Make Me Howl by Susan Shay Read Free Book Online Page A

harbored the same outlook for most of his existence. Why else would he have spent so much time either working or thinking about working? If Sam had enjoyed living as his two youngest sons did, he would have spent more time doing it rather than increasing his earning capacity.
    When they arrived at the park, Spence delivered them to the door of the multi-purpose building then parked the car. As they walked inside, the first person Chase saw was Jazzy, seated at the head table next to Bella. Then he noticed his little brothers, who’d taken the adjacent chairs so the women were bracketed.
    Mack had his arm along the back of Jazzy’s chair, practically sitting in her lap, while Drew gazed at Bella, looking as if he’d been kicked in the head by an elephant.
    Knowing his brothers as he did, Chase realized they weren’t above switching place cards in order to sit by the women of their choice.
    He’d put up with their tricks all their lives. They’d pushed, finagled, tormented and bullied until they’d always gotten what they wanted. Well, not tonight. It was time he put his foot down.
    Stiff with annoyance, he marched past the attendants at the door without a second glance. Approaching the table, he caught a small wave from Bella, but Jazzy didn’t even look up from Mack’s line of bull. Couldn’t she see through his nonsense?
    Irritation spiraling, he stormed to the table. Standing behind Mack, Chase doubled his fist and nudged his brother with it—a little harder than he intended. “Move.”
    Face filled with surprise, Mack jumped to his feet. “Hey, big brother. I was just chatting with—”
    “I said move.” Chase kept his voice low.
    Mack blinked a couple of times then tried, unsuccessfully, to find a smile. “Sure thing, Chase. I was just…” Unable to finish his explanation, Mack rubbed his bruised shoulder a couple of times as he moved away.
    While Chase had been focused on Mack, Jazzy must have gotten out of her chair. When he saw her, long and sleek in a shiny red dress with a deep vee neck and a slit up the leg, he forgot how to breathe.
    “Hello.” Her eyes glistened with unvoiced laughter. Her hair was shades of gold that warmed to not quite chocolate, making her look as if she’d spent her summer playing under the sun. Standing there as she was—so damned feminine and just plain hot—he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to speak past the huge boulder blocking his throat.
    “Hi,” he croaked. “I hope my brother wasn’t bothering you too much.”
    She gazed at him for a moment, her brows raised as if she had trouble understanding his words. “Oh, no. Your brother was doing me a favor. That weird guy from the other night, the one who said he feeds the animals, kept trying to get me to move to his table. Mack sat here with me to keep him away.”
    He forced himself to stop thinking about the way she looked long enough to remember. “Norman Briderson? Is he here tonight?”
    Jazzy glanced pointedly toward the back. Following her direction, he saw Norman, sitting next to a young woman talking earnestly. “Well, he seems occupied for now. If he bothers you again, though, don’t hesitate to report him to the zoo administration.”
    She nodded then looked past him to his parents. He introduced them and, while they chatted for a moment, he checked out the seating arrangements.
    His seat was actually on the other side of Bella, where Drew sat. His father’s place card sat on the other side of Jazzy. Not bothering to look around, he rearranged the seating to his own satisfaction.
    Just let someone say something about it. Anything at all.

Chapter Three
    When they were finally all seated, he smiled at Jazzy. “You look gorgeous, Gypsy Dancer.”
    She smiled, confident. “Not too shabby yourself, Doc. But I miss your holster and six shooter.”
    The tension that had been growing along his shoulders vanished as he chuckled. “My mother always taught us boys not to take our revolvers to the