Rocky Start (A Rocky Start)

“Nothing, sweet thing.” I wink at her, and then I tilt my head to Rocky and add, “I need to speak with this fool here. Don’t go anywhere, ‘cause trust me…I’ll find you.”

“Whatever,” she scoffs, but she doesn’t tell me to go to hell, so that’s a positive sign.

I stop staring at Georgie for a minute so I can handle business. “Come on, let’s talk.”

Chapter Two

Georgie

As soon as they leave us, I’m asking Darcy a hundred questions while Lydia checks out the cabin. It’s a nice place, but I’m still worried about my sister’s safety and her freaking sanity. I don’t care how hot this guy is; she’s gone ahead and jumped straight into bed with a stranger.

“Are you really okay?”

“I am. Relax. He’s pretty freaking wonderful, if not a complete caveman, which I find sexy as hell.”

“I can agree with that,” Lydia chimes in, earning a growl from the sheriff who happens to be equally as possessive over my little sister. I want to scream and shake them, but they seem so blisteringly happy that I don’t want to burst their bubbles with my rationality and reason.

“I need to get some water, girls,” Darcy says. “Want anything?”

“No,” we all reply.

While I have a moment alone, I check my phone, which has been buzzing in my pocket.

It’s a couple of text messages from my mother. She’s been trying to worm her way back into my life. What’s the point? She didn’t try when they had me there for twenty years. When they walked out after learning that I knew the truth, they chose to go to dinner.

It’s been two months of these crazy messages with her trying to act like I mean something to her. This time, she’s trying to set me up with a guy. Like why would I take dating advice from her of all people? She sends me a picture of a guy, who is good looking, adding another message. I hope you’re losing your winter weight. He eats healthy.

I’m like twenty pounds heavier than Darcy, with flat abs and curves in all the right places. I roll my eyes and close the messages app on my phone and hate the way it makes me feel. Never good enough. Given what I know now, I’ll never ever be good enough and somehow, I’m okay with that.

“So what do you think of Bennett’s agent?” Darcy asks.

“He’s handsome, but annoying.”

“You like him,” she whispers as we hear their footsteps approaching. I want to deny it, but my racing heart says otherwise. Still, that’s not going to change the fact that I’m not going to act on the attraction.

That’s all the conversation we have time for because the men are quickly back, and Bennett’s agent is staring at me again.

“We’ll be back in a few. Behave,” Bennett warns all of us, because at this point we’re all about to start some shit. The sheriff is about to maul my sister, she’s being nosy as hell, Sean is ready to seduce me, and I’m about to shove him out the door because it’s the only way I can resist this man.

“So where are you ladies from?” Sean asks, making conversation—or just being a little too curious. He’s asking us both, but his eyes are trained on me.

“Chicago,” I answer without thinking. Sean moves in closer, invading my space so I back up, trying not to breathe in his intoxicating aroma that makes my insides tingle.

“Do you like living there?” His hand lands on the edge of the counter behind me. I realize I pinned myself between him and the breakfast nook.

“Yes,” I say just above a whisper, my voice breathy. He leans in and I arch forward, unable to fight the pull.

“Lydia,” the sheriff snarls behind us, drawing our attention to the movement behind us, giving me a chance to create some distance. Being too close to him is messing with my head. I shake off the hypnotic attraction and remember that happily ever afters aren’t real and that trust is easily lost, stolen.

“So, Georgie, do you have a boyfriend that I’m going to have to get rid of?”

“What?” I twist my head to look at him, cocking my brow up.

“You heard me. Is there someone else taking my place?” he asks, crossing his arms, scowling at me like he’s ready to kill my imaginary boyfriend.

“No.”

“Good. That’s really fucking good, because I’d hate to go to jail for murder.” He visibly relaxes, and then I realize my mistake.

“I mean. I…and you… there isn’t a place for you, either,” I stammer my words, but it does no good because Sean treats it as a confirmation that I’m single.

“We’ll see.” He has the nerve to wink at me.

“I’m not interested.”

“Liar.” He taps my chin, lifting my gaze to his. Our breathing picks up and he leans in, lips nearly brushing my ear when he whispers, “God, you will be mine one day, Georgie.” The sounds behind us interrupt what was another close moment, and I use that to get away from Sean.