Enticing Interlude (Tempest #2) Read Online Free PDF

did inpatient treatment for coke a couple of months ago.” He was quiet. I heard a sound like he was drinking something. I recognized the spicy aroma of chai tea wafting over from his balcony to mine. “I wondered how you and Lace knew each other.” Another pause. “One mystery solved,” he murmured so low I almost didn’t hear.
    “We were neighbors in rehab. I kinda forced her to be my friend.” Now why had I admitted that? It was basically true, but still. He was too easy to talk to and having the partition between us must be giving me a false sense of security.
    “Me, too.” He chuckled. “Although I did try for a little something more the first time we met, but she told me in no uncertain terms how it was going to be between us.”
    “Yeah.” I smiled. “That sounds like her.” Lace was a straight shooter. I liked that about her.
    “I have to tell you, Bridget, that I’m interested in more than just friendship with you, too. Why don’t we go out to dinner some time? I…”
    “No.” My denial was immediate. “I’m not…I mean, I don’t date.”
    “Why not?” I could almost visualize his auburn brows drawing together in confusion.
    “No offense, Justin, but the answer’s no, and it’s really none of your business why.” My tone was rude, my words way too harsh, but at least I had that one part of my life the way I wanted it. The way it needed to be. I’m sure my refusal didn’t even faze him. Doubtless he’d made offers like that to countless women. He’d just move onto the next one. “I’d better get back to bed now. Goodnight.”
     

     
    Poof. Poof.
    “What the…” I sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and looked at the half dozen orange and yellow Nerf bullets scattered in a wide debris field on the white bed linens around me. “Carter Randall Dubois,” I yelled as another Nerf projectile fell out of my hair.
    I saw his smiling impish face as he poked his head cautiously within the door frame. I glanced at the bedside clock. “You scamp. It’s not even eight o’clock yet,” I complained without any real heat.
    He giggled.
    “I’ll get you for this.”
    Surprisingly another head poked in the door, one with short honey blond hair. “You can try.” Lace’s lips curled playfully. “But superhero Carter is near invincible especially now that he has a beautiful new sidekick with lethal skills. We can totally take your ass…oops, I mean butt.”
    My eyes narrowed on her even as I swung my legs over the side and my feet hit the floor. “That’s my weapon, Lace Lowell. You two better run,” I warned, lunging for them, but they took off back down the hall, Carter squealing with delight as he fled.
    I entered the living room grinning, my heart wearing a matching but unseen smile. I was glad to see my boy so happy. His laughter had been rare and fleeting since Meemaw’s death. I was also delighted to see Lace enjoying herself and getting along so well with him.
    Before I even had a second to prepare, I was bombed with a barrage of pillows. Three heads were now visible, bodies safely shielded by the couch that had been rotated to the center of the room to provide cover for the conspirators.
    I put my hand on my hips trying to force my grinning face into a mock scowl. I was totally unsuccessful and laughed instead, watching a final decorative couch cushion arcing in the air toward me. I caught it and let out a practiced maniacal laugh (I was usually the villain when Carter and I played) that had my boy ducking. He knew what it meant. I lobbed the pillow like a grenade and launched myself over the back of the couch to get the little stinker.
    He had earned himself a major tickling session.
    Later that morning after Carter had been served his comeuppance and the couch was back in its proper position against the wall, we ate breakfast. Lace, Carter, and I sat around the circular mahogany dining room table, while Bryan leaned against the kitchen counter next to us