Tempting a King (King Family Romance Book 1) by Isla Drake (small books to read .txt) 📗

I sit in the grocery store parking lot for several minutes and work on some breathing exercises to calm me down. I need to look and act normal when I get home, so I don’t worry the guys. Thinking of Liam and Finn waiting at home for me to return from a grocery store run makes me smile. It’s all so normal, like something we’ve always done. I picture pulling into the driveway, Liam and Finn coming out to help carry in the bags. Finn kissing me on the cheek as we pass one another. I can see it all so clearly in my mind. That’s the life I want. For good. I don’t know if Finn feels the same, but I’m ready to find out. As soon as I deal with Paul.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Finn

There’s something wrong with Hannah. I can’t put my finger on it, but she’s not herself. She greets me with a smile and a kiss when she comes home from the grocery store. It feels normal, but I swear I can see a shadow in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. But then Liam is tugging her inside to show off our newest Lego creation and she’s laughing at his antics. He’s grinning and practically bouncing as they walk. I follow behind them, carrying bags of groceries. I let Liam’s enthusiasm distract me from my concern over Hannah. She doesn’t look upset now. In fact, I’ve almost convinced myself I imagined the shadow in her eyes.

I put away the groceries while Liam chatters on about the Lego castle we’ve nearly finished. After a few minutes, Hannah comes into the kitchen and wraps her arms around me, hugging me from behind. I put down the cereal box I’m holding and turn to face her. She tucks her head under my chin, hugging me close. I wrap my arms around her and smooth my hands up and down her back.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

She pulls back enough to look up at me. Smiling, she says, “Yeah. Better than okay. I think you’re his hero now.”

I grin. “Legos are life.”

“So I hear.” She leans up on her toes and kisses me. It doesn’t take long for me to get lost in the feel of her in my arms, the press of her lips on mine. I pull her tighter against me, letting the kiss go on.

“Gross.” Liam’s voice cuts into my daze causing Hannah and me to pull apart.

I look over at Liam to see him roll his eyes. “There’s too much kissing in this house these days,” he mutters, turning around to go back into the living room.

Hannah buries her face against my chest, and I feel her shaking with laughter. I try to contain my own laughter, but it escapes and we both end up in a fit of giggles. After a few seconds, we catch our breath. Hannah goes to talk to Liam while I finish putting away the groceries. The pizza arrives as I finish, and I answer the door. The three of us eat pizza in the living room, cross-legged around the coffee table while watching a movie. It’s become a common Friday night event for us and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love it.

I’ve spent more time at Hannah’s house over the past few weeks than I have at my own. I’ve started keeping a few things here, at Hannah’s insistence. It’s made it easier for me when it’s time to get ready for work. Liam has grown used to seeing me at the breakfast table and isn’t bothered by me being with his mom. It feels like we have our own little family. I keep having to tell myself to slow down—not to rush things. When the movie ends, Hannah carries the pizza boxes into the kitchen. I get an alert on my phone. When I check it I see that it’s an email I’ve been expecting from an out-of-state vendor.

“Can I use your laptop?” I call out to Hannah. I’ve used it several times over the past few weeks, but I still ask.

“Sure,” she calls from the kitchen. I sit at the small table and sign into the computer using the password Hannah gave me the first time I needed to borrow it. I really should remember to bring my own, but work is the last thing on my mind when I come to Hannah’s and I always manage to forget the damned thing.

I minimize whatever screens Hannah has pulled up. Computer borrower etiquette must be followed at all times. Then I login to my email and read over the new proposal. It’s what I expected and what I’d discussed with the vendor over the phone. I type out a quick reply and hit send. I’m about to close the laptop when it chimes a little alert and a text bubble pops up at the bottom of the screen. I read it before I’m even aware I’m doing it. Two more quickly follow it. I stare at the words on the screen, unable to look away. I feel like I may be sick.

“Finn!” Liam’s voice draws my attention away from the screen. “Come look,” he says pointing at something he’s done with the Legos. I swallow hard, force a smile onto my face and close the laptop. I walk over to look at what Liam wants to show me, but I can’t stop seeing the text messages as they’d appeared on Hannah’s computer screen.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Hannah

Everything about the evening feels wrong. Coming here was a mistake. I know it as soon as I see Paul smiling and waving at me in the crowded restaurant. When I reach the table, he stands stiffly and acts as though he’s not sure how to greet me after all this time. I awkwardly hold out a hand to shake his. No way am I hugging him