please, let the whimpering sigh be in her head and not aloud.
Oh, my.
The years had been kind, indeed, to Brody Lane.
Even as his expression folded into a scowl when he realized she wasn’t who he’d expected to see at his door, she couldn’t stop staring.
It was as if Mother Nature had looked at the perfection that had been him at nineteen and decided to add a few layers of “oh, baby” gorgeousness to her work of art.
Arresting before with its sharp planes and brooding features, his face was more intense now. Even sharper, despite being unshaven and shadowed. His eyes were just as striking, like molten gold. They’d always been distant, except when he’d smiled. But now there was a chasm there, as though he was watching from miles away. Assessing. Her, the situation, their past, present and future, all without blinking.
It was kinda scary. Not sure what he was seeing, or more important, what he thought about what he was seeing, Genna bit her lip.
It was nerves as much as curiosity that made her peel her gaze from his to check out his body. And what a body it was.
Broad and muscular, his chest and shoulders looked as though they were sculpted from marble under his black tee. He still had that lean build, his waist tapering to slender hips.
Her eyes dropped lower and she gulped.
Oh, my, the blue cotton sweatpants did nothing to hide the muscle between his legs, either.
Little dots danced in front of her eyes. She realized she’d forgotten to breath.
A gulp of air cleared the dizziness, but the tingling didn’t go away.
He was... Wow.
The things he could do with that body, she’d bet they were nothing short of amazing. And she wasn’t just talking military things. Her mouth was dry and she was starting to feel a little dizzy again.
So she forced her gaze to climb back up to his face.
His unwelcoming scowl had turned into a ferocious frown.
She wrinkled her nose. She should have kept checking out the bod. He obviously wasn’t thrilled to have company.
So what else was new?
“Hi, Brody. I brought you some cookies.” As greetings went, it was lame. But she added her best smile. When that had no reaction, she held up the plate as proof. And, yes, as a bribe.
He didn’t even look at the plate. Her lips threatened to drop into a pout.
“Um, it’s me. Genna.” She paused, brows arched. She tried a friendly smile that was only a little shaky with nerves. When he didn’t even blink, she swallowed hard, then added, “Joe’s sister.”
Your favorite pen pal, she wanted to say. But given his reaction so far, she was a little afraid to bring that up.
Genna waited. After five seconds, her smile dimmed. At thirty, she was straight-up frowning. Knowing a glare was imminent at sixty, she crossed her arms over her chest, the cookie plate hitting her in the shoulder, and lifted her chin.
“Well? Aren’t you even going to say hello?”
Now her scowl matched his.
So much for dating. She couldn’t even get the guy to talk to her.
* * *
BRODY KNEW THERE were many levels of hell. Why Genna Reilly had to keep showing up on his was surely a way of punishing him for any of his hundreds of infractions.
Did she have to look so damned good while she did it, though?
Why hadn’t she aged in ten years?
She should have packed on some weight. Gotten bad skin. Hell, even a lousy haircut would be something.
But, no...
There she stood, long and leggy, her body still as slender as a dream. Her curves were more a whisper than a shout. Nature’s way of keeping the attention on her gorgeous face, he figured. Her hair was shorter than she’d worn it as a teen, hitting her shoulders instead of flowing down her back. And those huge eyes, with their exotic tilt and lush lashes, were narrowed with irritation.
He didn’t care.
He hadn’t invited her here, so why should he play gracious host?
“Are you going to say anything?” she asked, sounding exasperated. “Hello would be nice. Or even hi if you’re only up for a single syllable. I’ll settle for a grunt. Or if that’s too much, you can simply step out of the doorway and gesture. You know, a silent invitation.”
Brody’s lips twitched.
Damn. He’d been so focused on remembering what it tasted like, how it’d felt, he’d forgotten all the other reasons he liked that mouth of hers.
All the more reason not to invite her in.
“Why are you here?”
“Oh, look. He speaks,” she said in a cheery tone, lifting one hand to the empty yard as if inviting the worms and bugs to listen up.
Refusing to smile, Brody put on his most ferocious scowl. The one that made hard-ass recruits wish they were home hiding behind their momma.
Genna just smiled.
“I’m here for two reasons,” she said in that irritatingly upbeat tone of hers. As if she really thought she could smile him out of his mood. “The first is an official welcome from Mayor Tucker, who would be honored if you’d join him one day this week for lunch.”
Was she kidding?
Did he look like the kind of guy who did lunch?
Apparently asking herself that same question, Genna bit her lip and gave a frustrated sigh.
“I’m guessing from your excited expression that this invitation is the highlight of your week. But wait, I’ve got even more wonderful news.”
She paused, giving him an expectant look. Brody just shifted, leaning his shoulder on the frame of the door so he could take his weight off the vicious throbbing in his leg.
“You know, I’ve been told I’m the best community outreach liaison this town has ever had. Now, granted, I’m the only one it’s had, so there might be a little bias going on. But still, people are usually a little more impressed by my charm than you seem to be.”
Oh, he was impressed by her charms, all right. He let his gaze wander again, enjoying the contrast of the vivid red sweater against her golden skin and the way her jeans molded her long legs.
Charming temptation. That was Genna.
“I’m not interested in company, cookies or invitations.” He paused, then lied, “Of any kind.”
Hurt
