Ever.
Talon Banks could keep his affordable prices at his shop on the outskirts of Magnolia Point, and I’d suck it up and deal with the mechanic on the ritzier side of town. It wasn’t helping my bottom line, but this was one thing I wasn’t willing to waver on.
“Anotherthemedday, hmm?” It comes out as a sneer and I force myself not to cower at his tone or imagine how hot the hate sex would be with him grunting and growling.
“As a matter of fact?—”
“How very”—his gaze rakes over me again, but this time it’s with disdain—“touristyof you.”
I gasp because he didnotjust say that. I love the tourists but I am sure as hell not one—despite being gone for several years.
I’ve always considered this little slice of South Carolina heaven to be home.
Talon had been the cherry on top of a shit sundae and the ultimate reason I’d left to move in with my dad.
Taking a step forward, I lower my voice. “You have a lot of nerve…”
“Says the woman who wants to make a dig at myreputablebusiness which has been around a hell of a lot longer than those overpriced finger foods you’re selling.”
I gasp as he steps around me, the pig in tow.
“Get back here with my watermelon!” I snap, but he just sends a wink over his shoulder.
“Can’t, Firecracker. It’s for the pig.”
3
TALON
“Uncle T!” Navy shrieks as she jumps off the back of the couch and into my arms. Bristol’s gasp is instantly replaced by a weary sigh as the little girl places a wet kiss on my cheek and tucks herself against my chest.
“You been good for Mama today?” I ask her as I push her blonde ringlets out of her face. She nods against my shoulder, and I look to my sister for confirmation. When Bristol nods, I squeeze my niece tight and kiss the top of her head. “That’s my girl.”
Wiggling out of my arms, she runs for her backpack and pulls out half a dozen papers covered with crayon, paint, and string glued in some kind of design. Scooping her up again, I place her on the counter, and she rattles on about what she did, who she sat with, and the dinosaurs they ran from at recess.
“What did I tell you about playing with boys?” I tease and then grab her side, tickling her until she laughs and squirms, my sister cracking a smile for the first time since I walked in.
Navy’s little hands try and squish my face, and I let her pull me down for a kiss. “You love me most,” she says dutifully.
“That’s right.” I boop her nose. “Because you’re my best girl, aren’t you?” She nods, her curls flying around with a mind of their own. “All right, Navy Baby, let me get changed and then we’ll do our chores.”
“Then we play whiff Chip,” she asks sweetly, “and eat watermelon?” Her eyes are big and round, the way she knows gets to me every time.
“With,” I correct and she slams her little hands on her hips. Bristol snickers. “Yes, after chores we can playwithChip and eat watermelon.”
The mention of watermelon has my lips twitching. Cora Delaney had gotten under my skin and gotten my hackles up.
And that’s not the only thing.
She’d gotten my blood pumping, and I wanted nothing more than to bury myself in her tight, wet heat, strip her down, and explore every inch of her sinful body. Things between us would be explosive; there’s no doubt about that. All that pent-up tension from high school still lingered between us, and it would only take a spark to ignite.
Still, despite her outward disdain for me, something seemed different about her.
“Thas what I said.”
“Uh-huh,” I say with an arched brow as I give a quick tug on one of the ringlets. “Go get changed.”
“I’m gonna beat you!” she squeals as she takes off down the hall, sliding past her room and doubling back to the doorway. Bristol laughs, her shoulders relaxing as she places her hands on the counter and stares at me.
