Finally His Read Free

down her thigh, the imprint of him still
fresh on her, in her, all around her. She bit her lip as she looked away from
him and tried to gather her thoughts. She’s just done something completely out
of character, but then Nick Santos had that kind of effect on her. She’d been
pursuing him, her brother’s best friend, for years. It was like an insane
compulsion, pushing her to act irrationally just because she couldn’t help
herself.
    She loved him in a way she’d never loved anyone before. He
was her perfect man, the one she’d been comparing all her boyfriends to over
the years. And yes, sure, she knew he really wasn’t perfect. He swore like a
trooper. He was a ladies’ man. He wasn’t ready to commit whatsoever. And yet,
he could also be sweet. He was clever. He was… No, he wasn’t hers.
    She shook her head. It wasn’t because they’d just had sex—spectacular
sex at that—that things would change. She knew him. He was going to keep on
acting with her as if nothing had happened. Especially when you took Alex into
account. Shit, Alex! “We need to call—”
    Her cellphone started ringing right at that second. Damn
twin connection! Why did he always have to know when she was in trouble? She
walked back to the car, and ignoring Nick, who was smoothing his shirt over his
chest, grabbed her purse from where it’d fallen on the floor. Quickly finding
her phone, she slid it open and said, “We’re fine. Can you come get us, though?
We’re stuck on the path that parallels the cliff.”
    “What the hell happened, Luce? Where’s Nick? I can’t believe
you cornered me into arranging another blind date with him. Don’t you remember
what happened last time?”
    She cut him off before he started this again, “Alex, I know,
okay? Now, can you please come get us? Nick’s car is dead and we need a ride
back.”
    “What happened?”
    “I’ll tell you when you get here.” She snapped her phone
shut and exhaled. Loudly.
    “Is he coming?”
    “Yeah.” She fought the urge to hide, but instead squared her
shoulders and turned to face him. “Can we keep this quiet?” He took a step back
and she realized that she’d shocked him.
    “What do you mean?”
    “This.” She waved in the air between them. “Let’s keep it
quiet, okay?”
    “Are you… Okay. Right. Fine.”
    “Good,” she answered, strangely disquieted. He hadn’t even
tried to dissuade her!
    She watched as he turned around and gave her his back. Nice.
Of course, she only had herself to blame. But then, she didn’t think she had a
choice. He needed to believe tonight really hadn’t mattered. She might love
him, but she knew too well he’d never fall in love with her.
    He whirled around all of a sudden. “Lucy, I think we…” His
voice trailed and she turned, recognizing the sound of her brother’s car. It
slowed down as it took the curve that had sent them spinning, gravel soon
spitting as he drove onto the path and parked beside them.
    “That was fast,” she called out, watching Alex, her male equivalent,
step down from his SUV.
    “I was already on my way. I could feel you were upset.” He
looked her up and down, obviously decided she was fine, then turned to stare at
his best friend. “What happened?”
    “Your twin happened!” Nick snapped, gesturing to his car.
“She’s a disaster magnet. It’s the last fucking time I agree to one of your
blind date ideas!”
    “Watch it, bro.”
    “What? You know what happened last time and you still agreed
to this whole scheme, didn’t you?”
    “She’s my sister,” Alex countered, crossing his arms over
his chest.
    “That doesn’t mean she can do everything she wants,
especially not when I’m involved.” Nick strode to his car and grabbed his
cellphone from the door panel. “Why don’t you take her home? I’ll call Jerry
and have him tow me back to his garage.”
    Lucy watched her brother nod, his face tense as he waved her
to his SUV. She climbed inside, tucking the bottom