Hot Buttered Yum Read Online Free PDF Page A

his modeling
income, Kelly had been making waves in the clothing world full-time. He’d
scored more than one high-name contract over the years. Underwear, T-shirts.
Even a commercial or two.
    He was also the only one here who really knew Lucas. Who
knew about his home life. He’d been around when Lucas had been with Des.
    “Hey, man.” Kelly slapped him on the back and pulled him
into the group he was chatting with. There were three other men he’d met before—one
who was a douche—who would be in the contest, and then there were four women
and two men he didn’t recognize.
    That wasn’t actually true. He did recognize two of the
women. They were twins. They’d been at the table of women today who had been
staring at Roni and him as they’d been talking.
    Flirting.
    Heat pooled low in his abdomen at the memory. Yes, it had
been flirting. He may not get out much these days, but that didn’t mean he didn’t
recognize the casual banter for what it had been.
    Seeing the two dark-haired women now made him wonder if Roni
would be there tonight as well. This was a meet-and-greet with the business
owners and local townspeople who’d put the contest together. Could Roni be a
part of that?
    He hoped so.
    He wanted to find out her last name.
    He wanted to spend more time with her.
    And if spending time with her led to more … as the
flirting had implied it might … all the better. Especially since the only
times he let himself have that kind of fun these days was when he left Dallas.
    And he’d only left Dallas a very small number of times over the
last few years.
    “How’ve you been?” Lucas gripped Kelly’s hand and gave it a
pump. “How’s Becky?”
    A quick strike of pain crossed his friend’s face at the
mention of his wife.
    Ah, hell . They’d broken up?
    “Really?” Lucas asked. “But you two were so—”
    “Things change.” Kelly cut him off, clearly not wanting to
talk about his wife or whatever had gone on there. “About time you got down
here. Where’ve you been?”
    “I caught an early flight out. Had work to get done before
the festivities could begin.”
    “Still work-before-play-Alexander,” Kelly teased. “You
haven’t changed.”
    Nope. He didn’t change. Much to his ex’s disgust.
    He glanced around the group, letting Kelly introduce him.
    “Kristi Bagley,” a curvy, pretty woman said. “I own Turtle
Tracks and Lobster Claws, an ice cream and doughnut shop here on the island.”
    “Cute name.”
    Kristi’s face lit up with the compliment. “Thanks. Come by
and I’ll give you one of our signature pastries, the Lobster Claw.”
    “Sounds like a plan.” He turned to the next person.
    “Mac Spiner.” A thin, graying man gave him a crushing grip.
“The dairy-goat farm down on the south end of the island. Hope you make it to
Eight Maids-a-Milking. The challenge that day is at my place.”
    Each of the twelve days of the contest went along with the
theme from the well-known song, though the participants had no idea what those
specific daily competitions would be. They would learn them along with the
crowd the morning of the event. Apparently, if he stuck around long enough,
he’d have his hands on some teats before the week was out.
    When Lucas turned to the first twin for an introduction, instead
of giving him her name, she said, “Oh. You’re a contestant.” The two sisters
exchanged a look.
    She sounded disappointed.
    “Yeah.” Why else would he be here? And then he saw the
numbered buttons the other guys were wearing that signified them as part of the
competition. Ah. He didn’t have his button. He looked around as if he had any
idea where to get one. “I guess I need a button.”
    “Kayla’s here somewhere,” the first twin said, flipping her
hand in the air. “I’m sure she’ll find you, probably sooner rather than later.”
She held out her hand to him now. “I’m Savannah Marconi. I own the Two-Step Bar
and Grill, and my husband is manager here at the