A Hero's Pride by April Angel, Milly Taiden Read Free Book Online Page B

his
brother, he had no clue.
    “Was there something else?”
    “So…the blind date. That’s tomorrow after your tests, huh?”
Cal tossed, caught, and squeezed the ball in his grip. The soft material made a
whining sound with each crush of the rubbery material.
    “Yeah.”
    His brother stared up at the ceiling and continued to
torture the squishy ball. “So…I understand you don’t want her to know the
extent of your injuries. Not backing out, are you?”
    Ryan might have tried to relieve Cal if he wasn’t lying on the
bed all sweaty. “No, now get off my bed. You’re putting your funk on my
blanket.”
    Cal caught the ball in his hand and smirked. “Dude,
seriously, you need to get laid. The stick up your ass needs to be removed
soon. It’s messing up your game. You’re not going to relax until you get some.
I’ve heard she’s pretty, so don’t scare her by being all grumpy like you have
been lately.” He strolled to the door. When he reached the bedroom entrance, he
turned toward Ryan. “You sure you don’t need any painkillers?”
    Ryan didn’t fault his brother for his concern. They’d all
had a hard time dealing with his situation when he’d come home half dead, but
it was getting old.
    “I’m good.” Inhale. Exhale. Taking slow steps and ignoring
the shooting pain, he made his way to the bathroom and shut the door.
    “Call me if you need anything,” Cal shouted. Ryan heard the
stomping of his brother’s heavy steps as he headed toward the front door.
    Whenever his family brought a woman around for him to meet,
all he saw was the pity in their eyes. He wanted someone who didn’t care that
he’d been injured. His biggest reason for giving a blind date a shot was to see
if there was a remote possibility that some random woman could like him even
with his disability. It was time to put it to the test.
    He didn’t want to live like a hermit. Besides, it was
worrying him that he wasn’t aroused anymore. At every turn his family had tried
to set him up with single females, but all he saw were sad looks. And those sad
looks reminded him of his loss. And that shoved all thoughts of getting
personal with any of those women down the drain. That was not what he wanted in
a relationship.

 
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    Kayla stepped out of the limo and into paradise. The hotel
was magnificent. Sunshine poured over the colorful Spanish style structure.
Massive gardens surrounded the building, and a whitewashed-stone walkway led to
the entrance. She stared at the hotel in front of her, wondering if it was a
mirage. After being in a small camp in the Adirondacks, this was heaven. Her
parents’ mansion was beautiful, but the view of this property was breathtaking.
    Once she got her room key, she rushed up to the top level
where the deluxe suites were located. The hotel was top of the line, and Kayla was
used to carrying around evening wear for formal parties her parents hosted.
Thankfully she’d been prepared for any eventuality. Her in sweats and munching
on potato chips was probably not what her date expected. Talk about a skewed
first impression. Not what she wanted Ryan to see.
    She’d made sure to be there early so she could have time to
prepare for the dreaded date. When the private butler assigned to her suite
opened the door, she smiled. Sumptuous was the word of the day. Antique chairs,
beautiful paintings, and a massive bed occupied the room. But that wasn’t the
reason for her smile. A glass wall showed off crystal-clear ocean water. In a
trance, she went straight to the balcony. The door slid open noiselessly.
Tension drained out of her as she stood there, falling in love with the view.
For long moments she just soaked in the salty sea air and sunrays.
    The click of the door told her the butler had left her
alone. Thoughts of the night ahead made her stomach quiver. But she wouldn’t
change her mind. Oh no. She’d come too far, and she needed a clean slate, a
good experience to welcome her