AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is your sister here?” I ask.
Carol frowns. “Unfortunately, no. She couldn’t get home this weekend.”
Jesse leans in and tells me she’s in the States, playing college hockey.
“How about you two?” I ask Jesse’s brothers. “You guys play?”
“Yup,” Justin says. “We still having the pick-up game this weekend?” he asks Jesse.
Jesse pops a piece of muffin in his mouth. “You can count on it.”
“Then be prepared to have your ass handed to you, big brother,” Jaxon says as he holds his hand up to Justin for a high five.
“Language,” Carol says, and sips her coffee, but she’s smiling and enjoying her family all together at the table. My heart tumbles, loving everything about this.
“Bring it,” Jesse says and reaches for his coffee, his eyes on his brother. I have no doubt Jesse is a good big brother, and does his best to set high standards for his siblings.
Jaxon laughs. “Remember that time…”
“Oh, God no,” Jesse says, and buries his face in his hands. “No stories.”
I smile and clap my hands. “Oh, please, lots of stories.”
“There was this one time Jesse set our shed on fire.” Jaxon holds his hands up. “Don’t worry, no cows were injured from his stupidity.”
“Remember,” Jesse says and looks at me. “Lies.”
“Are you saying you didn’t burn the shed down?” I query.
“Well…no…”
I laugh and beneath the table his hand lands on my knee, and the warmth it creates wraps around my heart and squeezes. I honestly never believed in insta-love until now. We’ve been hanging out, but something is happening here, something deep and profound and I think he feels it every bit as much as I do.
I really hope I’m not wrong here, or I’m going to be in a lot of trouble.
4
Jesse
I take Josie’s hand as we walk toward the haunted corn maze, and my heart thunders in my chest. The way everything inside me is reacting to her is crazy. I’ve been with numerous women, but none of them have ever thrown me off my game before, and the truth is, I can’t let anything, or anyone distract me from my future. It could ruin everything I’ve worked so hard for.
“Are you okay?” she asks, and I turn to her. Is she sensing the struggling inside of me? Fuck, man, I’m not supposed to fall for a girl.
Ah, but there’s something very special about this one, dude.
That realization hits like a puck to the face and nearly takes the wind out of me. I swallow as my throat tightens, and stare at the woman who managed to find her way under my armor without even trying. Christ, I must be mistaken. I can’t be falling for her. The truth is, I haven’t known her that long. Certainly not long enough to want more than casual fun, and I do not believe in love at first sight. Or second. Or…you get the gist.
Fuck me, twice.
“I’m good. Scared of what’s going to jump out at me in the haunted maze,” I tease and feign a shiver.
She laughs and bumps into me. “I’ll protect you,” she tells me even though she knows I’ve been to the haunted maze so many times, I could run through with my eyes closed.
I toss my arm around her and pull her close. As her body melts against mine, my heart once again thumps hard. Yeah, this can’t be good. We step inside the corn maze and I glance around. I want Josie all to myself tonight and there are far too many people here for my liking.
“Can I show you something?” I ask.
She arches a brow, as a grin I have no control over parts my lips. “I suppose,” she says, suspicion in her voice.
