Free Slow Burn by Julie Garwood Page A

the sofa cushions. She fished out the remote and handed it to him.
    “It was nice of you to bring Jordan a pizza. I’ll save this for her,” she said.
    “I didn’t bring it for her. It’s for you.”
    “How did you know I was here?”
    “Jordan told me.” She shook her head. He nodded. “She also told me to keep you company tonight.”
    Kate was taken aback. “When did she tell you?”
    “About an hour ago.” She didn’t look like she believed him, and so he added, “In the hospital.”
    “You were there . . . in the hospital?”
    “Sure was.”
    “But . . . but how did you find out she was there?” She didn’t give him time to answer but said, “She didn’t call you. Did she call you?”
    “No, she didn’t call me. She didn’t call any of us,” he added, referring to his brothers, “and I’ll be discussing that with her as soon as she’s feeling better. We’re her family and she shouldn’t have—”
    She interrupted him before he got all wound up. He was well on his way.
    “You still haven’t told me how you found out.”
    “A friend of Nick’s works in outpatient and just happened to notice the name on the surgical schedule.”
    “And called Nick?” She was outraged by the possibility.
    He shrugged. “Something like that. She didn’t know Nick had gotten married.”
    “That’s unethical.”
    “What is? Getting married or . . .”
    She was going to argue with him about confidentiality and realized he was trying to get a rise out of her.
    “You’re an extremely exasperating man,” she said, and then she nudged him and nodded. He nudged her back and sent her flying off the sofa. He grabbed her arm and pulled her up next to him.
    “Nick’s sitting with Jordan now, and like I said, I’m here because she told me to keep you company.”
    “And you do whatever Jordan tells you to do?” She scooted forward and picked up a slice of pizza. The bottom was still warm.
    “When it’s something I want. You’re lucky she didn’t send Zack.”
    Zachary was the youngest. He was still in high school but was already as arrogant and full of the devil as his brothers were. According to Jordan “the baby” wasn’t really wild but wanted everyone to think he was. He was giving his parents fits—after raising so many children, they were clearly worn out—but Kate thought Zack was adorable.
    “I like him.”
    “Yeah? Well, be careful. I think he likes you a whole lot more.”
    She took a bite of the pizza and was suddenly starving. She devoured it and reached for another. Dylan turned on the television and straightened the cushions on the back of the sofa. Kate smiled inside to see that he hadn’t changed. He was still a bit obsessive about having things in their place.
    He wasn’t paying much attention to her now and yawned loudly. There was some sort of sports recap show on, and he seemed mesmerized by it, so she picked up the empty can and pizza box and took them into the kitchen. She was trying to figure out a diplomatic way to get him to leave.
    She decided the direct approach was best.
    “You should go now,” she said as she returned to the sofa.
    He glanced up. “You look worn out. How come you’re so frazzled?” he asked.
    “I’m not frazzled. I’m tired.”
    “You were crying before I came, weren’t you?”
    “No.”
    “Yeah, you were.”
    “If you knew, then why did you ask?”
    “Why’d you lie?”
    “It’s been a difficult week,” she said. “And I’ve had a lot of frustration. Crying sometimes helps me get rid of it.”
    “There are other ways to get rid of pent-up frustration.” He wiggled his eyebrows after making the comment.
    He was an outrageous flirt. Kate decided it was high time she called his bluff. She was determined to make him squirm.
    “You would probably have heart failure if I . . .”
    “If you what?”
    She took a breath and said, “If I put my arms around your neck and kissed you crazy.”
    He stared at her without saying a word for