Sawyer, Rita - Uncommonly Brazen [Brazen Sisters 4] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Rita Sawyer

“Umm…Why don’t you come in, and I’ll go get him.” She stepped back, and the little group shuffled inside.

  Joey closed the door and ran up the stairs, holding the shirt down over her ass the entire time. She dashed through the bedroom and straight into the bathroom.

  “Get up!” Joey slammed the door like she’d wanted to downstairs, but it didn’t make her feel any better.

  She heard Cameron grumble then knock on the door before trying to turn the doorknob. “Joey, open the damn door.”

  “No way.” She wasn’t coming out until she figured out a way to get out of the house without being seen again.

  It wasn’t going to be easy since her clothes and laptop where still down in the makeshift office. Fuck it! She’d have him bring them to her later. Or she’d come back once his visitors were gone.

  “Did your sister say something to upset you?” She could hear the tenderness in his voice, but there was something else too.

  “She’s not here yet. And you might want to get dressed before you go down to welcome your guests.” She should have let him traipse down there in his boxers, but the kids didn’t deserve the shock.

  “Guests? What the hell are you talking about? Is Alec here?” Cameron tugged harder on the doorknob, rattling the door in its frame.

  “No.” She wished it had only been so simple.

  Alec had seen her in a bikini, so having him find her dressed like this wouldn’t have been the worst thing that could have happened. Suddenly, tears were brimming in her eyes. Distraction, humiliation, panic, and fierce desire all had something in common. They were all things she hadn’t wanted to face and yet here she was. The sad thing, the thing she couldn’t take back, was she’d gone and fallen for Cameron. She wasn’t going to let him find out. He’d be insufferable.

  “Come out and tell me who’s down there.” His demand fell flat it came out so soft.

  It made her laugh, though, since she had no idea who they were. “Just go find out for yourself.”

  “Fine.” She heard drawers opening and closing. “I’ll be right back.”

  Joey waited until she heard him take the first few steps before she opened the door. Quickly but quietly, she crept to the railing. She made in time to hear the girls squeal, which was followed by lots of giggling.

  One of the women asked, “Who was that young lady that answered the door?” She figured it was the older of the two women.

  She held her breath and waited for Cameron to answer. “That was my girlfriend, Josephine Brazen.”

  Joey’s heart felt like someone was squeezing it. The title sounded like it came from his lips without even a second thought. And strangely enough, she liked it. Still, it didn’t mean things between them would last.

  “Your accountant?” The other woman didn’t sound pleased. “I thought you said she didn’t like you?”

  “My boyish charm finally won her over.” He laughed and so did the girls, but Joey didn’t hear the women join in.

  They probably had the same reservations she did. It wasn’t wise to mix business and pleasure, but Cameron refused to see what everyone else did. Joey wasn’t going to stand there and dwell on it right now. There were way more important things to do. She returned to the bedroom and searched through his drawers until she found a pair of sweatpants with a drawstring waist. They were huge on her but they were going to have to do. She rolled up the ankles so she could walk with tripping on them. Now all she could do was wait. Hopefully, Cameron would offer to take them out to breakfast, but she’d settle for them moving into the kitchen so she could sneak out the front door.

  She paced back and forth in front of the bed. Joey refused to look at the tangled sheets. In fact, she did her best not to look at the bed at all. Georgie should be up by now. If Joey was lucky, she could catch her before she left. This had to be done carefully, Joey thought, lifting the receiver from the base. She dialed the number like she’d done a thousand times before. This time she was going to do something she’d never done.

  She listened to the phone ring three or four times before going to voice mail. Damn. Georgie could still be sleeping, but Joey really didn’t think so. The shower was a better possibility, but knowing her sister like she did she figured she was already on her way. Georgie had a pesky rule about not using her cell phone when driving. Either way she was screwed, so she’d just have to wait and try again in a few minutes. Unless of course she spotted an opening and got the hell out of there.

