Free Hide: Part One (The Black Letters Series Book 1) by Brooke Page

him.
    Without thinking, I climbed off my stool and went out the back door.
    A breeze brushed against the bareness of my arms as I searched the back porch. A few smokers were chatting quietly on the deck. I found Mitch resting on the banister facing the beach. The moonlight reflected off the water, and the sound of the gentle waves was soothing.
    I leaned against the banister. “Well, that was awkward and embarrassing.”
    A low, frustrated sigh escaped Mitch’s mouth. “I don’t need your sass right now, Jamie.”
    His reaction to my smart comment made me wince. I hadn’t meant to fuel his anger. My intentions were to defuse the situation. “I thought you liked when I was feisty?”
    My recovery was quick, and made his lip twitch upward. We stood silently under the stars for a few more moments. Normally, silence like this was extremely uncomfortable for me, but tonight, it was calming. Finally, Mitch stood tall from the banister, his hands gripping the wood frame tightly.
    “I really didn’t mean to piss Nathan off like that.”
    “Nathan will get over it,” I said, brushing it off as though it was no big deal. “You know he can talk his way out of anything. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Kobiashi has a crush on him.”
    That statement got a slight laugh from Mitch. “I’m sure Nathan would give him a chance if it meant he’d get what he wanted.”
    I shook my head. “He’s not his type.”
    Mitch’s eyebrow rose in question. “Are you his type?”
    “I’m missing a few key components to his usual preference.”
    “And what would that be?”
    I laughed. “Well, a penis, for one.”
    Mitch threw his head back and joined my laughter. His cool green eyes caught mine. “Want to get out of here?” Licking his lips, he leaned in, “I promise it’ll be a night you won’t forget.”
    My teeth caught my bottom lip as I contemplated his invitation. “That’s an overused line,” I whispered as my body instinctively moved closer to him. He shifted slightly, moving his arm across my stomach and to the other side of the banister, caging me with his body. My heart raced with his proximity, the urge to reach my hands onto the collar of his shirt and yank his mouth down to mine was overbearing.
    “You know you want to. Your body is practically begging to touch me right now.”
    My lip twitched as I shook my head. “I’d never admit that.” The cockiness in his voice made me want to slap him then rip his shirt off and lick his chest.
    “Let’s go,” Nathan’s voice vibrated from the back door to the bar. Mitch moved his head, his nose brushing against the shell of my ear. Shivers ran down my neck all the way to the pit of my stomach and lower as he let out a slight breath.
    “Jamie,” Nathan commanded again, completely breaking my trance with Mitch.
    My trembling hands gently pushed Mitch’s chest so I could move in Nathan’s direction. The irritated breath Mitch released didn’t go unnoticed by Nathan or me.
    “What?” I snapped, my head whipping in Mitch’s direction.
    Mitch slowly turned so his back was leaning against the banister, his arms wide. His demeanor was smug, causing the shivers that traveled down my body to turn into fire. I hated his cocky side.
    “Nothing. Go be with Daddy. I’m sure he’ll satisfy the flame I just lit inside you,” he teased.
    “You’re a prick,” I muttered, my face burning with embarrassment. His head cocked to the side as though he were daring me to say more.
    “Let’s go,” Nathan grabbed my bicep and tucked it under his arm. “I’ll see you in my office on Monday in Grand Rapids,” Nathan added sternly toward Mitch.
    “Wouldn’t miss it, big brother,” Mitch mocked as we walked out the door.
    I shrugged my arm from Nathan’s the second we got out of the bar. Nathan calmly walked next to me, his long stride keeping up with my quick pace to his yellow Spider Ferrari. Holding my tongue was nearly impossible as he opened my door.
    Our