This Can't Be Love (Whispering Bay Romance 5)

Represent the family? What were they? The fucking Windsors of Buckingham Palace? His mother was never going to let go of this. For the rest of his life, he was going to hear how he’d let Victoria get away. Then she’d trump that by complaining about how he hadn’t gone to the wedding where he could have potentially met the next perfect girl in line for him. He drained the rest of his beer. “All right. Fine. I’ll go to the wedding,” he found himself saying.

His mother clapped her hands in glee. “Yes!”

Mimi did a double take. “Really? Because I was kind of just messing with you there.”

“Yes, really. But only if Sarah agrees to go with me.”

“What?” his mother said. “But—”

“You heard me,” he said calmly. Why hadn’t he thought of this before? It was perfect, really. Bringing Sarah along would squash any attempts to set him up. “If Victoria really wants me at her wedding, then I’ll go. But I don’t think it’s appropriate to set me up with any of her friends. Sorry, but I agree with Mimi. That would be too weird. I’ll bring Sarah along as a friend or I won’t go at all.”

His mother began to sputter, but Mimi looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. “Well played, bro,” she said. “Well played.”

Chapter Nineteen

Luke had never lived with a woman before. He’d had roommates, of course, but that had been in college and they’d all been male. Living with someone you were having sex with definitely changed up the dynamics of a relationship.

After a week of sleeping together, this is what Luke knew about Sarah Jamison:

1. The more a movie made her cry, the more she liked it, which made no sense. Last night, they’d watched her favorite, Sleepless in Seattle, and she’d started crying within the first five minutes. “Don’t you just love this movie?” she’d asked, between sniffles. Of course, he’d answered yes, because his mother hadn’t raised a dummy.

2. The woman never put the cap back on the toothpaste, which was kind of irritating. But then, he knew he could be a little OCD about that kind of thing, so, really, it was all right.

3. She talked a lot about her mother but never mentioned her father at all.

4. She was one the of smartest people he’d ever met. She did the New York Times crossword puzzle in ink, for God’s sake, and for some crazy reason, he found that incredibly sexy.

5. After that first night together when she’d seemed almost shy (for lack of a better word) she’d become ultra-direct in the bedroom. “No, not there. There.” All righty, then. He liked a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to ask for it.

Just like she’d done tonight.

He flopped back on the bed, catching his breath. “I need a vacation from you.”

She stretched her arms above her head and laughed. “That’s not what you said five minutes ago.”

Okay, so there were more than just five things he’d learned about her. Add in item number 6: The woman liked the occasional dirty talk during sex.

She made a move to get out of bed.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To the kitchen. I’m going to play around with a new recipe for cranberry bread that Lucy showed me. Normally, I’d do it at work but I wanted to sleep in tomorrow morning.” Her green eyes got a familiar gleam in them that said sleep wasn’t really what she was thinking about. It appeared he’d created a sex fiend.

Not that he was complaining. He was already looking forward to whatever it was she had in mind, but he didn’t want her to leave his bed yet. Plus, it had occurred to him tonight that Torie’s wedding was a week away and he hadn’t yet broached the subject with Sarah. She’d have to make plans, arrange for time off, that kind of thing. If she wanted to go with him, that is.

“Make the bread later,” he urged.

“Aw, Luke, do you want to snuggle?”

“Maybe.”

She laughed. “Papa Bear sounds mighty grumpy. Do we need to go another round?”

“I’m beginning to think that you’re using me.”

“Of course I’m using you. But only for the sex.”

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”