Meant For Her by Raine Thomas Read Free Book Online Page B

naturally.”
    A couple of years ago, Sierra had been working with Bastian, the owner of Z Studios, on a big photo shoot promoting a designer brand of men’s underwear. Cole and some of his teammates had been models for the shoot, and Everly had attended it. While Bastian posed Cole in a pair of boxer briefs, Sierra watched Everly’s reactions from across the studio. She hadn’t been able to resist capturing Everly’s expressions. While everyone else had focused on Cole, Sierra had shot Everly. Ultimately, Sierra had approached Bastian and suggested a shoot with both Everly and Cole. The results of that shoot had made it onto a Times Square billboard and had shot Z Studios into the big time.
    Now, she lifted her camera as Cole stood beside Everly and looked down at her. Everly held the large, wooden four-leaf clover that Sierra had given her, but her gaze was on her husband. Cole placed his left hand on the growing swell of her belly and leaned down to kiss her forehead. Sunlight gleamed on the wedding band he wore.
    Click .
    Sometimes, it was just that easy. Sierra knew she had her shot, but she still worked with them for the better part of an hour. She’d review the images and send them everything that she thought they’d like. Once they decided which shot was The One, she’d add it to the pregnancy progression album that she was putting together for them.
    “Thanks, Sierra,” Everly said as they sat under the tree and let the dogs play for a while. “Is it really the fourth month already?”
    “Time flies, doesn’t it?”
    “Yeah. October thirty-first will be here before we know it.”
    “I still can’t believe our kid is due on Halloween,” Cole said with a shake of his head. “We’re going to have a demon baby.”
    Everly gave him a dry look. Sierra laughed.
    “What?” Cole shrugged, earning a sigh from his wife. “Hey, Evan said he thinks us having a demon baby is kick-ass.”
    Watching him toss a stick for the dogs to chase, Sierra asked, “Are you happy to have Evan on the team, Cole?”
    He glanced at her. “Sure I am. He’s an exceptional player and a good friend.”
    Smiling, she said, “I can tell both already. It’s easy to see he’s had a rough time, but he’s taking steps to overcome it. He’ll make a lot of new friends here, which should help him emerge from his grief.”
    Everly looked up at Cole, who briefly caught her gaze. Whatever they communicated without words had Cole’s expression morphing into concern.
    “Look, Sierra,” he said, taking the stick from Leo and throwing it again. “You should know something about Evan. I love him like a brother, but he isn’t the type of guy to put down roots. Since he graduated high school, the longest he’s stayed anywhere is sixteen months. I’m pretty sure if that stay had lasted any longer, he would have found any excuse to leave. He’s a great guy, but he prefers living on his own and on the move.”
    “Does he?” she murmured.
    She let it go. Her friends meant well. They were trying to warn her not to get attached to Evan.
    Well, if that’s what they were worried about, they were already too late.

Chapter 8
     
     
    A knock at the door the next morning made the dogs go ballistic. Evan frowned and paused the video game he was playing. After debating for a minute, he got up to answer it. He assumed it was Sierra and tried to convince himself that the sudden increase in his heart rate was due to his irritation over being interrupted.
    When he looked through the peephole, though, there was no denying his disappointment. He shrugged that off and opened the door.
    “How’d you get up here?” Evan asked, trying to keep Miller and Beck from flying out into the hallway.
    Cole grinned. “I happen to know the property manager really well. She’s seen me in my underwear doing naughty things.”
    “Are you talking about Sierra?”
    “Yep.”
    Without waiting for an invitation, Cole elbowed his way past him and into his