Divided Interests (Southern Bride 3)

“I would never take advantage of you like that, Paige. I thought you knew me better than that.”

With a quick look back over my shoulder, I let out a humorless laugh. “I stopped knowing who you were a long time ago, Lucas.”

Once I opened the front door and stepped outside, I slammed it. My heart raced and the intense throbbing between my legs hadn’t eased with my anger.

“Damn him!” I mumbled as I made my way to my car and slipped inside. I pulled out my phone and texted Jen.

Me: What are you wearing?

It didn’t take her long to reply with a picture of her dolled up in a dress. It didn’t look all that different from mine, and she had on high-heeled shoes as well. I glared back up at the house.

Jen: Felt like dressing a little sexy. Hoping Gene will decide to take advantage of me tonight.

I smiled.

Me: Lucas remembers last night.

My phone rang, Jen’s name flashing across the screen.

“Hey,” I said, still sitting in my car parked in the driveway.

“I knew it! I told you he remembered. And I bet you anything he wasn’t that drunk. How did you find out?”

Chewing my lip, I replied, “Well, it’s a long story. Let’s just say he was going for a repeat and slipped when he told me not to stop him this time. Honestly, I think I slipped first.”

“Holy crap. Did he kiss you again?”

I crinkled up my face. “Well…”

“He touched your nipple again!”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what exactly happened?”

Dropping my head on the steering wheel, I sighed. “Dear God, when it comes to this man I’m weak. So very weak.”

“Oh my God! You had sex with him!”

“What? No!”

“Okay, well, I’m waiting, and I’m going to guess this is not something we can talk about at the bar.”

Laughing sadly, I leaned my head back against the headrest. “No. I don’t even remember how we got on the subject of me possibly having a one-night stand, but I said something about needing a man’s touch. Somehow poor Milo got dragged into the conversation, and before I knew it, his hand was in my panties, my leg hiked up, and he was on his way to giving me what I know would have been a mind-blowing orgasm.”

Silence filled the line.

“Jen?”

“I’m here. I had to walk into my bathroom. Gene was in the bedroom, and I didn’t want to pass out in front of him. Wow. Okay, y’all are really getting after it. You let him finger you, Paige?”

I crinkled my nose. Somehow hearing her say it made me feel dirty.

“I told you! I’m weak. He was talking so seductively, and I could tell the idea of me sleeping with Milo drove him mad. Everything just happened. I think the dress is to blame.”

“The light blue one I told you to wear?”

“Yep. He told me I was overdressed for this town.”

She laughed. “He told you that because he knew every man in the bar would be staring at you and that didn’t make him very happy.”

I started the car and waited for it to connect to Bluetooth before I drove off down the driveway and out onto the county road.

“He’s confusing me, Jen. One minute he acts like he can’t stand me, the next he is telling me he knows how I like to be touched.”

A loud gasp came through the speakers. “Bastard! We need to figure out what game he’s up to.”

My heart felt as if it stopped beating. A game. That was all this was. Lucas wanted me out of his granddad’s house and it looked like he would do anything to make it happen.

I turned the car around and headed back to the house. “I’ve changed my mind, Jen. I’m not coming tonight.”

“What! Why not? Are you going back to kick his ass? Please tell me you’re not going back in hopes of finishing off that orgasm.”

With a frustrated laugh, I said, “I need to figure out what William meant for us to find in the house. I love this place, and I don’t want to lose it. I’m not going to find anything out by sitting in a bar.”

“Paige, you also need to have a life.”

I scoffed. “I will, once this is all taken care of. Listen, have fun tonight, and I’m sorry. To be honest, I’m not much in the mood for it anyway.”

Jen sighed. “I could kick his ass if you want.”

I pulled back down the driveway. Once I got to the house, I frowned at the sight of a light coming from behind the house.

“I’m back. Have fun tonight, and I hope you get lucky with Gene.”

She giggled. “Trust me, I will once he gets a look at how good my boobs look in this dress!”

“At least one of us will be having fun tonight.”

Jen sighed yet again. “You could still come. Save the treasure hunt for tomorrow.”