The Secret Sister Read Online Free PDF Page A

forward.”
    â€œI’m not holding that against you,” he said. “We’ve all done things we wish we hadn’t.”
    She let her breath out slowly. “Thank you for understanding.”
    â€œOf course.” His expression turned to one of chagrin as he rubbed his neck. “I was a little out of control myself back then. Being a punk and rebelling against the world.”
    â€œYou seem to have recovered nicely.”
    His smile slanted to one side. “I like to think I’ve matured.”
    â€œThat makes two of us who’ve matured. We’re different people these days. So...if you’re willing, I say we forget the past. Agreed?”
    â€œThe way we met might be hard to forget,” he teased. “But I understand you have a reputation to uphold. I won’t breathe a word of it. I’d never do that to you, anyway.”
    She smoothed her tunic. “I’m grateful.”
    â€œNo problem. Maybe we can just...start over.”
    What did that mean? Start over how? “Excuse me?” she said.
    He slid his hands in his pockets and leaned against the counter. “You’re not with someone, are you? I don’t see a ring...”
    Once again, she felt the absence of the gold band that had resided on her wedding finger for so many years. “No, not anymore.”
    â€œThen will you let me take you to dinner sometime?”
    The way his shoulders lifted slightly seemed endearingly boyish, as if he really didn’t want her to say no. But she hadn’t expected this and wasn’t prepared for it. “That would be impossible,” she said. “I appreciate the offer, though.”
    When she rejected him so quickly and unequivocally, he looked a little deflated. “Are you that sure you won’t like me?”
    She scowled. She’d been “off the market” for so long. Even after Jack had moved out, she’d been sequestered in her own home, working—or trying to work—for over a year. That left her feeling socially clumsy. She almost gave in just to avoid sounding like a bitch, but she wasn’t ready to start dating, especially someone like Rafe. “I’m not going to be your next conquest,” she said.
    He raised a hand. “Whoa! I said dinner .”
    After checking the hall again, she decided her brother must be in the bathroom. “I heard you, but let’s be honest. No man wants to make an investment without some kind of return.”
    When he realized she was serious, his playfulness evaporated. “I wasn’t asking for a commitment to sleep with me, for God’s sake. Dinner’s...dinner. How else am I supposed to get to know you?”
    He’d lost that rangy, lone wolf aura that had made him seem so unpredictable and dangerous when he was a younger man. It’d been replaced with a strong sense of purpose but, in some ways, that made him more of a threat. There weren’t many men who had the confidence to go after a woman so directly, and that scared the hell out of her. “Trust me, we wouldn’t be well-suited. I’m doing you a favor.”
    â€œI can look out for myself.”
    â€œThere’s no need to waste any time or money. Like I said, I’d be a bad investment.”
    He hesitated for a second. Then he said, “Are you afraid I can’t afford it? I don’t come from money so I’m not good enough for you?”
    â€œStop it! No. Of course not.”
    â€œBecause we never really got to know each other,” he said. “And, for the record, I’m embarrassed about that night, too. If I’m remembering correctly, it wasn’t my best performance.”
    Sex with Rafe had lasted all of about thirty seconds. There’d been a brief flash of pain as he’d pushed inside her, some frantic movement while she’d stared at the water stain on the ceiling and a moan as he’d climaxed. Then he’d rolled off her and