Tell Me a Story (The Story Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

fantasy is…” His voice trailed off.
    “A fantasy is what?”
    He smiled. “Well, maybe I’m feeling poetic tonight, but…I think a fantasy is what the heart whispers to silence a busy mind.”
    “That’s…beautiful. Wow.”
    “No, you’re beautiful. That’s really why I can’t stop staring.” His voice was low and growly, and parts of me liquefied.
    He then huffed out a little laugh. Thankfully, he didn’t take his finger out of my curl. “Damn. I can’t believe I just said all that. I think I just had a flashback to my emo-creative-writing days. Please excuse me.”
    “You’re excused,” I whispered. His words made my toes curl in a delicious way. He was also a little self-deprecating, which I appreciated because it balanced the undercurrent of his arrogance.
    “But there’s something about you, Emma. And it goes beyond you reading to me about sex. I think.”
    “You think, but you’re not sure?” I laughed, and he did, too, breaking the tension that had built up. “Well, I’m really not a woman who reads erotica to strange men. I usually read tamer stuff.”
    “So you’re saying I’m special?” He released my hair. Dammit.
    I paused, thinking of his question. “You seem smart and curious and interesting. Trust me, those qualities aren’t easy to find in men.”
    “They’re not easy to find in women, either.” He let out an easy laugh. Okay, he was starting to be too good to be true. But whatever. I hadn’t been with anyone in almost a year and Caleb was too enticing. And too close to my body in this semi-private, gauze-draped, red-hued cabana. I briefly tried to remind myself that he wasn’t truly my type, that he probably usually dated women who organized charity balls and shopped at Saks. If he was even really single in the first place.
    But my doubts flew from my mind when I caught his scent again. I leaned toward him, feeling my legs slip against one another and my lips tingle with the anticipation of a kiss. The little smile faded, and he again reached out and tangled all of his fingers in my hair, tugging me ever so slightly toward him.
    “I’ve never kissed a woman in a cabana before.” His eyes were half-lidded and obviously sensual.
    “I’ve never kissed a man at Story Brothel before.”
    “Can I be your first?” he murmured.
    “With pleasure.”
    He licked his bottom lip and pulled me closer. His sweet and musky scent combined with the whiskey was intoxicating. Our lips were inches apart, and I could feel the whisper of his hot breath on my skin.
    Then a shriek came from the direction of the bar.
    “Caleb! Caleb!”
    He shut his eyes. “Shit. That’s Laura.”
    “Laura?” I plopped back on my heels, shock surging through me. What the hell?
    “My sister.”
    “Oh,” I exhaled. “What’s wrong with her?”
    He ran a hand over his short hair. “Well, from her tone, I can tell she’s panicking.”
    “She’s what? Why?”
    “She has a severe anxiety disorder, and sometimes when she drinks, she has an attack. This has been going on for years.”
    My jaw dropped as the woman’s breathy, panicked voice grew closer.
    Biting his lip, his expression faded from sad to sorry. “I’ve got to take her home. I apologize.”
    He scrambled out of the cabana, and I followed on all fours, parting the curtain and peering out.
    As he slid his feet into his shoes, the tall blonde woman ran up, sobbing. Several people poked their heads out of their cabanas to watch.
    “Sis. Hey. It’s okay. Let’s get you home.” He squeezed her shoulders, then rubbed her upper arms. “Give me thirty seconds, okay? Okay?”
    She nodded and stammered something about how she was having a heart attack and that she needed to get to a hospital. In a gentle voice, he reminded her to breathe. When he’d first said his sister was having a panic attack, I’d been skeptical. But seeing this woman’s obvious terror up close was disturbing. What had happened between her and Sarah? I climbed out