by Avery Flynn
“Yeah well, if it gets out that you bang Rage fans, the tri-state metro area will be lining up to poison you.” She stood up and picked up her chair, carrying it back over to the card table, which was sitting underneath a for-real chandelier. It was a small one, sure, but still a chandelier.
“Like they need another reason,” Zach grumbled as he got up from the couch. “So what do I have to do to get over this?”
“Unfortunately,” she said with a smile that went to show exactly how not sad she was about it. Sleeping with a Cajun Rage puck bunny really was a step too far. “You just have to wait for it to clear your system. It’s probably a minor case of food poisoning. You’ll be fine. We just need to keep you hydrated and make sure it doesn’t get worse.”
“We?” he asked, crossing over to the island and, like the prima donna he was, leaving the empty mug on the coffee table by the couch.
“Yeah. We. I promised Lucy I’d stay until you were out of the woods, and I’m sticking to it.” Unlike some people, she didn’t have a lot, but she had her word and she didn’t break it.
He kept his distance, but something in his stance changed, making him seem bigger than the team stats that listed him at six feet, three inches and two-hundred-and-thirty-eight pounds. “What was your name again?” he asked, his voice dropping to a lower register than before. “Felicia?”
“That’s my sister.”
Fallon couldn’t believe it. He was trying to intimidate her. Maybe even trying to get her to leave again. She knew the signs. She’d grown up around men who couldn’t actually express what they were feeling if someone tried to beat it out of them with a baseball bat. The Irish weren’t exactly known for being in touch with and wanting to talk about their emotional wants and needs.
“Faith?” he asked.
“That’s my other sister.”
Sure, there were only a limited number of common names that started with F, but the fact that he’d nailed two of her sisters’ names while he was supposedly trying to remember hers? Yeah, she wasn’t falling for it.
He shifted, the move making the plaid blanket gap open just enough to show off a broad swatch of his ink-covered, muscular chest and the sparkle of the light hitting the silver ring through his right nipple. “Fiona?”
It took everything she had not to crack a smile.“That’s sister number three.”
“There are four girls in your family?” As if he didn’t know. He must have gotten at least some background information about her from Lucy before he agreed to let Lucy ask her to come over. “Plus three brothers?”
“Yeah.” She nodded, not letting herself react outwardly at all to his little display. “And I’m Fallon. Fallon Hartigan.”
He glowered at her in silence, his eyes so dark they were practically black as they zeroed in on her as if he could scare her. That wasn’t going to happen. One, she got more attitude from her pediatric patients than this. Two, Lucy trusted the guy, and Fallon trusted Lucy. Three, she was a Hartigan, and they didn’t back down from anything.
Finally, he spoke. “I’ve got a game tomorrow. I’m taking a nap.”
And without so much as even a mumbled thank-you for giving up her weekend to be his nurse, he turned and walked out of the kitchen and down a dark hallway. Most hated man in Harbor City? Yeah, she could corroborate that.
Food poisoning or not, Zach Blackburn was one prime, grade-A asshole. She glanced down at the basket of muffins and grinned. Fallon wouldn’t have been surprised if the puck bunny had tried to poison the prick on purpose—God knew she was tempted right about now.
Instead, she took out her phone.
Fallon: He’ll live, and you owe me. Big time.
Lucy: Going that well, huh?
Fallon: What did you tell him about me?
Lucy: Just that you’re my bestie, Frankie’s sister, maybe some family stuff, and that you’re an awesome nurse. The basics.
Fallon: That’s a lot.
Lucy: He doesn’t trust a lot of folks. He needed background. He has his reasons, promise you won’t let him get to you.
Fallon: I can promise not to kill him but that’s about as much as you’ll get from me. He’s the most obnoxious man I’ve ever met, and I work with doctors who think they’re god—not a god but the actual big guy himself.
Lucy: Just give Zach a chance. You’ll love him.
Yeah, that was so not going to happen—not even in a parallel universe.
Acknowledgments
First off, thank you so much for reading Muffin Top! I hope you love Frankie and Lucy as much as I do. They were a total blast to write, and that is in no small part because of the amazing people I got to work with on this book. My editor Liz, who happens to be a vampire, is a fabulous brainstorming and editing partner. Thank you! The entire team at Entangled who have taken The Hartigans series and done all of the heavy lifting to get it onto your shelf are amazing. Y’all are FABULOUS! Robin Covington and Kimberly Kincaid, my two ride or die girls (who really help inspire how the friendship between Gina, Lucy, Tess, and Fallon works), thanks for the virtual chocolate during the rough times and the kick in the ass when I need it. I really couldn’t do it without you two. Of course, no book is created in a perfectly silent environment (and if they are, don’t tell me, I’ll die of jealousy), but a massive thank-you is going out to the Fab Mr. Flynn and the Flynn kids for your patience and understanding when I’m unshowered and in yoga pants and late for deadline (again). And for the Gussie fans out there, please know that he is based on a real pooch (Gus) belonging to Andie J. Christopher, who told a story of how he’d gone a-humping while she was on a video conference call and I almost died from laughing so hard. Thanks for letting me put Gus in a book.
The real truth is that this book would not be what it is without some amazing people who were willing to share their stories with me—especially Riki, who was kind enough to allow me to use her story of being concern-trolled at a restaurant as the opening scene of Muffin Top. Thank you so very much. Also? Fuck that guy. You’re amazing.
xoxo,
Avery
About the Author
Avery Flynn has three slightly wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband, and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. Find out more about Avery on her website, follow her on Twitter, like her on her Facebook page, or friend her on her Facebook profile. Join her street team, The Flynnbots, on Facebook. Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.
Don’t miss the Hartigans series…
Butterface
Also by Avery Flynn…
The Negotiator
The Charmer
The Schemer
Killer Temptation
Killer Charm
Killer Attraction
Killer Seduction
Betting on the Billionaire
Enemies on Tap
Dodging Temptation
His Undercover Princess
Her Enemy Protector
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