“I think we’re going to be friends,” he said as he licked his lips. She had to bite her tongue and do everything in her power not to respond to this man.
“I don’t think so,” she said. “Now get off me.”
He pressed more intimately against her for just a second, making her gasp, before he was suddenly on his feet, his hand held out. Brooke was too scared to touch him again, not while her hormones were going totally crazy. She stumbled her way to her feet.
She didn’t meet his eyes this time as she said, “I think you’re qualified.” She then moved to her stuff and put on her coat, irritated her hand was trembling. There was no way she was staying in that studio with him.
“Bye, Doc,” one of the girls called out, and she waved, afraid of turning around.
“I’ll be seeing you soon, Doc,” Finn promised as she reached the studio door.
She went outside and inhaled a deep breath of air, grateful the scent wasn’t full of Finn Anderson.
“Not a chance will I be seeing you again,” Brooke mumbled to herself. “I don’t know what in the hell happened in there, but I can tell you’re a dangerous man.”
“What did you say, Doc?” Theo, an eighty-year-old patient, asked as he stopped next to her.
“Oh, sorry, Theo, I was just muttering to myself,” she said, feeling heat in her cheeks.
Theo laughed. “I love it, Doc. I’m not the only one,” he said. “Where are you heading?”
“I’m going home to eat and sleep,” Brooke said.
“Then I’ll accompany you. A pretty young lady shouldn’t be walking alone, and my doc told me I need more exercise.”
“I’d love the company, Theo,” she said, putting her arm through his.
Finn Anderson was just a blip in her otherwise organized life. She’d forget about him by the time she woke up. She wasn’t worried—not in the least.
CHAPTER FOUR
“I’m going to marry Brooke Garrison.”
The room went utterly silent as four sets of eyes stared back at Finn as if he’d lost his mind. Well, technically he had lost a bit of his mind when he’d gotten his concussion and been forced into early retirement from the military.
But right now his thinking was more than clear. The moment he’d laid eyes on the sexiest woman he’d ever encountered, he’d needed to know her—it hadn’t even been a choice. The second she’d taken him to the ground, he’d wanted her with a passion he’d never felt in his life. When she’d batted those eyes at him, victory in her gaze, he’d known he was going to marry her.
“Um . . . we didn’t know you were seeing someone,” Crew finally said after the silence dragged on and on. Finn was so in his own head about this woman he wasn’t noticing much of his brothers’ reactions.
“I’m not yet, but I’m still in love,” Finn told them with a smile that wouldn’t stop.
Brandon, who was always the first to make a joke in any situation, laughed. “Well, now you’re making total sense,” he said. “Go on and tell us more.”
“She came to the studio last night and took me down in about two seconds flat. I mean she literally had me pinned to the ground without me allowing it. She’s the woman of my dreams,” Finn said.
“Wait! Hold the fort! A woman took you down?” Hudson said, his lips turning up in a beaming smile. Now his brothers were getting more into the conversation.
“She sure as hell did,” Finn replied, not in the least worried about the mocking he was surely going to receive. He was hella impressed she’d done it. “I never would’ve thought she could do it. She can’t be more than a few inches over five feet, and I could seriously wrap my hands around her waist. The girl is as petite as they come.”
He couldn’t quit grinning.
“Damn, maybe we’re going to have our first family wedding,” Noah said with a whistle.
“She’s the practitioner here in town. I need a fake injury,” Finn said, completely serious.
“What? You need what?” Crew asked, his brows wrinkling.
“An injury,” Finn said, feeling completely reasonable. “Maybe you should punch me in the eye. Make it really black.” He looked from brother to brother.
“Oh, hell yeah, I’m up for that,” Brandon said, standing as he knocked his fists together.
“Simmer down, Rambo,” Crew said. “No one needs to be punishing anyone. What we need is to realize our brother is in need of some serious help.”
“He asked for it,” Brandon said with a pout, looking incredibly disappointed.
“What in the hell is wrong with this family?” Crew asked, throwing his hands in the air. “Am I the only sane one?”
“On most days,” Hudson said with a laugh. “That’s why we needed one psychologist in the family—so the rest of us wouldn’t go totally bonkers.”
“It’s too late for us,” Noah piped in. “We’re so far off the deep end, not even you can fix us, Crew.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’ve always feared,” Crew said. “But still, no one in this family is punching anyone else in this family. Why don’t you try to be a normal human being and simply ask the girl out?” The suggestion seemed completely foreign to the rest of the brothers, making Crew sigh.
“I don’t think she likes me yet. Nope. I definitely need another plan,” Finn said. “Come on, Brandon. Give it a go.”
Before Crew could stop him, Brandon stepped up, and his arm flashed out with a right hook that nearly knocked Finn back. He shook his head to clear the stars. He’d been hit many times in his life, but his little brother had some power in those arms.
“Good job,” he said as the fog cleared. “Am I bleeding?”
“Not yet,” Brandon said with a laugh. “Want another one?”
“No, it’s my turn,” Hudson said with glee. “You had your shot. I get to help out, too. Our brother’s in need, and I’m willing to give a fist to the cause.”
“Stop this nonsense,” Crew said. But it was too late.
Hudson got the next hit in, and this one caught the corner of Finn’s mouth, and he immediately tasted blood. He moved to the garbage can and spit, then grinned at his brothers.
“Good enough?” he questioned.
“Yeah,” Noah replied with a pout. “Guess I don’t get to hit you next.”
“Sorry, brother. Maybe next time,” he replied, feeling pretty damn good. “But just remember, I get payback on those two,” he pointed out.
“Hey, you asked for it,” Brandon said.
“And we were just helping you,” Hudson piped in.
“And I’ll be willing to return the favor,” Finn assured them.
“I’m out of here,” Crew told them before storming from the room.
“Wait, you’re the one I need to help come up with a story,” Finn shouted. Crew kept on walking. Finn turned back to his other three brothers, at a loss. This wasn’t going to work if he didn’t have a hell of a story.
“Okay, here’s what you say . . . ,” Hudson began.