NICE GIRL TO LOVE (THE COMPLETE THREE-BOOK COLLECTION)(42)

“Because you’re in love?” sneered Marcus.

Connor remained silent.

“I knew it,” he spat out with contempt. “You’re chasing a girl who’s too nice to admit that she’s been in love with your brother for over a decade. Don’t you have any pride?”

Connor felt that blow clear to his gut.

“What’s more, your brother is in love with her too. He just hasn’t realized it yet because of everything that happened with Beth. But he will. And when he does, do you really want to be the one standing in his way?” Marcus did an almost believable impression of a fatherly sigh. “Your brother is a good man. He stood by his wife through an awful disease and is now raising his daughter as a widower. He and Abby are perfect for each other. They’re both family oriented, both educators. If you really believe you’re falling for this girl, stop thinking with your dick for once and do the humane thing. Nip this in the bud. She’d never survive in your world and you know it. She’s a nice girl. Let her be happy with your brother. You’ll never be able to give her the life she deserves, not the way Brian can.”

Connor tried to get up and walk away, tried to stop listening, but he couldn’t. Aside from the farce of fatherly concern for Brian, nothing his father said was untrue.

Not the least of which were his feelings for Abby.




AT THE SOUND OF THE DOORBELL, Abby checked the clock. 9:30 p.m. There were only two people who could be standing outside of her house at this hour. And since both were well aware of her addiction to ice cream, she brought the pint she’d been working on along with her as she went to open the door.

She really shouldn’t have.

Because apparently, James freakin’ Bond had taken over Connor’s body.

And she was rocking one of Brian’s old shirts and a messy half-ponytail/half-bun piled atop her head.

“Hi, beautiful.”

Her knees buckled.

“So this was the pressing engagement you couldn’t break to go to the charity ball tonight?” he asked, eyebrow raised.

“Yup. Ice cream night is a big night for me.”

He leaned over and intercepted the spoonful she’d just scooped up. “Green tea? Right, you’re in Asia this week. Nice. So are you going to invite me in?”

“Oh, of course. Come in. Why aren’t you at the gala?”

“Because you’re here.” He tried to pull her in for a kiss but she grimaced and took a step back.

“What’s wrong?”

She frowned. “You smell like perfume. And before you say it, I know you didn’t do anything, it’s still…”

“Right. Like the kiss thing. Well, as was the case then, I was completely innocent tonight as well. Gabriella was all over me like a barnacle I couldn’t shake.”

“Who’s Gabriella? I thought you had gone out with Victoria.”

“It’s a long story that involves my father.” He stole another spoonful. “I don’t want to talk about it. Can we just hang out tonight? Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” She started clearing off all the research books on her couch.

“Actually, while you’re doing that can I shower first? If you think this perfume is bothering you, try wearing it.” He made a face.

“Extra towels are in the cabinet above the toilet and if you check the third shelf in the hall closet, you’ll see a bunch of Brian’s clothes. Take whatever you want.”

Connor halted and looked back her way. “Does he do that a lot?”

“What?”

“Leave his clothes here?”

She shrugged. “It’s a collection that’s been building for years. It’s mostly from the times he used to pick up Skylar after seeing Beth. He used to shower as soon as he got here to get the hospital feel off of himself.”

“You wear a lot of his shirts.”

She studied his hooded expression. “Because they’re comfortable. Connor, are you okay? What happened tonight?”

“Still don’t want to talk about it,” he called out, pivoting back on track for the bathroom.

It was a good five minutes before Abby heard any signs of life that confirmed he’d made the journey successfully.

“Hey Abby, can you come here for a sec?”

Walking into the wide-open bathroom, she was greeted by a sight infinitely more decadent than her ice cream.

A wet, naked Connor sitting in her tub.

He grinned. “Remember our first phone call?”

She shivered at the reminder. “Yes.”

“Come here.”

As she took the four short steps to the tub, Connor stood up and sent sheets of hot water rippling down his body.

Holy swizzle sticks.

He reached over and peeled Brian’s old shirt off of her. And then skimmed her bike shorts and panties down her legs, trailing kisses across every new inch of skin he uncovered. “I’ll never get over how gorgeous you are.”

Likewise.

She stepped into the tub and straddled his thighs, smoothing her hands all along the hard, muscular planes of his chest and abdomen…god, touching him was an art of foreplay all on its own.

Speaking of touching—

She gasped. “You went snooping through my drawers.” In her head, the accusation was a whole lot more indignant. Way less breathy.