When You Were Mine (Adams Sisters) by Adrianne Byrd Read Free Book Online

rain splattered against Flex’s face.
                  “Lord, you have to be kidding me.”
                  Thunder rolled and lightning temporarily lit up the sky.
                  “Okay, okay.  I’m going.  I’m going.”  Locating a source of reserved energy, Flex sat up and ignored the pain in his lower back.
                  Maybe I should check all the windows again.
                  He liked that idea.  What business did a grown man have climbing trees anyway? 
                  Flex limped around the house again as rain fell in light, thin sheets.  But by the time he turned away from the last locked window, he was in the midst of a torrent.
                  Just go ring the damn bell.
                  Tempted, he turned to go do just that but then stopped.  I’m not a quitter.
                  Flex drew a breath, squared his shoulder and returned to the oak tree.  Determination, more than skill or grace, propelled his six-foot-four frame skyward.
                  A second before he reached for the window, a horrible thought occurred to him.  What if this window is locked, too?
                  He grumbled under his breath at that possibility, yet a wave of relief washed over him when the window opened.
                  Yeess!
                  There was more straining and grunting involved in actually getting through the window.   Once inside, triumph roared through his veins...but then pain brought him back down to earth again.
                  Flex glanced longingly at the comfort his old bed offered.  Lord, how much he wanted to dive in and sleep for a full week, however, he still had to sneak downstairs and lug up his suitcases.
                  Frustrated, annoyed, and flat out grumpy, Flex crept out of his bedroom door and tried his best to tiptoe through the house’s still darkness.
                 
                  Peyton jerked away from her husband’s passionate kiss.  “What was that?”
                  “What was what?” Lincoln asked dumbfounded, and then dismissed the question and tried to recapture his wife’s lips.
                  She turned her face away.  “Didn’t you hear something?”
                  “Just music, bells and all that romantic crap.  Now, where were we?”  He hiked her left leg higher on his hip.
                  “What if it’s Daddy?”
                  “I thought I was your daddy right now,” Lincoln chuckled.
                  She smacked his hard chest.  “I’m being serious.”
                  Exasperated, Lincoln sighed.  “Do you want me to go check it out?”
                  “Do you mind?”
                  “Actually--”
                  Peyton rewarded him with another smack.  “I told you this was a bad idea.  Go back and sleep in the other room.”
                  “Whoa.  Whoa. I was just kidding.  Of course I’ll go check it out.  If it’s all clear, we’ll pick up where we left off.  Agreed?”
                  “Just go check it out,” she hissed and pushed at him to hurry.

                  Flex retrieved his suitcases and closed the front door.  Gone was the excitement of surprising his family.  Judging by the pain in his back, he needed to be more concerned with whether he needed a trip to the hospital’s emergency room.
                  He stopped at the base of the stairs and set his luggage down.  A couple of Tylenol should do the trick, he concluded, thinking about the economy-sized bottle his father usually kept in the kitchen.
                  Feeling around the dark living room, Flex bumped into furniture his sisters had the habit of