Deadly Intentions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 1) Read Free

grumbled.
    Finn smiled at his brother’s obvious discomfort. “This all would be a moot point if you hadn’t dated her and then dumped her in the ditch five minutes after graduation.”
    “At least he didn’t do it the day before senior prom like he originally planned,” Grady said.
    James scowled. “Can we stop talking about Ann Nelson and focus on business?”
    Finn and Grady exchanged knowing glances, which James didn’t miss but chose to ignore. “Sure, bro. What have you got?”
    James sighed. He wanted to change the subject. Unfortunately, there were no new cases clogging his desk so he didn’t have anything shiny and new to distract his brothers with. “Umm … well … .”
    “He doesn’t have anything,” Grady ascertained. “He just doesn’t want to be reminded of what a douche he was in high school.”
    “I was not a douche in high school,” James countered. “I was … .”
    “Horny?” Finn supplied, cringing when James shot him a death look. “Hey, I don’t blame you. She was hot in high school.”
    “She was still a bitch,” Grady said.
    “You’re the one that was considering sleeping with her five minutes ago,” Finn reminded him.
    “Yeah, but I would’ve gagged her first,” Grady said, an impish grin on his face.
    “Good to know,” Finn smiled back.
    James had a feeling his brothers were never going to let this go. He was relieved when a bell jangled, alerting them someone had entered through the front door of the business.
    James got to his feet, fixing Grady and Finn with a pointed look. “While you two continue doing whatever it is that you’re doing, I’m going to actually go and help a paying customer.”
    “It could be Ann,” Grady warned for good measure.
    James cringed but squared his shoulders. He wasn’t about to let his brothers see him run from his big high school mistake. He couldn’t hide his relief when the woman he saw standing uncertainly in the lobby clearly wasn’t Ann.
    James took a second to look her up and down. She had long, blonde hair and big, blue eyes. Her cheekbones were high, making her face beautiful despite the worried look that was splashed across it. She was about five feet, five inches tall, with a narrow waist and toned legs. If she wasn’t a potential client, she was exactly the type of woman James would be drawn to. He’d made a rule a long time ago not to get involved with clients. It just messed everything up and made things too complicated.
    “Can I help you?”
    The woman seemed surprised by his voice, jumping noticeably when he stepped into the lobby. When she caught sight of him, their eyes meeting for the first time, her face broke into a wide smile. There was something familiar about that smile, but James couldn’t quite place what.
    He moved closer to the woman, extending his hand to her as he did. “I’m James Hardy. Can I help you?”
    The woman put her small hand in his, shaking it uncertainly. She still hadn’t spoken.
    “Are you lost?” James tried again.
    The woman bit her bottom lip. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
    James wracked his memory, but he couldn’t put a name with the beautiful face. “I’m sorry. I don’t. Have we met?”
    The woman forced out a harsh laugh and glanced down at her hands. “I don’t know why I thought you would remember me. It’s stupid really.”
    James kept the welcoming smile on his face, but he was less certain inside. He couldn’t help but be sure that, if he’d met this woman before, he would remember her. She didn’t have a face that was forgettable – or a body, for that matter. Up close, not only were her legs long and trim, but the blue jeans she was wearing were snug enough to paint a clear picture of what was under the denim. The V-neck shirt beneath her canvas jacket was also proof that the breasts, currently hidden beneath a layer of cotton, were pretty spectacular, too. No, he definitely would not be able to forget this woman. “I’m sorry; you might