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“—because she knows how many times I’ve been jilted and wouldn’t ever risk seeing me hurt again.”
Well, shit.
Tear up or thank my golden child sister for what might be the best thing to ever come dancing into my life?
An ache spread through my entire body and not just from physical attraction and arousal.
“Want to get out of here?” I asked again, the teasing and flirting gone from my voice even though my pulse thrummed.
He studied my face, gaze flitting from one of my eyes to the other. I could feel his brain working and fought to keep from shifting in the heels that were killing my feet.
Sure, my end game included orgasms, but I found I wanted more than just a night on my back or taking what my body craved if he ended up being a passive lover. He intrigued me enough that I wanted a taste—no matter how badly he might hurt in the end.
But Leo came with Ciarra’s sure stamp of approval, I reminded myself. I trusted her intuition even if I sometimes hated her. She had always known better, which irked the hell out of me, but for once, I hoped she was aware of something I wasn’t.
My twin wouldn’t intentionally hurt me. She wasn’t cruel enough to do such a thing.
Leo seemed my opposite, but wouldn’t that be the best type of man to settle down with? Someone calm to level out my wildness? A man’s whose firm touch and affirmations would make me melt into a puddle of goo?
“Well?” I pressed for an answer, excitement and need one big knot in my belly.
“I…” He blew out a slow, heavy exhale. “I had a long day at work. I’m exhausted.”
Excuses, and obviously with how I turned him on, it wasn’t because of tiredness he had decided to let me down so nicely.
“I can tuck you into bed, make sure you sleep like the dead.” I promised a hell of a lot more with my eyes, so damn desperate I must reek of neediness. High fucking maintenance I’d been accused of being before.
“I’m semi-fresh out of a relationship and not looking for anything right now.” Leo stood firm as an oak, but that bit, at least, was honesty.
“My sister-in-law says if you fall off a horse, the best thing to do is climb back on the saddle.” I pushed with my usual bulldog determination.
Annie had talked my brother Roan into a couple horses on their homestead, but I’d never been a fan of the beasts—or of falling off them and being forced to get back atop them.
“Are you always this hell-bent on getting what you want?” he asked without judgement in his tone, desire still prevalent in his eyes.
“Yes,” I didn’t hesitate to answer, my chin once more lifting in self-defense, finding myself needing to be just as truthful. “I’m not a timid, shy woman like my sister, that’s for damn sure.”
He blinked at my declaration, and my hope faded along with the interest in his hazel orbs. “I’m sorry, Nissa.”
I fought off disappointment, my mouth opening to further argue my case—and he turned away, disappearing from sight before I could figure out a way to change his mind.
Staring at the empty, cobbled pathway he’d taken toward the lodge’s front and parking area, I realized honesty hadn’t been the best policy as my parents had always suggested. Outright telling Leo I was nothing like my perfect sister had shut him down.
Perhaps an opposite wasn’t going to be best for me after all.
I went back on the prowl for dick but couldn’t get past the memory of hazel-green eyes and the solemness of Leo I wanted to dig inside and dissipate. I longed for a chance to bring out that grin I’d heard so much about and hadn’t gotten to experience firsthand.
But as usual, I’d fucked up.
The entire Kelly family hadn’t been together as a whole unit in years, and Ciarra and Josh had put off their honeymoon in order to spend the next morning with us.
We met for brunch in the hotel’s restaurant, one large party of ten. Roan’s three kids kept Annie busy at the opposite end of the table from where I sat beside Ciarra and Josh. The noisiness clattered in my head.
Mom was near silent as usual, a soft smile on her face and love shining in her eyes as she took in the long table and the fruit of Dad’s loins. Happiness lay like a heavy blanket over the family, all except for me, the lone black sheep of the family.
“So,” Ciarra leaned in close, her mouth near my ear, “how’d it go with Leo last night?”
“It didn’t.” I stabbed a fork into a bite of pancakes even though I had zero appetite. “He’s nothing like you told me. I didn’t see the hint of a teasing, joking, happy-go-lucky guy you claimed he was.”
