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Suddenly, getting out of here never seemed so important. My heart stutters. My vision narrows.
She’s not some goddess sent to make my life complete. She’s brimstone and doom and exorbitant lawyer’s fees. She’s death and destruction and mind-blowing sex that never quite feels worth it when it’s over. I’m a grown man, for mercy’s sake. I should be done letting my cock lead me into trouble.
Mind spinning, I throw my hands up and retreat another step on the gravel path. “Fine. Understood. Have a nice life, Georgia.”
She huffs. “I will.”
I snort, throwing another glance at her ill-gotten castle. “I’m sure of that.”
Her eyes narrow. “I’m not going to ask you what that means. Now go.” She thrusts her chin out, all attitude and confidence, and it fires a bullet at the very core of me.
She’s dangerous, but part of me wants to grab her and turn her over my knee for talking to me like that, teach her a lesson for walking away from me all those years ago and for turning into the vicious, beautiful woman she is now.
The bigger part of me, though—the smarter part of me—wants to wash my hands of her forever. The last thing I need is another woman turning me into roadkill.
“I’m leaving,” I can’t help responding, then I turn on my heel and head back toward my pickup truck, which looks completely out of place parked on a clean strip of asphalt in front of her precious property. I’ve never felt more embarrassed. More ashamed. More angry at myself for almost falling for another woman’s trap.
I drive away fast, and I don’t look back.
3
SIMONE
I have never enjoyedanything as much as I enjoyed Georgia and Sebastian’s confrontation.
Also, I’m a little turned on.
Carry on.
4
GEORGIA
The first thingI see when I turn around and lean my back on the front door is a delegation of women waiting patiently for me to explain what the hell just happened. Barely concealed glee marks each interested face.
I bury my face in my hands and groan.
“Well,” someone says—I think it’s Fiona. “That was certainly more exciting than baked brie.”
“And that’s saying somethin’,” Simone adds while murmurs of agreement come from all around.
Slowly, I lift my head and meet the eyes of the ladies in front of me. Trina hands me my abandoned glass of wine. Simone gently grasps my elbow and leads me through the kitchen to the reading room. When we’re all settled on various chairs and sofas, I finally feel like I can speak.
“Sebastian and I were high school sweethearts,” I admit.
A collective gasp sucks the air out of the room. Glances are exchanged. Eyes glimmer. I mostly want to crawl under the cushions until this all becomes ancient history.
Then again, I thought Sebastian was ancient history, and here he is, knocking down my door.
“Wow,” Candice says, leaning back as she stares at the ceiling. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“You’re from Texas?” A line appears between Simone’s brows. “How did I not know that?” She pulls out her phone, types quickly, and lets out a huff of surprise. “It’s right here on your Wikipedia page. How did I miss that?”
“Small town south of Amarillo.” I take a big gulp of wine, beating old memories back. “I moved away when I was eighteen.”
“Clare, Texas,” Simone confirms. “Population: two thousand, four hundred and fifty-six, as of the census two years ago.”
The women’s gazes, which have been ping-ponging between the two of us, return to me. I nod. “Middle of nowhere, really,” I explain. “Imagine horse farms, cows literally everywhere, sprawling estates, and a little town with way too many bars.” I give them all a grim smile. “In case you ever feel like visiting. I sure as hell don’t. Moved to San Diego when I was eighteen and never looked back.”
