Riding the Storm (54 page)

Read Riding the Storm Online

Authors: Brenda Jackson

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Arts&Photography

them
and
leave
them’
policy?”

Storm
leaned
back
in
his
chair
thinking
that
Thorn’s
question
was
a
good
one,
but
one
he
didn’t
intend
to
answer.

“I’ve
seen
her,”
Chase
said
grinning.
“She
came
into
the
restaurant
one
day
to
have
lunch
with
Tara.”

“Tara?”
Thorn
asked,
raising
a
curious
brow.
“Tara
knows
her?”

Chase
nodded.
“Evidently,
since
they
had
lunch
together
that
day.
However,
I
don’t
know
if
Tara
knows
that
Storm
has
the
hots
for
her.”

“Excuse
me,
guys,”
Storm
said
interrupting
his
brothers’
conversation.
“I
don’t
appreciate
you
discussing
my

business
like
I’m
not
here.”

Stone
chuckled.
“All
right,
then
we’ll
discuss
your
business
like
you’re
here.”
He
then
looked
at
Chase.
“So,
is
she
as
good-looking
as
everyone
claims
she
is?”

Chase
grinned.
“Yeah.
She’s
Adam’s
daughter
all
grown
up.”

Thorn
frowned.
“Adam?
Adam
Cole,
Storm’s
boss
who
died
a
few
months
back?”

“Yep.”

Stone
glanced
over
at
Storm.
A
curious
glint
shone
in
his
eyes.
“You’re
actually
seeing
Adam
Cole’s
girl?”

Angrily,
Storm
stood
and
threw
down
his
cards.
“That’s
it.
I’m
out
of
the
game.”

Dare
stared
up
at
his
youngest
brother.
Being
the
oldest,

he
had
to
occasionally
bring
about
peace…and
in
some

situations,
order.
“Sit
back
down,
Storm,
you’re
getting

overheated
for
nothing.
And
to
be
quite
honest
with
you,
for
all
intents
and
purposes,
you’ve
been
out
of
the
game
since
you
got
here.
You
haven’t
been
concentrating
worth
a
damn
all
night.”

One
of
Dare’s
dark
eyebrows
lifted.
“And
what’s
wrong
with
us
wanting
to
know
about
this
woman
that
you’re
seeing?

As
your
brothers,
don’t
you
think
we
have
a
right
to
at
least
be
curious?”

Storm
inhaled
deeply
as
he
glanced
around
the
table
and
glared.
“I
don’t
appreciate
any
of
you
discussing
her
as
if
she’s
like
the
other
women
I’ve
dated.”

Dare
nodded.
“If
she’s
not
like
the
other
women
you’ve
dated,
then
it’s
up
to
you
to
tell
us
that.
There’s
nothing
wrong
with
letting
us
know
that
you
think
she’s
special,
instead
of
trying
to
keep
her
a
secret,”
he
said
in
a
low
voice.

Storm
sat
back
down
and
glanced
around
at
his
brothers.
They
were
staring
at
him,
waiting
expectantly.
He
sighed
deeply.
“Her
name
is
Jayla
Cole
and
yes,
she’s
Adam’s
daughter
all
grown
up
and
we’re
seeing
each
other.
We’re
taking
things
slow,
one
day
at
a
time,
and
yes,
she’s

special.
Very
special.”

Stone
smiled.
“When
will
we
meet
her?”

Storm
leaned
back
in
his
chair.
“I’ll
introduce
her
to

everyone
the
night
of
the
charity
benefit
for
Kids’
World.
Her
company
is
a
corporate
sponsor
and
she’s
working
closely
with
Tara
to
pull
things
together
for
that
night.”

Dare
nodded.
“And
all
of
us
will
look
forward
to
meeting
her
then.”
He
glanced
around
the
table
and
grinned.
“Now
let’s
play
cards.”

Jayla
sat
curled
up
on
her
sofa
and
glanced
around
her

living
room,
thinking
the
past
week
had
been
like
a
scene
from
a
romance
novel.
Storm
had
sent
her
flowers

practically
every
single
day
and
had
wined
and
dined
her
to
her
heart’s
content.

On
Saturday
night,
they
had
gone
to
a
laser
show
on
Stone
Mountain
and
then
on
Sunday
evening,
he
had
taken
her
to
a
movie.
Because
he
had
been
at
the
station
all
day

Monday,
she
didn’t
see
him
again
until
Tuesday
night,
when
he’d
dropped
by
with
Chinese
food.
They
had
sat
eating
at
her
kitchen
table
while
she
had
told
him
about
how
her
day
had
gone
and
how
things
were
coming
together
for
this

weekend’s
charity
benefit.

They
had
talked
about
his
day,
as
well.
He
had
told
her
that
he
had
been
selected
to
head
up
the
city’s
fire
prevention
program
for
the
coming
year
and
that
he
was
excited
about
that.

She
glanced
down
at
the
letter
she
had
in
her
hand,
the

same
letter
that
had
arrived
last
week
from
the
fertility
clinic
reminding
her
of
tomorrow’s
appointment.
Seeing
it
and

rereading
it
had
reaffirmed
her
decision
to
have
the

procedure.

She
nearly
jumped
when
she
heard
the
phone
ring.

Thinking
that
perhaps
it
was
Storm,
she
placed
the
letter
on
the
table,
then
quickly
moved
across
the
room
to
answer
it.
He
had
called
earlier
and
said
he
would
be
playing
cards

tonight
with
his
brothers
rather
late
and
that
he
would
see

her
tomorrow.
“Yes?”
she
said,
after
picking
up
the
phone.

“It’s
Lisa.
How
are
things
going?”

Jayla
smiled.
Lisa
had
been
out
of
town
most
of
the
week
on
business.
“Everything’s
going
fine.
How
was
your
trip?”

“Wonderful.
I
love
Chicago.
You
know
that.”

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