The First Time Again: The Braddock Brotherhood, Book 3 (35 page)

Warning: Touches on issues of death, child abandonment, neglectful parenting. Sensuous love scenes.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
A Forever Kind Of Guy:

Four-year-old Fletcher stood to the left of the front door, his attention focused on whatever was on the other side of the slender pane of sidelight glass. Hayley moved closer to see a man hunkered on the other side making funny faces at Fletcher. She glanced down to see Fletcher’s reaction. His expression was the one he usually wore of serious concentration, but a ghost of a smile played around his lips. At least Hayley wanted to think he might be close to a smile. It’d been a long time since he had.

There was no chain on the door, so Hayley debated for a moment about whether to open the door to a strange man. It was broad daylight and he looked harmless enough. He straightened when he heard the deadbolt slide back.

They stared at each other for what was probably a split second but felt like a lifetime. Hayley felt the ripple run through her. She’d experienced
the
ripple effect
twice in her life. Once with her ex-husband and the first time with—

“Hi, I’m Ray Braddock,” he began.

—Ray Braddock when she was fourteen. She’d been a brand new student, a freshman at Jannings High School. He and his twin brother Rick had been the hottest boys in the junior class. She’d worshiped Ray from afar, though she’d never actually met him. But every time she saw him, the ripple effect slammed her full force
.

Okay
, she told herself.
You can do this. You are not attracted to him. The last thing you need is a man in your life. Men are bad news. Men cause pain. Men mess up your plans. The ripple effect means nothing. The ripple effect is evil.

“Hayley Christopher.” Good. That’s good. She remembered her manners. She remembered her name. Now if that excitement fluttering in the pit of her stomach would cease and desist, she’d be fine.

“I know.”

Her radar shot out a warning. “You know? What do you mean, you know? How would you know my name?”

“From the property management company. I—”

“Oh? I can’t believe they gave out my name. They have no right. Who I am and where I live is my business and no one else’s. There must be some kind of law—”

“Whoa. Slow down there. I hired the property manager. I’m the owner of the property. I live in the other unit.” He nodded toward the other half of the duplex.

“You—own—wait a minute. What?” The other half of the duplex had been vacant during the short time she’d lived there. Or so she thought.

As if sensing her distress, Fletcher moved closer to her, wedging himself between her leg and her crutch and clutching her thigh. He sent out one of his trademark, almost inaudible whimpers of inquiry. Awkwardly, she patted his shoulder. “It’s okay, sweetie.”

Ray rescued her from her confusion. “I was out of town for a while. So I hired the property manager. But I’m back. Starting next month, you can pay your rent directly to me.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“What happened to you? Do you need to sit down?” Ray gestured at the crutches and Fletcher hanging onto her. “Want me to come in for a minute?”

Hayley couldn’t take her gaze off her landlord. He’d been good looking as a teenager and he still was. But his handsome face had more character now. Tiny lines radiated from the corners of his eyes. As she recalled, he’d been leaner than his brother, and that hadn’t changed. He looked tanned and strong and capable. But he also looked sad. And a bit lost.

Maybe that’s what I look like too
. It was certainly how she felt most days. Giving herself a mental shake, she tried to regroup and say something reasonably intelligent.

Inviting him into her personal space was out of the question. “No. That’s okay. I’ll make the rent checks to you from now on. Was there anything else?”

“Is everything all right with the place? Appliances? Plumbing? Air conditioning?”

“Everything works. I’m not crazy about some of the decorating choices, but it’s nothing critical.”
Except the bathroom wallpaper,
she added silently.
It’s hideous.
She’d seriously considered doing the next tenant a favor by ripping down the hideous wallpaper in the bathroom. Bare drywall would be an improvement over the garish flowered foil.

“All right, then. Here’s my phone number.” He handed her a plain white business card on which he’d written his name and the number. “Let me know if you have any problems.”

She took the card. Her fingertips touched his. She ignored her reaction.

Not.

“It’s only you and your son, here, right? Fletcher? Is that his name?”

She glanced down at Fletcher, who was staring up at Ray. “Yes. Uh, well, sort of.”

Ray’s brow furrowed, but she didn’t feel required to explain her relationship with Fletcher to him. “How do you know his name?”

“The property manager.”

“Oh, right. Okay.”

Ray stood there a moment longer. Hayley wondered what else she should say. She couldn’t think of anything. Her mouth went dry. Her brain became addled. Every nerve ending she possessed went on high alert and sent mixed signals, scrambling her thought process.

Invite him in.

Make him go away.

He’s hot.

You’ll get burned.

Step closer.

Stay away from him.

“Do I know you?” he asked.

Hayley stared at him.

He studied her intently. “You look kind of familiar. Like maybe we’ve met before.”

Great, she thought. Even relocating this far from Jacksonville, she couldn’t get away from the negative publicity. “Do you follow sports?”

“Well, yeah—”

“The Jacksonville Jacks?”

“Not so much lately—”

“Then you probably know that according to every reporter in the greater Jacksonville area, I’m the ex-pro cheerleader, gold-digging, cheating hussy their beloved quarterback Trey Christopher divorced. You probably recognize me from some unflattering photos that ran in all those rags the past couple of years.”

Ray’s gaze remain fixed on her as if he hadn’t been listening. “No, it’s not that.” He cocked his head a bit and narrowed his gaze.

“What do you mean ‘it’s not that’? What else could it be?”

“I haven’t read a Jacksonville newspaper in about two years. Are you sure we’ve never met? Maybe when we were younger?”

