The Playboy (Chandler Brothers #2)(25)
Author: Carly Phillips

“And she really wants to get to know you too. Besides, I’d like to catch up with my brother.” Roman grinned.

Rick groaned. Catch up? Bullshit, he thought. Roman knew damn well they’d spoken on the phone last night. But being the pain in the ass Rick had always loved, Roman was knowingly putting a wrench in Rick’s plans to be alone with Kendall. And damned if he wasn’t obviously enjoying it.

But Rick had no intention of letting his brother win. They’d have plenty of family time tomorrow while Rick had no idea how much longer he’d have with Kendall. And he both wanted and needed her tonight.

“I’m sure Charlotte’s exhausted after flying into Albany and driving for over an hour.”

He met his sister-in-law’s gaze, pinning her with his stare and hopefully reminding her she owed him a favor.

When the panty thief business had been going on and Roman was the prime suspect, Charlotte had discovered Samson, the town eccentric, was responsible for the thefts. His reasons had been benign—the older man had some misguided notion that he was somehow helping Charlotte by drawing attention to her store. Charlotte had informed Rick, but refused to speak on the record and swore she’d deny any knowledge if Rick arrested the man. Rick had let the old man’s crimes go, marking the file unsolved. So Charlotte owed him and he now intended to call in the debt.

He held her gaze until she blinked first. Then she yawned, stretching her arms out beside her. “You’re right, Rick. I’m beat. Can we have breakfast tomorrow instead?”

Roman exhaled an exaggerated groan. “Fine. I’ll take my wife home for some R and R, and you two can get back to whatever you were doing before we arrived.” He gave a meaningful glance back at the ladies’ room from which they’d escaped.

Kendall sighed. “This doesn’t look good, but I swear to you . . .”

“Please don’t explain,” Charlotte said. “Considering Raina’s in the other room, I’m certain you were just looking for privacy.”

Kendall laughed, but Rick wasn’t amused because he wanted to be alone with her now. He nodded at his brother and Charlotte. “We’re leaving.”

“How’s breakfast tomorrow?” Charlotte asked Kendall as Rick led her down the hall.

“Good for me.”

“NineA .M.,” Charlotte called, her voice trailing off on a laugh, Roman chuckling along with her.

Rick didn’t look back, not stopping until they’d reached the street.

“You were rude to Roman and Charlotte,” Kendall scolded him as soon as the door to Norman’s closed behind them.

“They’re newlyweds. They’ll understand.” He squeezed her hand tighter.

His skin was as warm as her body was hot.

“I live upstairs.” He pointed toward an alley on the side of what was Charlotte’s Attic.

She glanced around the corner. “I knew you lived in town. Just not where.”

He nodded. “When Roman and Charlotte got married, I moved into her apartment and they bought a small house in the new subdivision.”

Though he made small talk, Kendall knew his intent was anything but trivial. He said no more, waiting for her to make the next move. He lived up those stairs and wanted to know if she’d go home with him. Sleep with him. Make love to him. A tremor started slow and worked through her body, a long, leisurely vibration that began as a low twisting in her belly and ended with a distinct throbbing between her legs.

His deep eyes met hers and she swallowed hard. She’d never been more aware of a man or his interest in her as a woman. She’d never enjoyed the attention quite so much or reciprocated the pulse-pounding need. Never wanted a man in her bed and inside her body the way she desired Rick now.

Kendall was impulsive, but this time she’d thought things through. She smiled at Rick.

“Lead the way.”

Raina glanced around at the familiar birdhouse decor adorning the walls and the people she called friends talking among themselves. Meanwhile she remained in this chair.

Alone. “Darnit,” she muttered.

She hated sitting still while life went on around her. Right under her nose, Rick dragged Kendall out of Norman’s, obviously anxious to be alone. Looks like they didn’t need Raina’s interference or matchmaking. So why was she faking a heart condition, a charade that left her unable to mingle and be in the center of things?

“Anything wrong?” Eric joined her, pulling up a chair.

“It’s about time you worked your way back here,” Raina grumbled. Eric wasn’t just her beau, but the town doctor. To her frustration, he’d stopped to talk to each friend and patient, while Raina who waited in the back of the room had to come last. She’d wanted to run up to him and capture his attention, but she couldn’t, not without calling attention to herself and the vitality she was unable to express.

He let out a hearty laugh. “Feeling constrained by your antics? I told you no good could come out of pretending to be ill.”

“Spoken as my doctor or as . . .” her voice trailed off. She wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence.

“Spoken by someone who cares about you.”

His words warmed her heart, capturing the same thing she felt for him. Reaching out, she placed her hand over his and studied him, once again struck by his distinguished appearance. His salt and pepper hair and weathered features gave him a ruggedly handsome look and made him stand out among Yorkshire Falls’s single older men. For the first time in years, Raina’s heart beat faster at the sight of a man and she wanted the freedom to act on her feelings.

“Isn’t it time to end the charade?” he asked.

“I’ve been thinking that myself.” Because of all the emotions rioting through Raina, guilt was paramount. Guilt over deceiving her sons and allowing them to worry about her for no real reason. Although, she reminded herself, her supposed illness had brought Roman and Charlotte together.

Then there was her middle child. Rick’s prospects, which just last week had seemed hopeless, now blossomed with possibility. Raina had given every eligible female she could think of a nudge in her middle son’s direction, but no sparks had resulted. Until Kendall arrived in town.

Yet they’d hooked up without Raina’s matchmaking. “Maybe you’re right.” She sighed.

“I could confess . . .”

“And we could start more openly dating instead of sneaking around,” Eric said.