Too Hot to Handle by Jennifer Bernard

Author:Jennifer Bernard [Bernard, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-945944-33-8
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

16

When Kevin had first moved to Jupiter Point, he’d imagined that he and Holly would be spending lots of time together as they got used to their new town. In the past, that was how it had been. When he’d first left the Air Force, he’d lived off his savings for three months so they could get used to each other.

But this time was different, maybe because Holly was older now. She was spending time with her new friends, and enjoying her new volunteer position at the observatory. When she was at home, she tended to hole up in her room with her homework and her earbuds.

She was developing a whole independent life, he realized. Right under his nose. And yet, out of his reach.

It was unnerving, to say the least.

But it had one big benefit. Free time.

And what better way to use that free time than by calling up Cassie to see how she and her mom were doing? Of course, he could ask her at work. But what fun would that be? He wanted to be able to say things like…

“So, it took about three showers to get the sand out of my balls. And we didn’t even spend any time on the beach. How does that happen?”

“Poor baby. I guess that’s the chance you take when you walk on the wild side. Maybe you’re not cut out for ocean-based sex.”

“It’s okay,” he said quickly. “I can take it. Sand rash, shark bites, bring it on. It was all worth it.”

She chuckled on the other end of the line. It was a Thursday night, and Holly had gotten special permission for a weekday overnight so she could work on a lab project with one of her friends. So there he was, alone in his waterfront loft, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the starry night sky. He’d turned the lights off so he could get the full effect, and as soon he did so, he thought of Cassie.

Naked under the stars.

Then again, a lot of things made him think of Cassie. That list was a lot bigger than the list of things that didn’t make him think of her.

Better get back to the original purpose of his call. “How is your mom doing?”

“Fine, as far as I know. I haven’t seen her. But Will has.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes, she filled him in on some facts about Matthew Dearborn.”

He waited for her to say more, but she didn’t. “And?”

“I’m still trying to process it all.”

The forlorn note in her voice tugged at his heart. What was it about Cassie that made him want to curl his body around her and shield her? She was tough and independent, she didn’t need a man to protect her.

But it wasn’t about that. It was something else. Something that had nothing to do with toughness.

“Come over here, you can tell me all about it,” he said impulsively.

“Are you an expert on confusing parents?”

“Not at all.” He stretched out on the couch, making himself comfortable. “My parents are completely ordinary in every way.

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