  * * * *

  Cameron saw the disapproval on his mother and sister’s faces. It wasn’t the first time, but this time it bothered him more than any other. He didn’t like to think they would pass judgment on Joey without getting to know her. Their initial meeting hadn’t gone the way he planned, not that he planned it yet, but it was their fault since they hadn’t given him any notice about their visit. If they had, he wouldn’t have let Joey answer the door dressed like she’d just rolled out of his bed, which she had. Joey must be upstairs plotting ways to kill him. Or worse, coming up with a way to use this disaster as an excuse to end things between them

  Smoothing things over wasn’t going to be easy with his nieces hanging on every word. He had no idea where to even start. If he could, he’d go upstairs, apologize, and try to fix things with Joey first. Cameron knew his mother wasn’t the type to be put off, so that wasn’t going to happen. The one thing he had on his side was two chatty teenagers who were asking all sorts of questions and cooing over Mrs. Whiskers. It gave him time to come up with some kind of plan.

  The sudden knock on the door had them all going silent. Cameron heard a noise at the top of the stairs and turned to see Joey peeking over the railing. She still had his T-shirt on, but she’d added a pair of his sweatpants. Damn, she looked so cute. He reached for the door, knowing who should be on the other side, but since this seemed to be the morning for unexpected guests he wasn’t too surprised to find Alec standing there.

  “What are you doing here?” Cameron didn’t remember him saying he would be stopping by, and Alec wasn’t usually known for spontaneous visits unless something was up.

  “I’m guessing you haven’t had your coffee yet this morning.” Alec laughed and walked right past him into the living room.

  “It’s barely six-thirty. No, I haven’t.” Cameron grumbled closing the doors.

  “Mrs. Elwood, Lara, girls. So nice to see you all.” Alec smiled, and all four women blushed.

  Damn, that Mitchell charm had a way with all the ladies. It didn’t matter how old they were. Though Cameron welcomed the extra testosterone in the room, he couldn’t help wishing none of them were there. He took a few steps from the door when there was another knock. He took a deep breath and reached for the knob hoping this was the person they were expecting.

  “Morning, Cameron.” Cam had a feeling Georgie’s smile wouldn’t have been so friendly if she knew what had happened so far this morning.

  “Hey, come on in.” She swept past him and he noticed the huge picnic style basket she was carrying.

  “Hi, Alec.” She gave him a quick wave before turning back to Cameron. “Are you going to introduce me?”

  The confused looks on his family’s face made him smile. “Mom, Lara, girls, this is Georgina Brazen. Joey’s twin sister.”

  “Nice to meet you all.” Georgie lifted the basket a little higher and said, “I’ve brought plenty of muffins and strudel for everyone. Why don’t you take this and head into the kitchen. Joey and I will be right in.”

  Cameron had no choice but to take the basket she thrust at him. He didn’t have time to question how she was going to get Joey to come down because Alec took the basket from him and ushered them all into the kitchen. He glanced back in time to see Georgie dash up the steps to where her sister was hiding in his bedroom. Cameron should be the one going up to soothe Joey’s feelings. He was about to excuse himself and go upstairs when he heard the unmistakable rattle of the pipes tell him the shower was on.

  “So, Alec, what
do you know about this girl my son is seeing?” His mother probably thought she’d get a straighter answer out of Alec.

  “Everything. Our families practically grew up together.” Alec didn’t volunteer any info but told her just enough to set a glimmer in her eyes.

  That could be good or bad, depending on what she decided to do next. “Mom, do me a favor, and take it easy on Joey. She’s a little upset.”

  “I’ll be on my best behavior.” The glimmer turned into a full-blown twinkle.

  “Why is she upset?” His thirteen-year-old niece Gail wanted to know.

  “Well, she was expecting her sister to be at the door, not a group of strange people.” He explained unable to throw in a teasing barb.

  “Hey,” his other niece, fourteen-year-old Lilly, protested, “we’re strangers, but that doesn’t make us strange. Only my mom is.”

