Dare to Tease: A Dare Nation Novella, Carly Phillips [well read books TXT] 📗

stepped forward and put himself front and center. “Lay off your sister, Braden. We didn’t do a damn thing wrong,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. Braden might be his best friend, but he wasn’t about to let him harass Bri over something that was none of his business.

Braden raised both hands in defeat. “Fine. I’ll back off. You just took me by surprise. I don’t want to see my sister lip locked with anyone, let alone my best friend.” His frown epitomized every brother’s reaction to walking in the way he had.

Bri walked over and placed her hand on Braden’s shoulder. “Don’t walk in when a door’s shut and you won’t see anything that might make you want to scrub your eyeballs.”

His gaze fell to her hands, his eyes opening wide, obviously noticing her bandages for the first time. “What the hell happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m glad you realized what’s important.” She laughed and nodded. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“Jimmy asked her for money, and when she opened her purse, he went to grab it,” Hudson said.

“I pulled back and fell. Just a little road rash.” She waved her hands in the air. “I’ll live.”

“The man’s a hazard,” Braden muttered.

“He didn’t mean to hurt her, and you know it. We’ve treated him enough to know that his intentions are always good. That said, we should put installing cameras outside on our list of to-do things when we get the money to renovate this place.”

“What kind of renovations?” Bri glanced from her brother to Hudson. Their eyes met, and sizzling awareness flashed between them, that kiss still very much on his mind and obviously on hers.

“Hudson and I have plans for this clinic if we can raise the funds we need. I’m going to talk to Uncle Paul this weekend.” Braden’s pseudo uncle/father was wealthy enough to fund his half of their plan.

Hudson’s grandfather had left him a trust fund, but his father, Martin, was the trustee, and the chances of him giving him the money without strings were slim to none. Hence his upcoming trip to New York this coming weekend. Ever since Evan’s death, his father’s notion of continuing the family lineage with a grandchild had fallen on Hudson, and it was suffocating enough to prevent him from going home to New York after he left Doctors Without Borders. Now that he needed something from the man, Hudson was sure his parent would make him pay one way or another to get what he wanted.

“Well, you know I want details, but I’m too tired to focus on them now.” Bri glanced at her hands. “Something tells me I’m going to have a tough few days getting any work done.”

“You don’t need to keep the gauze on. Just for a day or two. If you come back, I can rewrap it for you. Or if it’s easier, I’ll stop by,” Hudson offered.

“Ooh, making house calls, Dr. Northfield?” She deliberately batted her eyelashes at him, and he grinned.

He liked that she could keep her sense of humor in the face of pain and problems. He liked that she could tease him even more.

Braden fake coughed loudly. “I’m still in the room.”

With a roll of her eyes, she walked over and kissed Braden on the cheek. “Willow’s dress is with Nikki out front. Tell her I said thank you and I’ll call her soon.”

“I will. Are you sure you can drive?” He gestured to the bandages around her palms and wrist.

She nodded. “I’ll manage.”

“Call me and let me know how you’re doing, or I will track you down and hound you, and I know you don’t want that.” Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek.

“I’ll walk you to your car.” Hudson stepped forward and grasped her elbow.

Braden opened his mouth, probably to argue that he’d do it, but he took one look at Bri’s face and caved. “Drive carefully,” Braden said instead.

“I will,” she promised her twin, no joking in her tone.

Glancing over his shoulder, Hudson met Braden’s gaze. “We’ll talk when I come back inside.”

Hand on Bri’s lower back, he led her out of the room, down the hall, and into the waiting area. “I’ll be back,” he told Nikki.

“Okay, Dr. Northfield,” the receptionist said without looking up from her work.

The sun had set and the lights in the parking lot didn’t all work. Dammit. He had to get the money from his father, because he doubted he could get the funding he needed from a bank.

He paused at the car and he heard the beep of her doors unlocking. A light reached them from the corner of the lot, and when she turned toward him, he glimpsed her pretty face in shadows.

“Thank you for everything tonight,” she said, head tipped up toward him.

He smiled and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I’m glad I was here. Do me a favor?”

She lifted her eyebrows. “What’s that?”

“Text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.” And he didn’t mean he was checking up on her in a brotherly way, either.

“Okay.” From the gleam in her eye, she obviously knew he was expressing interest.

What kind? What could they have together? He had no idea. Not yet. But he intended to find out.

* * * *

Hudson waited for Bri to drive away before he strode back into the clinic and headed to find Braden, who had settled into their shared office. Ever since they’d started working, the original head doctor, Thomas Anderson, had begun shifting more work their way and doing less on his end, just one of the reasons they were working on a takeover plan.

“Hey.” Hudson pulled out a chair and dropped into it, the long day catching up with him.

Braden turned and glared.

“Knock it off,” Hudson muttered. “It’s not like I’m some asshole who’s going to hurt your sister.”

“You’re not someone with serious relationships in your background, either.” Braden’s point was well made.

His romantic history was bland at best. He’d had women in his life but none who’d