LITMIR.BIZ

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      “Yes. He’s a couple of years older than Lexi. We all went to the same high school.”

      “Interesting.” Izzy turned to face Skye. “Local rich boy wants to be richer. Jed Titan can help with that. It’s an old story, but one I never get tired of hearing. He came on to me.”

      Skye carefully unzipped her jeans, then pushed them down and stepped out of them. In Izzy’s world, every guy came on to her.

      “You might want to swing by the kitchen after the party,” she said as she headed for the bathroom. “We’re having those mini pizza appetizers you like. I’m sure there will be leftovers.”

      Izzy followed her. “He came on to me, Skye. Seriously. He wants me.”

      Skye told herself she was too mature to roll her eyes, however much she really wanted to. “Okay. Thanks for the share.”

      “I’m telling you for your own good. Your sense of duty means you won’t blow this guy off on general principle. He’s a jerk. Be careful.”

      Skye’s afternoon had been a roller coaster of emotion. The thrill of seeing Mitch again, the pleasure of making love with him, the humiliation of his dismissal. She was tired, confused, ashamed and sick of feeling that everything was her fault.

      “Be careful?” she repeated. “Why? Oh, let me guess. Because while T.J. is desperate to have you because you’re so amazing, the only reason he could possibly be interested in me is because Jed is offering him money.”

      Izzy took a step back. “I didn’t say that.”

      “You didn’t have to. It’s all very clear. I’m no one. A nonsexual being. A man would have to be bribed or desperate to want to get into my bed.”

      Had Mitch been desperate? Or just angry?

      “That’s not what I meant,” Izzy said loudly, “and you know it. Look, I was mad because he dismissed you and I went to call him on it. We got to talking and he was interested. That’s all.”

      Skye’s temper grew. “You went to defend me and ended up getting a date? Gee, thanks. Your support is overwhelming.”

      “It’s not like you ever date,” Izzy snapped. “You’re not exactly experienced with guys like him. I’m trying to help.”

      “I don’t need your help.”

      “Obviously not. Fine. Date him. Play the game. Do what Daddy says. It’s what you’re good at.”

      Izzy stalked from the bathroom. Seconds later, the bedroom door slammed.

      Skye looked around for something to throw, but she didn’t keep anything breakable in the bathroom. Not with a child in the house. She was too sensible for that.

      Izzy might be too self-absorbed to understand anyone else’s point of view, but she’d gotten one thing right. Skye did do what Daddy said. She was the good mother, the good sister, the good daughter. The good girl. Although if she had sex in the dirt with Mitch a second time, she just might be on her way to blowing her reputation.

      And that would be okay with her.

      “WHAT AN INTERESTING musical choice,” the congressman’s wife said, staring at the four college kids Skye had hired for the evening. “That kind of music is…”

      “Hip-hop,” Skye told her. “I read about the group. They’re attending Texas A&M and supplementing their scholarships by performing. I went to hear them last month and was impressed.”

      She’d dropped into a frat party to hear them, but the congressman’s wife wouldn’t want to know that. Three different guys had hit on Skye in the twenty minutes she’d been in the house. The fact that they were barely out of high school and completely drunk had pretty much diluted any possible compliment.

      “Interesting,” the other woman said.

      Skye was pretty sure she actually meant something more along the lines of “horrifying” but was too polite to say that. Skye didn’t care. She liked the guys and their music. She could go the rest of her life without hearing another tasteful quartet.

      She excused herself to circulate. There were two hundred people to greet and make feel welcome. The evening seemed more stressful than usual, probably because of her fight with Izzy. She hated arguing with either of her sisters. With their mother gone and Jed being, well, Jed, they only had one another to depend on.

      They would talk later, she promised herself. Make things right.

      “So far, so good,” Jed said as he moved past her.

      Skye shook her head. She knew what her father implied—that things were fine now, but the evening wasn’t over. There could still be a disaster.

      “Have you noticed that every party I’ve given has been perfect?” she muttered.

      “I’m not sure talking to yourself gives a good first impression.”

      Skye turned toward the speaker and saw T.J. next to her. “Maybe not, but it ensures I have plenty of personal space. How are you? If you’re looking for Izzy, this isn’t her thing. Or is talking to me going to work, too?”

      T.J. winced. “So you did hear.”

      “News travels fast. Titanville is a small town.”

      “And the doors at Glory’s Gate need to be thicker.” He put his hand on her back and guided her to a corner. “I’m sorry. I doubt me saying that makes a difference, but I really am. I was making a point with your father.”

      He sounded sincere, which meant exactly nothing. “The point being?”

      “That when he says jump, I’m not going to ask how high. You’re beautiful, Skye. I hope you believe me because I’m telling the truth. You’re lovely and intriguing and if I had let Jed know I was the least bit interested in you, he’d have all the power. I can’t give that away.”

      Words she could understand. But could she trust them? Or him? “Not to worry, T.J. We’re fine.”

      One eyebrow lifted. “But you’re dismissing me?”

      “I’m letting you off the hook.”

      “We could have dinner together instead. Or have I blown it with you? The fact that your father’s pushing us to be together isn’t my fault.”

      She smiled. “I know that. Not dating you because my father would like it is the same as dating someone he wouldn’t like just to annoy him.”

      “Now I’m confused.”

      “I don’t know you well enough to have an opinion of you.”

      “Let’s change that.”

      His eyes were deep blue and he wore his custom suit with style and ease. He should have been everything she ever wanted.

      “Did you come on to Izzy?” she asked.

      His gaze never wavered. “We talked last night. Mostly about how she wanted to kick my ass for what I’d said. Did I mention I was sorry?”

      “More than once. But you also didn’t answer the question. Did you come on to my sister?”

      “It’s a trick question. If I say yes, I’m a jerk. If I say no, you’ll think I don’t like her.”

      She smiled. “Maybe.”

      He leaned close and whispered in her ear. “You’re the one I’m asking out, Skye. Say yes.”

      He didn’t make her heart beat faster, but that wasn’t a bad thing. It meant he would probably never break it.

      “Please?” he murmured.

      She hesitated, then nodded. “Dinner would be nice.”

      MITCH PULLED the sock

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