Engaging the Bachelor (Pulse) by Cathryn Fox Page B

It actually meant a lot to me.”
    She laid her palm against his cheek. “I’m sorry, Carson. It was destroyed because of me.”
    He scoffed. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You weren’t the one responsible, Jason was. I’d kick the shit out of him again if it meant protecting you.”
    “You didn’t even know me.” She crinkled her nose. “And I kind of snuck into your party.”
    “I didn’t need to know you to protect you, Gemma. I’d never let any guy hurt any girl, even if she crashed my party.” He looked deep into her eyes. “Why did you do that anyway?”
    “It was Andy’s idea.”
    He grinned. “Of course it was.”
    “We saw you and your friend on the beach earlier that day and heard some girls talking about a party at your place. We thought you guys were cute so—”
    “You thought I was cute?”
    She laughed and poked his chest. “Key word being thought .”
    His chest puffed up. “Right, and now you think I’m a stud muffin.”
    “Yeah, me and Ethel.”
    He laughed and slid his hand around the back of her head, dying to taste her. His lips brushed hers, barely a kiss, when someone cleared their throat.
    He grinned and pulled back, meeting his father’s eyes. The fine lines beneath them deepened as the older man watched them carefully, as if he could see through the ruse. “Hey, Dad.”
    “Your mother sent me to find you.” A pink flush crawled up Gemma’s neck, and she pressed her hands to her lips. For a girl who supposedly slept around, she sure was embarrassed at getting caught kissing. “Gemma, it’s nice to see you.”
    “You too, Mr. Reynolds.”
    “Call me Alistair.”
    She nodded and relaxed in Carson’s arms.
    “Come on.” He pulled her against him and followed his father to the kitchen. His mother was putting the final touches on her famous strawberry shortcake.
    “Gemma,” she said, her smile unsure, cautious. “Come in, come in.” She waved her over. “Have a glass of wine. We have so much to talk about.”
    “We do?”
    “Of course we do.” She poured Gemma a glass of wine and pointed to the salad bowls on the island. “Carson, Alistair, please grab those dishes and take them into the dining room.”
    Since he wasn’t quite ready to leave Gemma alone with his mother, Carson stood there for a second, ready to come to her rescue if she needed it, but his sister did it for him.
    “Gemma,” Crystal said, rushing to her with open arms. Carson watched as his sister gave his pretend fiancée a big hug, and a wave of unease moved through him. Shit. Crystal wanted to bond. Gemma didn’t do close. Asking the girl from his past to play pretend with him might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that the plan was actually in motion, he worried he might hurt those he cared about the most when they broke it off.
    He grabbed a salad bowl off the counter and carried it to the dining room as the talk turned to dresses and each exclaimed over the other’s style. He stepped back into the kitchen to collect his girl.
    His girl?
    Well, for the summer anyway. As the two women continued to bond, his mom stared at them with cautious eyes. A knot tightened in his stomach. His mother had better play nice, or they were out of there. He’d allow no one, and he meant no one, to ever hurt Gemma.
    His mom clapped her hands. “Dinner is ready. Now come on, let’s all sit and have something to eat and get to know one another better.”
    Carson captured Gemma’s hand and guided her to the living room. “I hope you like seafood,” he said quietly. He probably should have gone over a few more things with her before this dinner. But she wasn’t the kind of girl who gave information away freely.
    She nodded and glanced at the table. A tray full of lobsters sat in the center, along with an array of salads. “Everything looks beautiful.”
    Carson pulled a chair out and indicated for her to sit. She slid into the seat and he dropped into the one next to her. Everyone