KariMarc shrugged. "Lisa is hot and she likes me. What else is there to tell?""Um, she's my best friend and if you hurt her I'm likely to stab you in your sleep and feed you to the large fish in that lake.""That's the ocean and those would be sharks."Kari laughed despite herself. She turned a little, resting her elbow on the railing and looking at her brother. "I'm serious. She means a lot to me and you guys getting close and then you leaving isn't going to be good for her already jacked up stance on men."He nodded. "I understand. I'll just take her to dinner and explain that I am interested too, but now isn't the time.""Really?" Kari asked, shock washing over her. "Wait... I don't want to be the reason you guys don't get together, but I don't want to be the one here left to pick up the pieces should things not work out.""I don't think this is as much about you as you're making it seem. She likes me and I like her. We're not kids, sis. We're adults and if things go farther with
JakeHis morning was off. His thoughts were scattered and he could've sworn he could still smell Kari's perfume in his office. He walked to the restroom, kids yelling and having far too much fun in his gym, but he couldn't focus. He pushed the door to the men's restroom open and walked in, stopping at the mirror and reaching down to splash cold water on his face."Get it together. What's wrong with you?" He looked up at himself, reaching for a paper towel to wipe across his face. "One good looking woman stops by your office and you act like you haven't been around them in years."He hadn't. Bethany had done a number on him, and after her he'd sworn them off, hoping to one day get back in the game. He ran his hand down his chest, patting the firm muscle of his pec as he closed his eyes, trying to hold onto the reason for giving up on love. This girl didn't even seem interested and yet he knew quite well that seeing her twice in two days was more than coincidence.He exhaled slowly, ope
KariSicily was in the kitchen when Kari woke up, her alarm not set to go off for another few hours. The night before had been short, and after a hot bath and a peanut butter sandwich, she'd dozed off on the couch watching Seinfeld reruns. Sometime during the night she'd made her way back to her room, but when or how she couldn't recall."You look nice." Sicily turned, her hands coated in flour. "Gray is your color.""Thanks." Kari smoothed down the gray cashmere sweater that laid perfect over her black slacks. She hated wearing heels and yet the outfit she'd chosen only looked good with those shoes. She slipped them off and padded across the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, a loud yawn leaving her lips."You passed out fast last night.""Yeah, I guess it was from getting a new job and meeting the man of my dreams - again." She laughed, fixed her coffee and sat down as Sicily turned around with a mixing bowl in her hands."About that... I somehow missed the update on Mr. Hot-stuff as I
JakeJake walked to his truck, his hand rubbing absently at the old wound on his left shoulder, his football days rough and still wearing on him years later. He hated that he'd never actually made it by the newspaper earlier, the day getting far too busy due to a few fights and having to talk with the fire department guys about taking his on-call shift on Saturday and Sunday. Getting in his truck, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a moment.The sudden rapping of knuckles on his window caused him to jump. He smiled and started the truck, rolling down the window to talk with the pretty fifth grade math teacher who'd just joined them."Hi, coach. Sorry to bother you. A few of us were going to grab a drink and I thought maybe you'd like to join us?" The hopeful look in her eyes almost made him flinch, but he just smiled and shook his head."I wish I could. I have to deal with a few rental properties and then need to get to the gym sometime this week." He looked past her at t
JakeOf all the people in the world to expect to see at his favorite rental house, Kari Martin wasn't one of them. When she opened the door he almost stumbled backwards, her long hair pulled up in a girlish ponytail, her clothes relaxed and feet bare. He'd played it cool the entire time, his voice in his own head constantly reminding him of the danger, forever beating him up at the idea of trying again.He looked up at her, a little surprised by her question. Did she want to know about a missus because she was interested, or because she was concerned about how long she'd get to stay in the rental? The look on her pretty face said she was interested, but he had to shut it down. She was a heartbreaker, no doubt. Successful and creative, voluptuous and sexy, like a kitten.Trouble. “Oh,” was all she said to his comment about a wife. He concentrated on moving various pieces of the swing into piles, counting screws and trying not to look up at her. The pose she stood in accentuated the li
KariKari pressed her back against the front door, her heart beating furiously in her chest as she tried to catch her breath. He was everything she might imagine finding if she could construct the perfect man. Devilishly good looking, dark hair and big muscles, and tanned skin. He was a firefighter for god sakes and a coach to little kids. Teacher of the year and he read instructions? She slid down to the floor, her arms wrapping around her legs as she beat her forehead against her knees. She was going to fall in love with him if she saw him too many more times.Something about him was so right and yet... how many other women had fallen for him? He had to be a player, had to use women by the dozen. His looks alone demanded it and he was from Texas. Weren't guys in the South known for making their women cook and clean and ride horses and shit? She shook her head, chuckling sardonically to herself."Run away from this." Sighing, she lifted her head, the door pushing open and shoving her
JakeJake walked into his small townhouse, the smell of spring flowers filling the air. He smiled at the sound of his brothers making fun of his cleaning habits somewhere in the recess of his memory. He needed to take a trip back to Texas soon. It had been three or four years, and though he talked to his mother and father every Sunday, he needed to see them. It was Bethany's fault... or maybe it was time to move past that. He pulled his shirt over his head and held it until he walked into his room, jumping and shooting it into the clothes hamper like a basketball."And the crowd goes wild... ahhhhhhh." He laughed and kicked off his shoes, bending over to grab them and throw them in the closet. He planned to go to the gym, but his mowing gig was only supposed to take an hour, and yet he'd been with Kari almost two. The gym would have to wait. Stopping in front of the mirror, he twisted, his muscles contracting. He ran his hands over his chest and yawned loudly."Getting soft, Isaac." H
KariKari swirled the long noodles around her plate, the butter separating from the cream in her sauce and reminding her quickly how bad the meal was for her waistline. She looked up at her friends and her brother, the only person missing at the table being Jake. She smiled at the thought and stirred the contents of her plate again, swirling a noodle on her plate and lifting it to suck it down as her brother stared at her."Why you so quiet down there?" He nodded at her.Sicily and Lisa stopped talking about killing off the only baker in town and looked down at her as she slowly chewed her pasta. Picking up the glass of red wine in front of her, she took a quick sip."I'm just thinking. This is really good, by the way. Your mad cooking skills have done it again." Kari smiled at Sicily."Stop diverting. You've barely said two words this whole meal. What's up?" Lisa asked, her own glass of wine half gone for the third time as it wobbled in her hand. Marc reached over and took the glass,