Скачать книгу

He let her go. “Make a wish.”

      “Okay, okay.” Sarah thought—took her about half a second to decide—then reached up to the sky and wished with all her might that she might love a man who loved her back. It was all she’d ever wanted. So many people managed it. Her parents. Paul and Ellen. Why not her?

      “Finished?”

      “Yes.”

      “Should I check?”

      Sarah frowned. “Check what?”

      “To see if the six hottest members of the U.S. Navy are waiting naked in your room?”

      She giggled. “That’s not what I wished for.”

      “Then I hope you get whatever it was.” He got to his feet, reached down and pulled her up opposite him as if she weighed nothing. “And I think you need to go to bed.”

      “Yes, Dad.” She didn’t resist when his arms came around her. He was such a good friend. So patient with her, so nonthreatening. Why couldn’t she fall in love with him?

      “Listen to me.”

      “Mmm?” She laid her head on his solid shoulder.

      “You are going to sleep really well tonight.” He started stroking her hair, working the tense muscles at the base of her scalp. “And tomorrow you are going to wake up and realize you’ve put this Derek demon totally to bed.”

      “Okay.” She closed her eyes. As if. She’d be happy if she could think about him without getting wet. And talk to him without getting so flustered and guilty she could barely form words.

      “And.” Joe rocked her back and forth. “You are going to remind yourself that I love you no matter how insane you get, no matter how completely and insufferably annoying, no matter how—”

      “Uh, Joe?” She patted his chest. “Yeah, um, thanks. That’s enough.”

      “No problem.” He squeezed her then took her hand. “Let’s go.”

      “I’m ready.” She followed him across the beach, fumbling for her flashlight. “Hey, who was that girl you were talking to all night? The cute little one.”

      “Carrie?”

      “Yeah. Where’s your flashlight?” She tried to remember seeing him use one, still not having any luck extracting hers from her sweatshirt pocket since it was on the side of the hand Joe was holding.

      “Don’t need one. Just follow me.”

      “Wait, seriously? Through the woods? The path is treacherous and it’s pitch-black. I’ve come here all my life and even I wouldn’t do it.”

      “I have cat eyes.”

      “Joe…” She hung back, still trying for the flashlight, until he tugged her impatiently forward.

      “Just lift your feet so you don’t trip. You’ll be fine.”

      “Okay. But if you kill me I’m suing.” She followed him a few more steps, getting braver as it became apparent he was navigating nicely. “So…what about Carrie?”

      “Nice girl. What do you want to know?”

      “I don’t know.” Her voice came out too high and she had to relax her throat to get it back to normal. “Do you like her?”

      He snorted impatiently. “No, I talked to her all night because she repulsed me.”

      “Okay, okay. Never mind.” Sarah’s giggle felt forced. What was wrong with her, she was so self-absorbed she couldn’t even be happy for her best friend? “I’m glad for you. I hope something comes of it. You deserve someone wonderful.”

      “I think so, too.” He pulled her up unerringly through the trees, finding the path past the blueberry patch and up to the house, supporting her when she stumbled. It was actually kind of mysterious and cool.

      “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Joe.”

      He chuckled and opened the back door for her to go inside. “I hope you never have to find out.”

      She kissed his cheek and crossed through the living room toward the bedroom she shared with Addie, noticing how much calmer and lighter she felt, how much more clear and slow-moving her brain was. Joe was good for her. He always had been. Knew her inside out, tolerated her worst faults and adored her strengths. What more could a woman want?

      Macho alpha sizzle. Daring, adventure, challenge.

      Sarah sighed and used the hall bathroom, then climbed into bed, careful not to disturb Addie.

      Sometimes she thought she must be the most shallow person alive. But if she was deep-down wired to be attracted to guys like Derek, Ethan and Kevin instead of guys like Joe, there wasn’t a single damn thing she could do about it.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABIAAD/4Q6/RXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAUAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAhodp AAQAAAABAAAAnAAAAMgAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAABQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDcuMAAyMDEzOjA1 OjI1IDIxOjI5OjIzAAAAAAOgAQADAAAAAf//AACgAgAEAAAAAQAABXigAwAEAAAAAQAACLMAAAAA AAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUAAAABAAABFgEbAAUAAAABAAABHgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQA AAABAAABJgICAAQAAAABAAANkQAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABI AAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAv/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwP FRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQO Dg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEI AIAAUAMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAX/xAE/AAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEF AQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAQQBAwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMi cYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFDByWSU/Dh8WNzNRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj 80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vY3R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcG BTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGRFKGxQiPBUtHwMyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kST VKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/ 2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APSKyGtkkAAak6AfNPXbVaSK3tsI1IaZXl9/+MrrFu8V4uNWRpS473hmv0hW 93p2Wf8ACvWP+3Or5V7bczPyLXB/qNJscA10zuqrbFde3+Q1QSnLt9rYhhvq+2JcGVhdB+so6i9u NkNDLy322A+15Hi38yxy3SSASBJAJA8SApoyBFhhnCUTUnyX669Mtr67lGtwtrLtwM6t3e9zLN37 jnLlrK9dNPguw6rvyvUdYSLLZL55ly5XIa5jix4hzdCFUhOJox+U7OhkxmIqW40ahmOPuQnHVGe1 4aHFpDHfRcQYP9VyA89x2U4LVkHSbb9txNBNlQDbB4CdrHn/AKlYWfU6q8tcII5Eg/kWv0MWOycg BrHsNJFldjtrXBxbW1rX/m3bnfoVT65W5mTucx1bbGtdXvmXN2hosO4M3PdH6X/hVIGEv//Q4YO4 hWqTudHfsqTXK3iMfc+GkA+en+aq0w3cZovYYdjcYsjdoQJbII/lS33Lu8br2G7DFl1gbexvvae7 vFv9Zed417iwSIMKzjZV7cqhrWV3ufY1jKr9a3PefRr9Xj2tc/eoZe5GRljlw2OHv/hf3otiUMeS AE/0dQR/0UnU7KbL3WDkk6dlzmbUL85st9hAk9tPNX8mxtVtuOHusFLiwPcw1udt0LvScXOZ7lUe +SlhhwREeyc8xI6NHOYW4tjYiXAtb4BpgH/NCg2mnqGA0srrrsxKtt76wGvYGHazKyq2j9Yw8r1G Mvyv0t2Fk/zv6v6NNtrNqc/HcGCSdSO+iB0fBmyrMdbfjGu5zHZFDQ4UtDAXvv3B3qfafV+z14v6 P1/03qf6NWYNPKE2D01+HiOF22u+8j1RZO1rfoMotIB/Od+kWdm31+rbj5D/AFKnH88yJIaHQ/8A weVQ4fzzf579NVd6nqLpup5WE176yBiGgCos2epQ+siG+xhFraHM9Pb6fqez0bK1yHXbMd1u6h4s 3Ru2bywABrWxZe2u62x23fa/01KGudX/0eAB+5aHTMqxrvRDmgO4DgDqs0nw4RKiWWVvngg/DVQl tAvSU5XpiLJaRzKs2B1zYc1+1w/dPf5IBfVVZW+1jrG7wNrBJJ+kPb/0lr1PZbSLa37mvEtd4plM nERRalvTDe9t28Y+5jA+prNGua1tf6P3e3fs37P31Sy8RuNf6YcXjaHAuEHz4W21rpOvKD

Скачать книгу