Craving More by Brandy Walker Read Free Book Online

the weekend. Should be back
Monday or Tuesday.”
    Sam’s
chuckle died suddenly. “What do you mean she had plans?”
    “Don’t
fret, dear brother, it’s nothing for you to concern yourself about.” As much as
she loved him, MJ’s problems were for her to tell, not anyone else. She would
probably be embarrassed as hell if Sam knew her parents didn’t think much of
her abilities to attract a man; that they were trying to purchase a husband for
her. Stupid arranged marriages.
    Corrine
shook her head. “So where are you going to stay in town? Already make
arrangements to stay with someone or find an apartment?”
    Sam
poured more coffee for them, holding her mug out for her to take. With a tip of
his head toward the slider she nodded following him out the door. Crossing to
the bench they sat, soaking up the morning sun.
    Cup
cradled in her hands, she pulled in a deep lung full of air allowing the pine
and earthy scents to filter through her system. She loved this time of the
morning. It was usually when she was taking her first break from the morning
baking rush—the sun slowly warming the day, and bringing to life
everything around her. The sights, smells and sounds helping
to center her mind.
    She
let her mind drift, body relax. She forgot that he hadn’t answered her
question. Didn’t really care that he hadn’t either. Just having him here and
knowing he was going to be around more made her giddy and sad to realize how
much they had missed out these past two years.
    Sam’s
voice brought her back to the present. “Damn this is nice. You did really well
sis. You have space and privacy and not too far from civilization. I plan on
coming out here a lot to run, and visit with you of course.” He snickered and
poked her in the ribs with his elbow. “Hey, maybe Murph will even come out here
with me. That’s the guy I’m hoping to crash with until I find my own place in
town. I’m not sure how much he lets his tiger out to run these days being
cooped up in an office all day.”
    Corrine
raised her cup and was mid swallow when Sam mentioned Jett. The hot coffee went
down the wrong pipe and she was left coughing, eyes watering and struggling to
breath.
    Sam
reached over and pounded her on the back jolting her forward with each hit.
“Jesus, you okay.”
    “Wrong…
way,” she gasped out. She took slow, short breathes while wiping away the tears
streaking down her face.
    A
few minutes passed before she could speak. “A shifter? Named Murph?” She
croaked.
    Sam
canted his head and looked at her. “You don’t remember me talking about him?
That’s strange. I’m sure I’ve told you about him. He was my college roommate.
We were on the football team together. Defensive lineman. Used to hang out all
of the time. Any of that ring a bell?”
    Corrine
recalled snippets of conversations they had over the years but nothing solid
about Jett came to her. She forced a light laugh out. “If you said his name in
conjunction with football my eyes were probably glazed over and brain was
elsewhere. You know how much I don’t get your obsession.”
    Sam
snorted. “That’s true. I think you chose not to like it because I loved it.”
    “Maybe,”
she said with a slight grin.
    “Anyway,
Murph’s a tiger-shifter just like us. He moved to Cascade not too long ago. A
few months back maybe. He’s a Software Engineer at a firm in town. He mentioned
looking at buying a condo in the last email I got from him. Said I could come
and crash anytime. I’m just hoping he’s actually bought the place or I will be moving in for a bit regardless
of what Mary Jane thinks.”
    “Does
this Murph have a first name? Or is it the thing among men to go by their
college football nicknames for the rest of their lives? Should I start calling
you Big Smooth?” She pressed her lips together, holding back the giggle. Her
brother’s college nickname always amused her. He got it cause they said he was
smooth on and off the field.
    It
was Sam’s