this is
Tess Reilly. Tess, Shane Wyatt.”
Tess wiped her hand on her hip before extending it out to
him. “Pleased to meet you and thanks again for your help.”
He winked at her and smiled. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Phoebe’s already beady eyes narrowed. “Tess, here, is Luke
Reilly’s little sister.” A satisfied smirk settled on her face as if she were
revealing some secret. Everybody knew Tess was Luke’s sister. Well, everyone
but Shane Wyatt, apparently.
Shane licked his bottom lip, gave Tess a once over and
nodded his head. “Perfect. You take care of yourself, now.” His eyes lingered
on Tess’ face for a moment longer before he turned to Phoebe. “Are you ready to
go?”
Phoebe batted her eyelashes and hooked her arm through his.
“Yes, I am.” She waved at Tess and the odd couple walked off. Shane opened the
passenger door of the truck and helped Phoebe inside. As he rounded the back of
the truck, he waved at Tess.
She raised her hand and smiled before grabbing a water
bottle from the cooler. She took a long pull as she watched them drive away and
disappear into the dust.
****
Thick suds floated in the tub and Tess’ muscles burned and
ached. She had landed a little harder than she thought and her knees bore
scrapes where her jeans had abraded her skin. But her ego was bruised more than
her body. Shane’s face kept flashing in her mind. Those gray eyes and his
bulging biceps as he lifted her off the ground and, holy hell, was he tall. Not
as tall as her brother, Luke, who stood a solid six-five, but Shane was
definitely well over six feet. She had a like for big, strong men. She liked
the feel of solid arms wrapped around. She liked to feel protected, and Shane
definitely could do that.
For the life of her, Tess couldn’t imagine what Shane was
doing with Phoebe. She was attractive for a woman her age, but Shane couldn’t
be more than mid-twenties, and couldn’t be more perfect. Surely, he could do
better than someone like her. Phoebe was not particularly nice either. With her
age, she was probably really good in bed, though, and it was no secret she got
around a lot, both before and after her divorce.
For a few moments, Tess wondered what Shane would be like,
his naked body pressing between her open thighs, his strong hands gripping her
hips, his mouth crushing against hers, offering hungry kisses.
Oh, Dear. Don’t get yourself all worked up over this guy.
After pushing Shane from her mind, she soaked for a good
hour, climbing out once her fingers resembled puffy, pink raisins. Shrugging into
sweatpants and a tank top, she crawled into her old bed in her parents’ house. Her
cat, Gypsy, curled up beside her and purred. Tess stroked the cat’s long, gray
fur and flipped from channel to channel until her eyes grew heavy and she
drifted off.
****
Morning sun shone through her window and Tess’ body ached
something fierce. She yawned and stretched, popping the vertebrae in her back.
The bright red numbers on the digital clock on her bedside table read half-past
eight. It was so nice to sleep in. Her days back in California were hectic, and
the lazy days of summer at home were just what she needed to rejuvenate. Not
ready to get out of bed, she pulled the blanket up around her neck and looked
around the room. Her favorite Barbie dolls were still perched on the top corner
shelf beside her closet. Two trophies from barrel racing and an assortment of
ribbons from the fair were arranged opposite the dolls. Her black suitcase sat
on the floor, clothes peeking out the side. Unpacking would be on her agenda
today. She hated to iron anything, so the sooner she got her clothes put away,
the better. Then she could go visit with Tippi.
She lay in bed for another hour before forcing herself to
get up and get moving. The same dresser she used throughout her childhood now
held her grown-up clothes. She shouldn’t have to hide her birth control pills,
but she did anyway. Her
Tess Reilly. Tess, Shane Wyatt.”
Tess wiped her hand on her hip before extending it out to
him. “Pleased to meet you and thanks again for your help.”
He winked at her and smiled. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Phoebe’s already beady eyes narrowed. “Tess, here, is Luke
Reilly’s little sister.” A satisfied smirk settled on her face as if she were
revealing some secret. Everybody knew Tess was Luke’s sister. Well, everyone
but Shane Wyatt, apparently.
Shane licked his bottom lip, gave Tess a once over and
nodded his head. “Perfect. You take care of yourself, now.” His eyes lingered
on Tess’ face for a moment longer before he turned to Phoebe. “Are you ready to
go?”
Phoebe batted her eyelashes and hooked her arm through his.
“Yes, I am.” She waved at Tess and the odd couple walked off. Shane opened the
passenger door of the truck and helped Phoebe inside. As he rounded the back of
the truck, he waved at Tess.
She raised her hand and smiled before grabbing a water
bottle from the cooler. She took a long pull as she watched them drive away and
disappear into the dust.
****
Thick suds floated in the tub and Tess’ muscles burned and
ached. She had landed a little harder than she thought and her knees bore
scrapes where her jeans had abraded her skin. But her ego was bruised more than
her body. Shane’s face kept flashing in her mind. Those gray eyes and his
bulging biceps as he lifted her off the ground and, holy hell, was he tall. Not
as tall as her brother, Luke, who stood a solid six-five, but Shane was
definitely well over six feet. She had a like for big, strong men. She liked
the feel of solid arms wrapped around. She liked to feel protected, and Shane
definitely could do that.
For the life of her, Tess couldn’t imagine what Shane was
doing with Phoebe. She was attractive for a woman her age, but Shane couldn’t
be more than mid-twenties, and couldn’t be more perfect. Surely, he could do
better than someone like her. Phoebe was not particularly nice either. With her
age, she was probably really good in bed, though, and it was no secret she got
around a lot, both before and after her divorce.
For a few moments, Tess wondered what Shane would be like,
his naked body pressing between her open thighs, his strong hands gripping her
hips, his mouth crushing against hers, offering hungry kisses.
Oh, Dear. Don’t get yourself all worked up over this guy.
After pushing Shane from her mind, she soaked for a good
hour, climbing out once her fingers resembled puffy, pink raisins. Shrugging into
sweatpants and a tank top, she crawled into her old bed in her parents’ house. Her
cat, Gypsy, curled up beside her and purred. Tess stroked the cat’s long, gray
fur and flipped from channel to channel until her eyes grew heavy and she
drifted off.
****
Morning sun shone through her window and Tess’ body ached
something fierce. She yawned and stretched, popping the vertebrae in her back.
The bright red numbers on the digital clock on her bedside table read half-past
eight. It was so nice to sleep in. Her days back in California were hectic, and
the lazy days of summer at home were just what she needed to rejuvenate. Not
ready to get out of bed, she pulled the blanket up around her neck and looked
around the room. Her favorite Barbie dolls were still perched on the top corner
shelf beside her closet. Two trophies from barrel racing and an assortment of
ribbons from the fair were arranged opposite the dolls. Her black suitcase sat
on the floor, clothes peeking out the side. Unpacking would be on her agenda
today. She hated to iron anything, so the sooner she got her clothes put away,
the better. Then she could go visit with Tippi.
She lay in bed for another hour before forcing herself to
get up and get moving. The same dresser she used throughout her childhood now
held her grown-up clothes. She shouldn’t have to hide her birth control pills,
but she did anyway. Her
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