LITMIR.BIZ

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a beer, then joined her at the table. “Why isn’t she on tour? Isn’t that what she does?”

      “I don’t know. I guess. Maybe she’s on vacation.”

      “Her time off just happened to be when you needed surgery?”

      Nicole scowled. “Don’t try to make me feel guilty about her being here.”

      “I’m not.”

      “You’re saying she might have had plans, but she dropped them to be with me.”

      “I don’t know. That’s why I asked.” He knew Jesse had called Claire and that she’d shown up the next day. Had it just been good timing or had she had to cancel events to be here?

      “I would guess she probably books up weeks at a time. Is there a concert season?” Nicole asked. “A better time to hear Mozart?”

      “You’re asking the wrong person.”

      “I know. It’s just I hadn’t thought of that. What you said. About her being here when she might have other stuff to do.” Nicole didn’t sound happy about the fact.

      “Does it change anything?”

      “Maybe.” She paused. “I’m sure she’s on vacation,” Nicole said firmly.

      “If you say so.”

      “You don’t agree?”

      “You’re not going to get the answer you want regardless. Either she walked away from prior commitments to take care of you or she took her vacation time to come look after you. It’s hard to make her the bad guy in this.”

      “Give me time,” Nicole muttered. “I can work the problem. Besides, it’s not as if I hate her. You were right about that.”

      He took a drink of the beer.

      “I don’t hate her. I don’t like her.” Nicole sighed. “Say something.”

      “You’re doing all the talking.”

      “Have I mentioned how annoying you are?”

      “More than once.”

      “What do you think about her?” Nicole asked.

      The question caught him off guard. Before he could stop himself, he remembered the last time he’d touched her. How deep the fire had burned. Then he pushed away anything close to an erotic image and shrugged. “I don’t.”

      Nicole stared at him. “You are so lying. You like her.”

      He suddenly wanted to squirm in his seat. “I don’t know her.”

      Nicole’s gaze narrowed. “You think she’s hot. Oh, my God. You’re attracted to her.”

      “It’s just chemical. It doesn’t mean anything.”

      “You want to sleep with her? That’s so not fair. You don’t want to sleep with me.”

      “We’ve been over that material already.”

      “But Claire is a pain in the ass, Wyatt. You can’t like her more than me.” She covered her face with her hands. “I’m whining. How horrible is that?”

      “You’re allowed to feel what you feel.”

      She dropped her hands. “Don’t you dare be sensitive and understanding over this. Besides, she’s my sister, which puts me in the weird position of telling you to back off.”

      He looked at her over the beer bottle. “Because she matters to you?”

      “No. Maybe. I don’t know. Just don’t do anything rash.”

      “You have my word on that.”

      He wasn’t going to do anything at all. Wanting and doing were worlds apart and he had no plans to make an awkward situation any more difficult than it already was.

       CHAPTER NINE

      “COME IN,” Amy signed before getting out of the car. “Come in.”

      Claire hesitated, looking at the two-story house, then back at the girl next to her. She didn’t mind going into the house or spending extra time with Amy. What made her hesitate was the big truck parked in the driveway. Wyatt was home and as much as Claire wanted to see him, the thought of seeing him made her feel oddly nervous. Still, she nodded and got out of the car.

      They walked up the main path. The front door opened before they could knock and Amy flew toward her father. He caught her hard against him and laughed as he spun her in a circle.

      “How’s my best girl?” he asked, looking at her as he spoke so she could read his lips.

      “Good,” Amy signed, then looked at her and spoke. “Claire’s driving is getting better.”

      Claire laughed. “Gee, thanks for the compliment. I’ve been practicing. The freeway still doesn’t make me happy, but I can manage. And my GPS barely yells at me at all.”

      “Come on in,” Wyatt said. He put down his daughter and held open the front door.

      Claire walked into the house. She’d been here several times. There was no reason to be nervous. Yet her stomach kept clenching and her skin felt funny. Sort of tingly and tight.

      Maybe all this was because she’d been looking over her to-do list and had thought Wyatt would be a great candidate for the “have sex” item.

      She looked at him now, from under her lashes, appreciating the way his broad shoulders stretched his shirt. He was strong. What would it be like to have someone to lean on? Someone dependable who could handle anything? Not that his strength was any reason she would want to sleep with him. Or maybe it was. She certainly wasn’t an expert.

      Amy signed that she was going to her room, then disappeared down the hallway. Wyatt watched her go, then turned to Claire.

      “I really appreciate you looking after her.”

      “I’m happy to do it. She’s a lot of fun and very patient with my signing.”

      “She’s happy you want to learn.”

      Claire frowned. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s how she communicates.”

      “A lot of people won’t take the trouble.”

      “Why?”

      “I don’t know.” He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and looked at her. “We never discussed me paying you for your time. We should.”

      “I don’t want to be paid,” she told him. “I don’t want to talk about money.” When he didn’t look convinced, she added, “We’re family. Sort of.”

      He nodded. “Almost related until Nicole heals enough to get a divorce lawyer. I can’t believe how Drew screwed that up.”

      She couldn’t, either. Who did that kind of thing? She remembered her attack. “Is he okay? Is there still a puncture in his face?”

      “Do you care?”

      She considered the question. “Not really.”

      Wyatt grinned. “Now you sound like your sister.”

      “She’s rubbing off on me.” Which might be a good thing, Claire thought. Nicole wouldn’t have let Lisa push her around. Nicole would have told her exactly what she could do with her stupid, demanding schedule and then she would have walked.

      “You’re looking fierce about something,” Wyatt said. “What are you thinking about?”

      “My manager. I’m wishing I was more like Nicole so I could tell her off.”

      “Is that what you want to do?”

      “Sometimes.

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