He replied with an evenSee you soonand placed the phone back on his coffee table. His response might have been calm; his pulse, on the other hand… Just the thought of her, the way she moved, the way she spoke, hell, even the way she smelled of something light and floral when he held her in his arms, kept him preoccupied most of his day at work, and now again at home. If Michael wasn’t careful, he might find himself in a terrible situation of wanting what he couldn’t possibly have, and that wouldn’t do for anyone involved, least of all his sister.
Vanessa Jared might appeal to his senses. Actually, there was no “might” about it. Everything about her turned him on. He was big brother first. Consequently, his first priority had to be protecting his sister. And even if his cock was still attempting to come to life as he thought about the dark-skinned beauty, Michael refused to secede control.
No, lust wouldn’t win out. He would do what was right. He always did. Well, except for when he’d woken from a nap after dreaming about Vanessa, so hard he was almost in pain. Relieving himself in the shower with a necessary handjob that led him to such an explosive orgasm he was shaking—that shouldn’t count against him, right? He couldn’t be expected to control his dreams, after all. Once she arrived, however, things would be different. Even if the mere thought of this woman heated his blood, Vanessa was off-limits. Now that he’d put his foot down, he was certain things would be all right.
He crossed his ankles and placed his laced fingers under his head. Yeah, he had it handled. “I’ve got this.”
Chapter 4
“So, I need a bit of advice from the two of you.”Janae was the first to lift her gaze from the plate in front of her. With a perfectly arched eyebrow, she gave Vanessa her undivided attention. Cree set her glass of champagne on the table and clasped her hands together as she stared directly at Vanessa.
One of the most significant things Vanessa valued about their three-way friendship was that no matter what it was, when one of them needed the others, they were always there. Fully engaged and ready to hang on her every word, the weight of their attention made her insides tremble.
She chided herself for hesitating to speak the truth to her friends. They wouldn’t judge her. Or at least not much, anyway.
“I had an unexpected visitor today. Someone from that little hick town in the mountains the two of you call home.”
Her friends looked at one another and then back to her. “Who?” Janae questioned, and by the breath she was about to take, Vanessa figured she’d better answer her or fall under siege of the long list of questions she knew Janae would ask.
“He said his name was Michael Park?”
“The sheriff?” Cree asked.
Vanessa huffed and lifted her eyes to the ceiling. “God, is that town really that small that all I have to do is mention his name and you know who I’m talking about?”
They both chuckled and nodded. “Pretty much,” Cree replied.
“Was this an official matter?”
“Since I don’t live in Mayberry with you, I doubt he’d have any official reason to seek me out.”
Janae rolled her eyes and pointed her finger at Vanessa, showing her disapproval of Vanessa’s likening of Monroe Hills to the idyllic fictional town of Mayberry onThe Andy Griffith Show. “That’s the last dig you take at our beloved town. What did Michael want?”
Vanessa reached for her glass of champagne and sipped until the bubbles rushing against her tongue made her relax a little.
“Apparently, Karl is up to his old tricks of making a young girl into his perfect Stepford wife. Your sheriff’s sister, Cindy, in fact.”
The two women stared at each other with dropped jaws and wide eyes before focusing on Vanessa again.
“I guess what they say about small towns and everyone knowing each other’s business isn’t true, then.”
Janae shook her head. “Nah, it’s true. I worked a double at the hospital, and when I got home, after we called you, I crashed until it was time to get ready for tonight.”
“And I spent all day in meetings with Derrick and our staff,” Cree said. “We’re trying to clear our caseload before I leave for Tanner’s wedding during the holidays.”
Vanessa grabbed her phone from her purse and pulled up the link to the wedding announcement Michael had shown her. “According to theMonroe Hills Herald, the two plan to marry very soon.”
She handed her friends the phone and watched as shock stretched their smooth skin into tight lines.
“I can’t believe this!” Janae screeched.
“I can,” Vanessa replied. “Karl has always been a jerk. This doesn’t surprise me at all.”
“Hold up.” Janae lifted her head from the screen. “This says ‘Widower Karl Scott.’ Is that a typo?”
Vanessa shook her head slowly before grabbing her drink and taking more than the dainty sip her pedigree demanded.
“Your sorry-ass ex told the newspaper you were dead?” Janae’s description of Karl made Vanessa chuckle. Even if she’d never met the man in person, she was spot-on with her impression of him.
