Holiday In the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love 5)

“Boy?” Martha raised an eyebrow. “Maybe my vision is better than yours because I don’t see a boy. Our vet is all man. Those shoulders!”

“And his arms.”

“For me it’s those dark eyelashes and the stubble,” Rita murmured. “T

he man has more sex appeal than I’d know what to do with.”

Fliss opened her mouth and closed it again. She’d known exactly what to do with it.

She still did, which was another reason to keep her distance.

“It’s the Italian blood. Mama mia. He’s a strong man, but so gentle with the animals. Sometimes if I use my binoculars and stand on a chair I can see him running on the beach,” Jane confessed and Dora smirked.

“I see him regularly since Darcy’s arthritis got worse.”

Rita gave a little cough. “I overheard Mrs. Ewell in the library the other day confessing that half the women in this area take their pets when they’re not really sick, just so that they can talk to Seth. He has such a calming way about him. In a crisis that man is rock solid.”

Fliss gaped at them. “You’re saying people take their animals when they’re not really sick?”

The women exchanged glances. “It’s been known,” Jane said, polishing her glasses.

“Well, I envy the woman he ends up with.”

“Me, too.” Jane slid her glasses back onto her nose and glanced at Fliss. “Does he kiss well, honey?”

“Jane Richards!” Her grandmother intervened. “She hasn’t kissed him since she was eighteen. She’s not going to remember how he kissed.”

She remembered. She remembered the feel of his hands and his mouth. The rip of sensation. The liquid heat that had pooled in her belly.

“I don’t remember.” Her voice sounded strangled. “No recollection.”

“Oh.” Jane looked crestfallen. “When he kisses you again, we want to hear all about it. And don’t look at me like that. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a bit of sex talk. Especially when talking is all I get these days. Books, movies, conversation. That’s it.”

“True.” Dora nodded. “But we’re embarrassing Fliss, so I think it’s time we minded our own business.”

“When have you ever minded your own business, Dora Sanders?”

“Maybe I haven’t, but I’m afraid that if I upset Fliss, she won’t walk Darcy.”

“I can’t wait to walk Darcy.” She couldn’t wait to get out of here. Fliss grabbed Charlie by the collar and made for the door. “Nice to meet you all.”

“When you’ve walked Charlie, you should join us. When we finish our game we’re ordering Chinese from the Jade Garden and watching Sex in the City.”

“You can give us the young person’s view.”

Fliss blinked. “That’s kind, but actually I’m busy this afternoon.”

Five pairs of eyes fixed on her face.

“You’re seeing Seth?”

“In fact I am. We’re going sailing.” What harm would it do? It was a perfect afternoon for sailing, and if the alternative was hanging around for poker and sex talk, she was definitely out of here.

Seth, she thought, was the lesser of two evils.

There was a low murmur of approval from the women at the table.

“Not so casual, then,” Jane murmured.