  Her mom shook her head and reached for a muffin, unwilling to get caught up in the squabble. “You know, Kirsten is going to be pissed.”

  “Why?” everyone asked.

  “Because whoever made these muffins is a better baker than she is.” His mother and the girls gasped in shock, but Cameron and Alec just laughed.

  “That would be Samantha, one of Joey’s older sisters. She’s the chef up at the lodge their family owns.” Cameron grabbed a muffin for himself before the girls ate them all.

  Cameron knew for every detail they learned there was going to be more questions. So he wasn’t surprised when they all started asking them at the same time. He took a seat and answered them the best he could. Alec did his best to distract them by asking his mother and sister questions, but they kept coming back to Joey and her sisters.

  * * * *

  Georgie half expected to find Joey tying the sheets together and climbing out the window. Instead, she found her standing in the doorway looking like she was spoiling for a fight. Her hands were on her hips, her right foot tapping, her eyes narrowed and her lips all puckered. The look reminded Georgie of when they were little and Joey would get mad at her.

  “Get me out of here.” Georgie knew Joey’s growl was worse than her bite, but she also knew better than to laugh.

  “It’s too late for that.” Georgie walked over and put her tote bag on the bed.

  “No, it isn’t. Go make some excuse, and I’ll meet you at home.” Georgie had to sprint to block Joey as she headed for the door.

  “You’ll get in the shower, and then we’ll go downstairs together and face everyone.”

  Some of the fight left Joey, and she seemed to deflate. “I can’t face those people. Damn it, I answered the door in my underwear.”

  “I know. Jake happened to notice the strange car driving around and was about to pull them over and ask if they were lost. He saw the whole thing go down.” Joey walked over and dropped onto the bed, letting out a loud groan as Georgie continued. “He called me, and luckily I was already on my way. I called Alec to stall until I got here.”

  Joey didn’t say anything. She just sat there looking pitiful. Georgie took her by the arms and yanked her to her feet. She gave her a good, healthy shove toward the bathroom, and Joey must have realized she wasn’t getting away. Georgie waited for the water to start before she took the clothes she’d brought for her out of the bag and gave them a shake. She couldn’t believe this was happening. The one time her sister did something totally out of character, she gets caught by the guy’s mother, sister, and nieces.

  She had no idea how she and Joey were going to handle this crazy situation. But she was going to make sure the sexy, rumpled creature that answered the door wasn’t the only side to Joey these people saw. If she had her way, by the time they left here, Cameron’s mother would think Joey was the catch of the century.

  “Joey, enough stalling. Get out here.” Georgie turned around and a little screech popped out. “Damn it, you shouldn’t sneak up on people like that.”

  “I can’t do this.” Joey sniffed.

  It was hard, but Georgie pretended to ignore the tears rolling down her cheeks. “You can, and we will.” Georgie handed her the bra, panties, and a stick of deodorant. “Good thing I brought the heavy duty protection stuff.”

  Joey laughed, which Georgie took as a sign things were looking up. It didn’t take her long to do what she had to and come back. The turban style towel on her head that matched the light pink cotton bra and panties wouldn’t have been called fashion forward, but Georgie thought her sister pulled it off damn well.

  “Okay, let’s go down and show them all what they missed.” Her comment laid flat for a few seconds before Joey struck a pose.

  Joey stood up straighter, cocked her head to one side, and tipped her hip out. “Cameron’s family should only be so lucky.”

  Her attempt at a fake Italian accent made them both laugh. “I was thinking more like Cameron and Alec, but you’re right.”

  Georgie stood idly by, giving her sister the silent support she deserved and needed as she got dressed. Preparing oneself to meet new people was hard enough, but this had to be pure torture. Georgie decided it was only right that Cameron be put in the same type of situation. Preferably the sooner, the better. And what would be better than hearing all sorts of embarrassing stories about him as a child. She didn’t think it would be too hard to pull it off, either. Actually, they could probably get it accomplished once they joined everyone downstairs, but Georgie didn’t think they had a big enough audience just yet.

