Tempted Again Read Online Free PDF

still angry with him after a mere ten years wasn’t that hard to imagine.
    He shouldn’t have dumped her the way he had. He hadn’t set out to hurt her.
    Now he knew why he’d been intrigued by her. Connor’s earlier feeling that life was going to get more interesting with Marissa’s arrival had been an accurate assessment. He had yet to decide if it was going to get interesting in a good or a bad way. Given their history, the odds favored bad. Only time would tell. Meanwhile, Connor had a job to do.
    *  *  *
     
    Marissa’s sister, Jess, hadn’t been in the house two minutes before she started making trouble—deliberately or not. Five years younger, she’d perfected the art of pushing her big sister’s buttons. She had their father’s coloring—light golden-brown hair and big green eyes. “I heard about your splashy arrival. Everybody’s talking about it. Did you think the parade was thrown for your homecoming or something?” Jess mocked.
    “What parade?” their dad asked absently, his mind still clearly on the book on his iPad he’d just set down.
    “The Founders’ Day Parade was today,” Jess replied. “For some reason your firstborn child here”—she pointed to Marissa—“decided to crash the parade.”
    “I made a wrong turn, that’s all.” Marissa was beginning to think this entire moving-back-home thing had been a giant mistake. Not that she’d had many other options, as she kept reminding herself. She’d had zero other options.
    “Talk about messing up a first impression.” Jess shook her head.
    “First impression? This is my hometown.”
    “And you haven’t been back much in ten years. Now we’re supposed to welcome you with open arms? I mean, of course
I
do because you’re my sister, but the rest of the town might think you’re a screw-up.”
    “Gee thanks, Jess. Way to make me feel good,” Marissa retorted.
    “You know what I mean.”
    No, she didn’t. That was part of the problem with her relationship with Jess. Marissa could never be sure what her sister meant. She sensed some resentment coming from Jess, but she had no idea why her sister would resent her coming home. Was it some kind of prodigal son or in this case daughter thing?
    “Hey Daddy.” Jess bent down to kiss their father’s cheek. “Whatcha grilling tonight?”
    “Steaks,” he said.
    Jess pouted. “You know I’m a vegetarian now.”
    Their dad frowned. “I thought you gave that up?”
    “No, I used to be vegan but that didn’t work for me.”
    “I’m sure we’ve got some veggie kabobs,” he said.
    Marissa stared at her dad and tried not to feel rejected because he had yet to really even acknowledge her presence. He’d nodded at her when he’d come onto the deck out back where they’d all gathered. But he hadn’t actually spoken to her yet.
    As if reading her mind, Jess said, “So, Daddy, what do you think of Marissa moving back home?”
    Jess was the only one who still called their father “Daddy,” as if to accentuate the fact that she was Daddy’s little girl. Which made Marissa what? The other daughter? The one who messed up?
    “My moving in is only temporary,” Marissa quickly said.
    “Hmm,” her dad said.
    What the hell was that supposed to mean? Marissa was rapidly reaching the end of her patience here. She glanced over at her mom and saw the expression of anger on her flushed face.
    “Tell your daughter that you’re glad she’s here,” she ordered her husband.
    He blinked, apparently surprised by his spouse’s irritation. “Of course I’m glad. Why wouldn’t I be?”
    “Because she crashed the parade,” Jess suggested before laughing. “I’m just teasing. You know that, sis. Here, I’ll even share my beer with you.”
    “No, thanks.”
    Jess appeared hurt by her refusal. “Fine. Be that way.”
    “I just don’t feel like a beer right now,” Marissa said and then wanted to kick herself for the apologetic sound of her voice. Her sister was the one who