He couldn’t possibly remember her, Hayley thought.
Why not?
Her sub-conscious asked.
You remember him.

“You mean like in high school?”

“I think I’d remember you if you went to Jannings Point.”

Hayley’s ankle began to throb, warning her she’d been in an upright position for too long. Plus she needed to leave for work shortly. “I did, but I was a couple of years behind you. I don’t think we ever met.”

“Maybe not. But I still feel like I know you. Anyway, I’ll see you around, I guess.” Ray turned and exited the small screened porch and headed back to his side of the duplex. He stopped halfway and turned back to her. “Let me know if you need help with anything.”

I most certainly will not.
She knew from her experience with Trey exactly what happened when she relied on a man. Even if she wasn’t too good at it yet, she relied only on herself now, and her plans called for her to keep it that way.

Taking care of business may cost him his heart.

Million Dollar Mistake

© 2012 Meg Lacey

Million Dollar Men, Book 1

In addition to overseeing the financial affairs of the wealthy Kristoff family, Nicholas Demetrious specializes in hauling its rambunctious members out of trouble. Especially his distant cousin, Raven Rutledge.

The tabloids love her bad-girl antics, sexy pout, and body made for sin. Nicholas would love to spank the bejesus out of her, but this time the situation is too serious to entertain such a fantasy. A lucrative business deal with the Exeters is in jeopardy, and Jackson Exeter Sr.’s ultimatum is clear:
Remove this man-eater from my country house, or the deal is off.

Raven is in way over her head. She accepted the invitation to the Exeter’s Adirondack house party as a refreshing change from her jet-setting lifestyle—until she learns the guest list includes his entire family. His ex-girlfriend. And the junior Exeter’s intention to propose.

If ever she needed suave, sophisticated Nicholas’s persuasive powers, it’s now. Then he’s there with a plan to get her out of this tangle: sweep her off her feet. But their pretend passion turns all too real. And what started out as a weekend of fun threatens to shatter into betrayal and heartbreak.

Warning: Contains a tabloid sweetheart who loves to be bad, a sexy hero with little patience for mind games, and a game of strip pool that will make you rethink your weekend plans.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Million Dollar Mistake:

Nicholas walked over and shut the door, then turned back to Raven. “Your turn, I believe.”

“I don’t need you to carry me anywhere.”

“We’ll see about that later,” he said, grinning before strolling back and nodding at the pool table. “Meanwhile, let’s set the game up again. It’s your turn to break.”

Raven reached for the rack and set up the balls again. “You asked for it.”

Nicholas chuckled. “Get ready to lose, sweetheart.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Nope, more a number-one fact.”

Raven picked up the chalk, rubbing it on the tip of her stick as she refocused on the table, then on him.

As her eyes met his across the green felt table, Nicholas recognized the look—determination mixed with a bit of taunting. Just the attitude he’d come to expect when he goaded her.

“Facts can be disproved. It all depends on the interpretation.”

He grinned at her tart response and sparkling eyes. He loved the way she threw herself into things, that joy she could summon on the spur of the moment—and never more than when she was trying to give him a hard time. “Still up for that game of strip pool, sweetheart?”

Head tilted, she drawled, “Darling, you’d be lucky to have your watch left after I wipe the table with you.”

“Big talk. Want to put your little black dress where your mouth is?”

“No.”

“Afraid?” he taunted.

“Absolutely not.”

“Are you sure?”

“The reason I’m not willing to participate is more basic than that.”

“Uh-huh. Sure,” he said, knowing his tone would annoy the hell out of her.

“Strip games of chance are
so yesterday.
”

Nicholas laughed. “Great excuse for copping out because you’re afraid.”

“No, I’m fashionable. That’s a different thing.”

“Our cousin Darcy fell in love during a game of strip poker.”

“I don’t intent to repeat his mistake.”

Nicholas grabbed her arm. “And yet you offered a game to Jackson.”

She shrugged off his arm instead of answering, did a half-turn and marched around the pool table to line up a better shot. “Are we going to play or talk all night?”

Nicholas sent her a wolfish smile. “I thought we
were
playing, sweetheart.”

Raven almost growled as she drew back to slam her stick against the white cue ball, which responded by galloping down the table and crashing into three other balls causing them to whirl off in all directions but the one direction they were supposed to go. Raven remained hunched over the table as if in pain before straightening to send him a warning look.

Ducking his head to hide a grin, Nicholas murmured, “Nice shot.”

Raven curled her lip at him and then practically flounced away from the table, heading straight for the liquor cabinet in the far corner of the room.

Watching her, Nicholas called, “I could use a refill.”

She ignored him, taking a small bottle of chilled water from the fridge and guzzling it straight down before she turned back to look at him.

“Or water would be good, too,” Nicholas said, grinning before bending over the table and calculating his angles to make his shot with his customary panache. The ball disappeared into the pocket. After a quick glance at Raven who was sauntering toward him with her hips rolling in a sensuous movement guaranteed to send blood away from his brain, he shot again, wincing as the next ball missed the pocket by a cat’s whisker.

“Oh, too bad,” Raven commented, slapping a bottle of water into his hand as he straightened.

He tucked his stick under his arm and removed the cap. Taking a big gulp, he challenged, “Next time.”

Raven leaned over until her ripe lips were touching his ear. “We’ll see about that, darling.”

The game was on, with both taking their time, using all their skill and discipline to win.

Much later, they were coming down to the final shots. The game was neck and neck.