Read Picture Perfect (Butler Island) for Free Online

mind.
    Yeah, blame it on the doughnuts…
    After snagging the last parking spot
in the small lot she removed her key from the ignition and inhaled a deep,
calming breath. Ty was going to be happy that she’d finally made the time to
visit the station. She hated to disappoint him and besides—she was hoping to
run into Grant so that she could apologize for the other night.
      Alright, pep talk’s over. Time to
get inside and get this visit over with.
    Olivia gripped the three rectangular
doughnut boxes from the passenger seat and strolled toward the open bay. It
housed the island’s only fire truck and a myriad of memories from her childhood
and adolescence. When she was within reach, she slowly glided her fingertips
along the side of the fire truck, reminiscing about the first time she’d sat
inside. She was nine and Ty had given her permission to sit behind the wheel
and pretend to drive. Her feet dangled from the seat, fidgeting with excitement
as he turned on the siren and coaxed her to beep the horn. She closed her eyes
as she recalled the vivid memory and felt the corners of her mouth turn up in a
wide grin.
     
     
    Grant left the claustrophobic
firehouse kitchen in search of some fresh air. He hadn’t been able to get
Olivia, or the mind-blowing kiss they’d shared, out of his head all week. No
matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t escape the image of her emerald eyes
staring back into his. She was like a Picasso painting: beautiful, intriguing.
Rebellious.
    As soon as he’d become aware that she
was Ty’s little sister, he’d told himself to back off. It didn’t matter that he
was incredibly attracted to her; she was off limits to him. She’d been rambling
on about how Halloween was her favorite holiday and when he’d asked why,
something unexpected happened: She softened that tough-girl exterior and
exposed a hint of vulnerability.
    He knew the basics about her story.
Her parents died when she was young and Ty had raised her. He’d asked around
about her to the people on the island—nonchalantly, of course—and everyone
pretty much told him the same thing: “She’s a sassy southern belle. A
free-spirited beauty. An angel with devilish spontaneity. A gorgeous doll with
a tough-as-nails attitude.” He figured she’d had to be. Anyone who lost
their parents as unexpectedly and tragically as she had learned how to coat
themselves with armor to prevent experiencing another loss.
    The kiss was a spontaneous reaction
to her vulnerableness—a comforting gesture, like patting someone on the back
when they choked…
      Ah, hell , who was he
kidding? He liked her. He liked talking to her, hearing her laugh.
     And he really liked kissing
her. 
    He’d had every intention of calling
her—even came close a few times—but ultimately hesitated. Ty was his best
friend and he wasn’t sure how he would feel about him dating his little sister.
It was no secret that Ty was overprotective when it came to Olivia and
so Grant knew he’d have to proceed with caution.
    A steady stream of brisk morning air
rushed across his skin as he stepped into the open bay. He briefly closed his
eyes, inhaling a satisfying breath and when he opened them, the woman he’d been
obsessing over was standing approximately fifty feet in front of him. He
studied her for a moment: she was balancing three large white boxes in one
hand; gently running her feminine fingertips along the surface of the fire
truck with the other. Her eyes were closed and the corners of her mouth were
slightly turned upward, suggesting she was thoroughly enjoying her nostalgic
trance.
    Grant ambled forward, careful to
tread softly and when he reached her side, he paused briefly to take in her
beauty. She’d been concentrating diligently, completely unaware that Grant was
standing by her side watching her.
    “You must have ESP”, he uttered
softly, inches from her ear.
    Olivia opened her eyes and gasped for
a breath of air. Startled, she instinctively