Surrounded by Woods by Mandy Harbin Read Free Book Online

than avoid Josh, she would treat him like he was one of the others. Unexplained feelings or not, whatever had happened between the two of them would be forced behind her.
     
    * * * *
     
    Josh showered and headed to breakfast, but his movements felt mechanical. After Mikaela stormed out of his room last night, he spent the next couple of hours vacillating between anger for both her actions and her assumption that he wasn’t interested in her to relief that if she’d drawn that conclusion, then she wouldn’t pursue him. But as soon as he’d think about that, he’d remember she hadn’t pursued him at all. He was the one pursuing her, and she was the one ignoring him. Okay, he was ignoring her too, but he didn’t have any choice. He would not gamble with her life.
    Not interested? If only that were the case. He’d never been more interested in another woman, or even another person for that matter.
    Walking into the dining room, Josh braced himself for the lecture he knew he deserved. He’d acted possessive of Mikaela last night, and when she came into his room and called him on his actions, he’d roared after she stormed out. He knew that it was loud enough to wake his father and brothers, but they hadn’t come to his aid. They knew what kind of sound he was making.
    Pain.
    Josh felt so bereft. He’d upset her, and he couldn’t explain why. Sure, he was angry with her for leaving, but even most of that anger was directed internally. But knowing he upset her made him feel like he let her down. He was so shocked to see her walk into his room that, just for a moment, he forgot about his lot in life. He was a man who wanted the woman before him. And God, she was beautiful. Even if she was royally pissed at him. He now felt like she didn’t even trust him, and no matter his reasoning for avoiding her—or trying to, at least—he didn’t want to earn her distrust. If only he could explain to her about his feral side. The feline within felt like talk was overrated, but if it brought it one step closer to claiming Mikaela Patterson, it was all for it.
    Thomas wasted no time letting Josh have it when he joined them. He listened and listened, and whenever his father paused from his berating long enough to inhale for another round of bitching, Josh used those moments to agree with Thomas. But he knew his father could go on and on, so he mainly sat there, listening to his dad’s tirade while his brothers waited for Jeffery to bring in breakfast. Josh knew his father was right. He was just too tired and too lost to argue, so he acquiesced in an effort to minimize the damage. But while he verbally agreed to his father’s take, Josh couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t fair that he couldn’t just claim her and live happily ever after. What was most upsetting was that he wanted her to want that, too, but he knew that that would never happen.
    Once Jeffery brought the food in, Josh got a much-needed respite. All the men filled their plates and began eating. Thankfully, the topic of conversation transitioned to work, affording his brothers an opportunity to join in.
    While discussing the pine harvest and paper company mergers, the main door to the dining room opened. Josh looked up, his heart racing before he even saw Mikaela walk in. And he knew it was her. Not only was everyone else already in the dining room, but her luscious scent also assaulted him as soon as the door opened.
    I thought she wasn’t a morning person, Jack mentally said, but Josh didn’t look at him. His eyes were locked on the door, waiting to see her. Just one quick look was all he was going to allow because if his eyes lingered, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from staring. But when he saw her, his head snapped down faster than he anticipated, his heart crashing in his chest. He expected her to be in her workout clothes, but she was in a robe! It looked like she had on the same pajamas as last night. When she had been in his room. God, he wished