Hidden Falls Read Free Page A

stupid,
‘cause I already knew she didn’t like me.  At least, not in the same way that I
like her.  I swear, if it wasn’t for my raging hormones I would swear off women
altogether. 
    Chase got lucky.  He took
a big risk when he fell for Roxie, but no one can say they aren’t perfect for
each other.  And he keeps reminding me of this. Every. Single. Damn.  Day.  I
mean, I get it.  Katy was way too good for me, but I had known that since the
day I met her.  It didn’t stop my heart from falling for her.
    Feeling a wave of
protectiveness, I stalked outside into the blinding sun.  I met Skylar’s eyes
and watched as a glint of anger passed through them.  I wanted to laugh right
there in his face, but when Katy turned to look at me, I could tell it was a
bad idea.  The look on her face was one of disappointment and regret.  I hadn’t
meant to interrupt a moment between them...okay, maybe I had.  But couldn’t she
see that she was too good for that idiot? Besides, half the town had been in
his bed. 
    “Everything okay, Brian?”
she asked, her eyes pleading me to turn around and walk away.  I couldn’t do
that.  Even if I wanted to, my body was on auto-pilot.  I walked over to her
and threw my arm around her shoulder, pulling her flush against my side.
    “Everything’s great. Just
wanted to check on the delivery,” I replied with a smile.  The corners of her
mouth turned down in a frown, but I couldn’t be persuaded to stop yet.  I
turned to Skylar, my eyes hard as steel.  “Shouldn’t you be unloading that
already?”
    “Yeah. I was just about to
do that,” he said.  He turned his attention back to Katy with a 1000-watt
smile. “I guess I’ll see you in a couple of days.  Unless,” he looked at me
briefly before facing her again.  “Would you be interested in going out
sometime?  Maybe Friday night?”
    That rat bastard!  I was
standing right there and yet he asked her out anyway?  I looked down at Katy’s
face and found a look of pure happiness there.  “She’s got plans,” I said.  I
turned my stony stare back on Skylar, but felt Katy pull away at the same time.
    “Plans? No, I don’t,” she
said.  “I would love to Sky.  Let me give you my number.”  She proceeded to
write her number on a slip of paper and hand it to him, her smile firmly in
place.  Beneath that smile, I knew there was a storm raging.  When he finally
left I would be getting an ear full.  But it was worth it. 
    I watched as he walked
back to the truck and began unloading the hay.  I avoided looking Katy in the
eye, knowing good and damn well that she was about to rip my ass a new one. 
When she grabbed the front of my shirt and started pulling, I couldn’t help the
laughter that bubbled up, escaping my lips.
    She stopped and faced me,
her hands firmly placed on her hips.  “Are you out of your freaking mind
Brian?  What was that about?” she asked, pointing towards Skylar’s truck.
    “I don’t know what you’re
talking ‘bout,” I replied with a smile. 
    “Don’t play dumb with me. 
Are you trying to screw this up for me?”
    “Do you really want me to
answer that?” I asked with a sneer.  Her face made me falter.  She was genuinely
confused and angry.  “I was just having some fun with him, geez Kitty.”
    Her eyes flared, a look of
disgust flaring across her tanned face.  “Dammit Brian!  Grow up already.” She
stomped away, her boots kicking up the dry dirt as she made her way back to the
barn doors.  I watched her, my eyes drifting from the top of her head to her
dust covered boots.  At that moment I wanted to slap myself.  In my attempt to
get her away from Skylar, I had pushed her even further away from me. 
    I’ve always been a screw
up, but the one thing in this world that I knew was women.  They had always
fallen at my feet, completely endeared by my gruff nature and smart mouth. 
Now, the one time that I actually cared about a woman, she was