The Lancaster Men Read Free Page A

much time in the sun that it has streaks of dark gold. And his eyes are an unusual amber-brown color. When he’s angry, they look real dark and hard. Then other times, they sparkle with gold. He’s intelligent and has a marvelous sense of humor.”
    “He sounds fascinating,” Doré murmured with more than a little feminine interest.
    But Shari didn’t catch that note of aroused female curiosity for a member of the opposite sex. She was too caught up in her attempt to give her friends a clear picture of her stepbrother, something she’d never had to put into words before.
    “I know you two would like him,” she insisted confidently. “At times, he can be positively infuriating but generally he’s always willing to listen to what you have to say, no matter how trivial. His shoulder is always available to cry on. And it always seems like he’s there when you need him most.” Shepaused for a minute as it occurred to her the best way to sum up her description. “Whit is every girl’s ideal image of what a big brother should be like.”
    “I don’t know about you, Beth,” Doré arched a glance at the brown-haired girl,” but I was under the impression she was describing the ideal
lover
instead of a brother.”
    Stunned by the suggestion, Shari laughed shortly. “Don’t be silly.”
    Just for an instant, her imagination took over and she had a clear, mental picture of Whit taking her into his arms in a loverlike embrace. She shied away from the sudden and unexpected race of her pulse, blocking out the image.
    “I’m not being silly,” Doré insisted. “It’s a pity you couldn’t hear yourself when you were describing him—or see the look on your face. You appeared much more interested in him as a man than as your brother. From all you said, I don’t blame you a bit. I’d love to meet him.”
    There was something avidly feline about Doré’s look that reminded Shari of a cat ready to stalk its prey. She found herself bristling at the thought of her friend sinking her claws into Whit. Even more startling, she felt an almost territorial claim on him and the hostile sensation that her friend was trespassing on private property.
    It was unsettling to learn she could feel jealousy over him. Disrupted by that, Shari was hesitant to examine the emotional ties that had always bound her so close to him.
    “Is he married?” Doré inquired.
    “No.” It occurred to her that she had alwaysfound something to dislike about every girl Whit had dated through the years.
    Even now it seemed inconceivable that he might marry, yet it was perfectly logical to assume that he would. Whit was a very virile man. It was only natural for him to want a woman with whom he could share his life. Until that moment, Shari had never thought about Whit in terms of what his sexual and emotional needs might be. In so many ways, she had taken him for granted.
    “We are going to have to meet this stepbrother of yours, aren’t we, Beth?” Doré enlisted her friend’s support.
    “Well, I definitely think we should pay a visit to Shari’s family since we are this close,” Beth agreed to that extent. “How would you ever explain to them why we didn’t stop to say ‘hello’?”
    “It’s very easy.” Shari tried not to let her irritation rise at the way they were ganging up on her. “They don’t know we’re here.”
    “But surely you told them?” Beth stared.
    “I wrote Mother that I was going to be spending these two weeks with friends. I didn’t mention where. I’m sure she’ll assume that I’m spending it with one of your families,” she replied.
    “But the condominium? Don’t they know we’re using it?” Beth protested.
    “No. In mother’s last letter, she said they weren’t going to be able to get away to spend any time here this summer. Since none of the family was going to be using it, I thought it was the ideal place for us to come.” Shari didn’t see what Beth was getting so upset about.
    “Do you mean