  “So Cameron must have been quite a handful last night?” Joey didn’t answer her question, but the way her cheeks turned beet red did. “It’s okay. We can talk about it later.”

  “Thanks.” Just hearing the sarcastic tone creep back into her sister’s voice felt good.

  There was a fifty-fifty chance Joey would go along with her plan, but it was worth a shot. “You’re welcome. I think I have another idea you’re going to thank me for.”

  Joey stopped fussing with her skirt. “I’m listening.”

  “Okay. It’s a two-parter. One, we need to find out how long his family is staying. If this is just, like, a day trip we need to strike right away, but if they’re going to be here for awhile, we can make his anguish even better.” Georgie could see that Joey wasn’t following her yet, but she’d get her there.

  Finally, a frustrated Joey blurted, “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Mothers love to tell stories about their children, and the more embarrassing the better.” Instantly, Georgie saw the light dawn in her sister’s eyes.

  “Georgie, where did you get such an evil mind?” Joey smiled as she tugged on her blouse.

  “From Daddy.” They both nodded in agreement. “Now, if they’re going to be here for a few days we need to invite them to the lodge for dinner. If you don’t, it would be downright rude.”

  “And while they’re there, we can get his mom to divulge some family tales and put him on the spot.”

  “Exactly.” They high fived each other and danced around a bit.

  And just like that, the Brazen sisters had overcome another obstacle and turned it around. Georgie figured Cameron should learn right from the start that what affected one Brazen sister affected them all. And his family should also see that they weren’t shrinking violets. They were a strong family unit that all stuck together, even when times were tough.

  “Let’s go.” Joey grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the door.

  Chapter Thirteen

  It was the first time in two weeks that Joey’s heart wasn’t racing as she pulled into Cameron’s driveway. Things were finally settling back into a normal routine the way she liked it. His family’s visit had only lasted three days, from Friday through Sunday. The weekend had been busy and nerve-wracking, but it turned out to be kind of fun. His mother had even promised to take her to Cameron’s sister’s restaurant when he took her to visit. She’d said it like it was something that was definitely going be happening in her near future, not a mere possibility.

  Still, t
heir stay had given Joey a glimpse at another side of Cameron. The doting son and uncle made her wonder, more than she liked, what kind of father Cameron would be. He’d been a good sport when she let her sisters ask his mother what he was like as a kid. The woman had endless and embarrassing stories to tell. He just sat there and smiled the whole time. Joey knew she wouldn’t have taken it so well.

  The visit, brief as it was, had people all over town talking. Everyone in town thought his family’s visit meant she was getting serious with Cameron. The talk around town was that another Brazen sister would soon be off the market. Why else would his mother come to town, right?

  Joey was so freaked out by all the insinuations that she had buried herself in work. Her sisters weren’t happy about that and had thrown a little intervention. She laughed, remembering the way they all stormed into her office and refused to leave until she told them what she was thinking. They’d asked for it, and she’d given it to them. By the time she unloaded everything that was on her mind, they were all stood there gaping. Okay, so it was a pretty uncommon occurrence for her to lose it like that, but since Cameron entered her life she’d been doing a lot of things she normally didn’t do.

  Joey realized those things were probably things she’d wanted to do, but her good sense held her back. Okay, maybe it was her lack of courage. Either way, whatever had been holding her back seemed to have slipped. She got out of the car and opened the back door. Leaving the two boxes of sorted documents she’d spent the night going through and entering into her spreadsheets, she grabbed her laptop and headed for the house.

  She was at the top step of the porch when she noticed Cameron’s truck wasn’t parked beside the house. It wasn’t as if he’d never not been home when she got there, which was why he’d given her a key, she thought flipping through her keys. Not because they were getting serious, even though that was what her sisters had claimed. He’d specifically given her the key so she could work there without him if need be.