Bringing Up Babies by Susan Meier

Author:Susan Meier
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

When Claire and Lily returned with bags of takeout they’d bought at the diner, Chas knew his brother was probably close to a genius. They’d not only brought lunch, but both Claire and Lily were relaxed and happy. Evan was even rewarded with another long, lingering kiss that held the kind of potential and promises Chas could only dream about.

He glanced at Lily and saw that she was studying Evan and Claire with an undisguised look of longing. He knew women liked the schmaltzy things Evan always did, but somehow or other it all seemed contrived, fake, almost like cheating. Not that he thought Evan cheated Claire. He knew from Evan’s romantic heart that gestures like this were natural for him. Especially with Claire. Chas had never seen any man who loved a woman the way Evan loved Claire. And the way Evan loved Claire seemed to make Claire love him as much in return.

Even though the system suddenly became crystal clear, and even though Chas was fairly certain he could trick Lily into seeing him differently if he’d imitate Evan, Chas concluded he couldn’t do it because the important word was trick. He’d never won a woman through trickery before. He’d never had to. Not only was it dishonest, but it seemed disloyal to himself, almost as if he were conceding defeat or admitting to a problem. And he didn’t have a problem. All women loved him.

Unfortunately, even as he watched Lily run up the steps in her perfect jeans, with her blond hair bouncing around her, his libido begged to differ.

Later that afternoon, Chas found Lily alone in the kitchen. When he observed her odd expression upon seeing him enter, he almost turned around and gave her her privacy, but he recognized that they couldn’t live together in the same house and have her constantly running away from him. Somehow, he had to let her know that there were no hard feelings because of her rejection and that he could treat her perfectly normally, like a friend—until he figured out a way to seduce her fairly.

“Hey,” he said, entering the room.

“Hey,” she replied, her eyes fixed on the recipe she was reading.

“Where’s Claire?”

“She and Evan are outside, taking a walk.”

He heard the wistful quality in her voice and almost sighed. Taking a walk was another one of those mushy, romantic things Evan liked to do, and one of those damned romantic things women swooned over. One of those things that might make Lily change the way she felt about him.

But once again Chas reminded himself he couldn’t be Evan. He wasn’t built that way. His relationships were usually mutual. He’d never chased a woman in his life. Besides, it would be cheating, and he wouldn’t cheat Lily. He’d already figured all this out.

“What are you doing?”

She shrugged. “Looking for recipes. I thought while we had help with the kids, I’d try to find a recipe for something unusual, but easy, that we could use when we’re alone again.

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