashes again and a great clap of thunder follows it. The rain beats down harder still.  

    “Open the fucking door, Nat!”  

    “I’m trying!” I shout. I yank the doorknob hard, half-expecting it to come off in my hand. “You fucking asshole, why the hell are you here anyway?” I yank the doorknob one last time, and a shirtless Joshua McRae comes tumbling through the doorway, landing hard on one shoulder. He turns to me and assesses me with his cool hazel-green eyes, and then gives me that panty-melting grin that made him so popular in high school. His chestnut hair is still cropped close in the style of a fighter, and besides the slight filling out of his face, there’s nothing that’s changed in three years. The jawline is still long and strong, the lines of his face jagged and masculine.  

    But there’s something off about him, something different, but my eyes are locked on his. I realize I haven’t moved since I opened the door. Josh is silent, and his grin widens.

    “I guess I came by to see you in your panties, Nat. And I have to say, I’m not disappointed at all.” He laughs and then grimaces, clutching his stomach. I look down at my body and realize I’m still mostly naked. I hadn’t put my scrubs back on, hadn’t even grabbed a robe. And now, just like in the dreams I still have of high school calculus class, I’m standing in front of Josh in my bra and panties, completely exposed. I put one arm up to hide my breasts and scowl at him. I have the sudden urge to kick him in the stomach and shove him right out back that damn door.  

    “Asshole,” I say. “I’ll toss you a blanket, and you can sleep on the sofa. But it’s one night, that’s for damn sure. I don’t even know how you—” I stop. Josh is grimacing, his eyes wide with pain, and a groan