Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
That was what Mila would do, but she wasn’t Mila. She was Erin, the quiet one who lived in her head more than her body.
She glanced up to find Tessa looking at her with understanding. Much more what she’d been looking for here. “What made you change your mind?” Tessa asked softly.
“Jay surprised me,” Erin admitted. It was simple and it was true. “But that doesn’t mean he’s the right man for me.” She shot a penetrating look of her own in Mila’s direction. “And I’m only interested in Mr. Right.”
Tessa made a murmur of agreement. “I remember having those feelings about Archer. It wasn’t that I didn’t think he was right for me so much as he was a million miles away from me in every way but physical proximity. I tried to so hard to ignore my own feelings, never realizing that Arch was having feelings too. Is there any chance Jay feels the same way you do?”
She thought back to that moment on the beach when they’d hugged a little too long, and then again when a kiss had hovered just beyond reach and they’d both pulled away.
“Sometimes it feels like he’s interested in me too, but I’m so far from his usual type that maybe I’m seeing things that aren’t there just because I’m longing for them.”
Mila said, “Maybe you need to let him know in no uncertain terms that you’re available for plenty of hot sex and no strings.”
Before Erin could even reply, Tessa shook her head. “Erin’s already tangled up in emotional strings, aren’t you?”
It was such a nice way to put it. Erin nodded. “I can’t believe it. He’s brash and annoying and pushy, but then you see him with his rescue dog and it’s the most adorable thing ever. I think that’s when I fell for him—when he took this scrappy dog that no one else wanted and saved him. And did you know that Jay Malone reads?”
“Oh,” Mila said, understanding dawning. “A guy who reads is your biggest weakness in the world.” She seemed to think about it for a minute and then said, “At least he’s hot. Not like that drippy young photographer who looks at you with his tongue hanging out.”
Shocked, Erin said, “Clark? We’re just friends.”
“Everybody in town knows that Clark wants to be a lot more than your friend. It’s kind of funny to watch him follow you around, a bit like Buzzy does.”
She didn’t want to laugh at poor Clark, but even she could see it was sort of true. She was never sure what to do about him. They were friends and, okay, she knew that his feelings were warmer toward her than hers were to him, but on the other hand, he never tried anything and she didn’t want to lose him from her life.
“But enough about Clark,” Mila declared. “So you have feelings for Jay—both in and out of the bedroom.” She put up her hands. “I say jump his bones and go for it.”
Erin shook her head at her sister. Why was she not surprised that this was still her advice? She turned to Tessa, silently appealing to her to suggest something other than getting naked.
Although naked did sound good. More than good. Amazingly, skin-tingling good.
“You could try talking to him,” Tessa suggested. “Tell him how you feel?”
Neither of those things seemed like an option. Erin felt more confused than ever. Jay was part of her life—her brother’s agent and practically family. If she let him know that she was developing feelings for him and he didn’t return them or didn’t want to act on them—which was extremely likely—how embarrassing would that be? Family brunches would always be awkward.
No, she liked the way he’d reset things, calling her short stuff, and she’d immediately retaliated by calling him big shot. Just like when they’d first gotten to know each other and he’d teased her and she teased him right back. No doubt she was creating a fantasy in her head because he’d surprised her so much with his story about his past and his affection for the dog. Not to mention his well-stocked library.
Decision made. Their dinner tomorrow would be a friendly thank-you and she would bury whatever feelings were trying to bubble to the surface.
“By the way,” Mila said, “I forgot to compliment you on your piece about Jay. I thought you did a really good job. You made him sound much more relatable than most profiles I’ve read.”
Mila was never one to pull punches, so she was pleased that her sister thought she’d done a good job. If she only knew how much of that interview Erin had kept to herself. But she would continue to keep Jay’s disadvantaged background secret until he decided it was time to share it. As she left the café, she decided it was good she was going to the auction tomorrow with Clark. It would take her mind off Jay and her eroding sense of self-preservation.