The Proposition 2: The Ferro Family (The Proposition: The Ferro Family) Read Online Free PDF

Lust? Attraction doesn’t mean anything anyway, does it?
    Neil nods once and watches his feet. His sandy hair obscures his eyes. “So, you forgive me?”
    “If you can forgive me?” Where’d that come from? The words shock me, but that doesn’t stop them from coming from my mouth. I shouldn’t have to ask him to pardon me for past lovers, for things that happened before I knew him, but I just did.
    His lips pull into a soft smile. “I already have. I understand why you didn’t say anything about him. I mean, it’s embarrassing, right? You didn’t want to make things weird between us by mentioning that. People have dark spots in their pasts, and he’s yours. I got it. I’m sorry I pushed you back there, and I’m so glad you came home again. I thought I might have lost you.” Neil holds up his arms, like he wants a hug.
    I put down my mug and fall into his arms. Neil holds me like I’m fragile, and gently kisses my cheek. We stay like that for a moment, until a voice breaks us apart.
    “I should have clarified the terms of my silence.” Bryan is standing in front of us in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. “There’s to be no intimacy of any kind between you two, while Hallie is with me and I’m not done with her yet.”

CHAPTER 9
     
    Neil releases me and steps away. His jaw drops half way open and he does a double take, like he can’t believe Bryan had the audacity to walk into his home. “You have no right to be here.”
    Bryan grins and slips his hands into his pockets. He’s wearing dark jeans and a fitted T-shirt that reveals his delicious body. A worn leather jacket hangs from his shoulders and his hair is still damp, like he just rolled out of bed.
    “Do I smell coffee?” Bryan ignores Neil, shoves past us, and grabs my cup off the counter. “Still drinking it black, huh, Hallie?” He winks at me, before gulping down my drink.
    “Holy shit.” Maggie appears with dripping wet hair and her jaw dragging on the floor. Her eyes dart between Neil and Bryan like she’s anticipating an explosion.
    Bryan leans back on the counter, which makes his jacket open, revealing more of his toned chest and that clingy shirt. When he grins, he seems like the old Bryan, complete with a lickable dimple. “Hey Red,” he nods toward Maggie with his magical smile.
    “Hey yourself.” Maggie laughs , and looks over at me and then Neil.
    Neil looks appalled and remains frozen for a few seconds before he puffs up, angry. “Get out or I’ll call the police.”
    Br yan shrugs like he doesn’t care and doesn’t move. “Go ahead. You call them and I’ll call my friends, and get things rolling.” He pulls his cell phone from his pocket and holds it up. “Well, go on.”
    Neil glances at me and then Bryan. “You said one night.”
    “Yeah, I changed my mind. Last night didn’t go as planned, and I figured why not ask for more? If you say no, you lose everything. It’s kind of a no-brainer, so I went for it.” Bryan speaks to Neil, but he’s watching Maggie when he talks.
    After resting my empty mug on the counter, Bryan walks over to me. “Ready?”
    “You said you’d call.” My hands are balled at my sides and I wish I was taller so I could yell at Bryan eye to eye.
    He offers a typical Bryan Ferro grin and shrugs. “Yeah, I’m whimsical like that. I thought I’d drop by and pick you up. Besides, I needed to make sure that your douche boyfriend doesn’t touch you.”
    “These weren’t the terms. You cannot change your demands like this.” Neil is agitated, but Maggie leans against the doorjamb with an amused look on her face. Neil inhales slowly, trying to keep his temper under wraps, but it’s there, brewing, and Bryan is stoking the fire.
    “Actually, I can. It goes with the whole agreement we made last night, right Hallie?” Bryan watches me for a second and then adds, with false sincerity, “Oh, I’m sorry, you didn’t get a chance to tell him yet?”
    “Bryan.” I