Dodging Temptation (The Retreat) by Avery Flynn Read Free Book Online

and had found the letter the bastard had written May. Cold, cruel, and concise, the letter outlined exactly why his grandfather was disowning his daughter. For a sixteen-year-old trying to understand who he was and where he was going, that letter provided all the direction an ambitious teenager needed. At that age, nothing felt as good as telling The Man to fuck off.
    “I ’ m your mother, so there ’ s not a whole lot I don ’ t know about you, Dodge.” She stood, crossed the porch to him, and gave his shoulders a quick squeeze. “While I appreciate you wanting to right the wrongs done to me, you don ’ t have to. I made my peace with my father and what he did a long time ago. The longer you hold on to this grudge, the more it will cloud your vision until you can’t see all the good things that are right in front of you, or in the library for that matter.”
    “I can’t forget or forgive.”
    May sighed and pointed to the newly planted cottonwood trees that in a few years would grow big enough to provide a little privacy for the family ’ s veranda. “Just look at those saplings. If they don ’ t bend to the never-ending Wyoming wind then they ’ ll snap in half before they ever get a chance to grow into strong trees.” She poked him in the ribs. “You have to learn to bend a little, Dodge, or you ’ ll break.”
    That wasn ’ t going to happen. He ’ d bend the rest of the world first—starting with Harper. He just needed to find out what button to push to make her agree to the interview. Maybe he could wheedle some information out of her employer.
    “What company did you say Harper worked for?”
    May averted her gaze. “I didn’t.”
    Dodge’s trouble detector went into overdrive. “Why?”
    May’s sigh was long and deep, the kind that alerted the world that bad news was coming. “Because your grandfather owns the company, and I knew it would only upset you.”
    Heat blasted through, temporarily blinding him to anything but his long-nourished hatred of his grandfather. Did the old man know about Dodge’s plans for The Brasch Group? Had he sent in a spy? The bastard would do it.
    “What were you thinking?” Harsh and cold, he flung each word like a dagger.
    May didn’t flinch. She raised her chin and gave him the look every kid knows too well. “That she was the best person for the job.”
    “But she works for him .” She had to be a spy. How much had she learned about their operations already? The Brasch Group representatives would be here soon. Was she planning sabotage?
    May patted his cheek, a sad understanding softening her momentary hard edge. “You have got to let this grudge go before it eats you up.”
    Dodge didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. He was too busy figuring out how to use this information to force her hand about the interview before kicking her sweet ass off his property.
    “ Well, I ’ ll leave you to your stewing.” May gathered up her cup and the muffin plate before walking to the door. “I have a yoga class in fifteen.”
    He didn ’ t stew. He plotted. He planned. He—
    Harper, accompanied by Griff, walked into his line of sight and destroyed every other thought in his head. Faded jeans had never looked as good as they did hugging her full hips and high, round ass. She laughed at something his brother said, and the soft sound carried across the air, taunting him with its easy joy when he knew damn well there was nothing easy about her.
    Stubborn, determined, and more than willing to fight dirty, Harper had gotten under his skin. That didn ’ t happen often, if ever. He needed to go inside and figure out what his next step should be, but he couldn ’ t leave the railing, not while the sun turned her auburn hair into a fiery gold halo around her. Good thing he knew she wasn ’ t anywhere near as angelic as she looked, otherwise he ’ d be in trouble.
    She spotted him watching, and a flash of heat sizzled between them, making his zipper work overtime.