by Nita Wick
Haley’s gaze met his then strayed to Meg. Her eyes widened, and she bit her bottom lip.
“Haley, I want you to meet Meg.” He put his arm around the redhead and pulled her closer. “My sister. Meg, this is Haley.”
Meg spoke first. “Nice to meet you.” She offered her hand.
Haley stared at it for a second before grasping it. “I…It’s nice to meet you, too.” She opened the door wider, inviting them inside. “Forgive me. I guess I wasn’t expecting Michael to have you with him.”
“You didn’t know he had a sister?” Meg surveyed the apartment as she spoke. “Why am I not surprised?”
Haley looked at Michael when she answered, her shoulders square and her jaw tense. “Michael and I haven’t known each other very long. I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know about him.”
Michael stepped closer to Haley. “I missed you at the gym tonight.”
She shrugged. “I just wasn’t in the mood.”
Meg crossed her arms. “Michael thinks you saw us together at O’Malley’s last night and got the wrong idea.”
Haley’s cheeks reddened. “I did see you there, but…”
Michael frowned. “You should have said hello.”
“I didn’t want to crash your party.”
Meg laughed. “Michael was right. You thought I was his girlfriend.”
Michael cut his sister a look he knew she’d interpret as meaning “shut up.” She just grinned at him. He grasped Haley’s shoulders and turned her to look at him. “You know you’re the only woman I’m dating, don’t you?”
Her shoulders lifted in another shrug. “Michael, it’s not like we’re a couple or anything. You can date other women.”
He clenched his teeth and looked at his sister. “I need a minute alone with Haley.”
Meg lifted her hands, palms up. “Where am I supposed to go?”
Haley cleared her throat. “Umm, do you want to raid my fridge? There’s some wine coolers and some cookies, I think.”
“Sweet.” Meg turned and gestured with her thumb. “That way?”
Haley nodded and crossed her arms.
Michael wasted no time. “I don’t want to date other women. Not now. You’re the only woman I’m interested in. Surely you know that.”
“No, I don’t know that. You’re a good-looking guy, whose little black book is probably crammed full.” She turned away.
“Damn it, Haley.” He took a deep breath, struggling to control his temper. He stepped behind her but didn’t touch her. “I knew you’d jump to the wrong conclusion. That’s why I brought Meg. You don’t trust me yet, and I understand that, but—”
She spun around. “Why should I trust you? Why do I need to? We had one date, Michael. It’s not like—”
He leaned down to bring his face closer to hers, demanding her undivided attention. “And you know I want more than that. I’ve been trying not to push you but don’t even try to pretend you’ve misunderstood my intentions.”
Her blue eyes flashed, his first glimpse of her anger. “Oh, I understand your intentions all right. You want another notch in your bedpost. You want—”
Michael yelled over her. “I am not Keith! Don’t punish me for his sins.”
A stricken expression marred her beautiful features. “I…” She sucked in an uneven breath. Shaking her head, she rubbed her arms as if she were chilled. She stared down at her feet. “I think maybe we shouldn’t see each other anymore.”
Her words hit him like a sucker punch to the gut. His rage died a quick death. Shaking hands cupped her face and tilted it up. “Don’t say that, baby. You don’t mean it.”
Her eyes glistened with tears. “You’re right, you know. I’m putting you in the same category as Keith. Don’t you see? I’m not ready. I told you.”
“I’ll wait till you are. Just don’t push me away. Give me a chance, Haley.”
“I don’t know. I…” She shook her head and stepped back, putting space between them.
He wanted to follow her, but he didn’t dare. Instead, he reached for her hands. Holding both of them, he whispered, “There’s something between us. You feel it. I know you do. You felt it the first time I touched you.”
Her blue eyes closed for a moment. “That’s just physical. I’m attracted to you, but—”
“It’s more than that. Yes, I want you.” He tugged on her hands to bring her closer. “I want you more than any woman. Ever. But it’s more than that. There’s just something about you.”
Lowering his head, he brought his lips close to hers. He paused for a moment to give her the chance to stop him but prayed she wouldn’t. Relief washed over him when she lifted her chin and kissed him. It was only a simple little kiss, her sweet lips touching his for a brief moment, but his heart soared. Gathering her in his arms, he hugged her close and rested his cheek on her forehead. He breathed in the scent of her hair. God, she always smelled so good.
The woman had one hell of an effect on him. He wanted her so badly he ached, but he held himself in check. Even if Meg hadn’t been in the next room, he couldn’t let himself move too quickly. She’d get scared and push him away. She already believed that spending time with him was like playing with fire. Last time, she’d been burned, scarred by both her fiancé and her best friend. The wounds were still healing.
Haley lifted her head, surrender in her gaze. “Why can’t I resist you?”
His heart skipped a beat, and he lowered his head to steal another kiss. Her hands skimmed his back from his waist to his shoulders. To his delight, she pulled him closer and parted her lips. She let him taste her sweetness, meeting him with a shy, tentative flick of her tongue. Fire engulfed him and shot straight to his loins.
“I see you’ve made up.” Meg stood in the doorway, a wine cooler in one hand, a cookie in the other.
Haley jumped, pulling herself free. Her cheeks flushed an adorable pink. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”
“No problem.” Meg sat down on the sofa and took a bite. “These cookies are great.”
Haley joined her. “Meg. Is that short for Margaret?”
His sister wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, Mary Margaret.”
A smile lit Haley’s face. “Mary Margaret Flannery. No denying your Irish Catholic heritage, huh?”
Meg shook her head. “No. The red hair is kind of a giveaway, too.”
Haley gestured toward the chair. “Sit down, Michael. You’re too tall. It makes me nervous having you tower over me.”
Michael sat. The tension he’d suffered from all day disappeared, but his desire for the beautiful woman grew stronger every time he was near her. The whole situation had him contemplating the meaning of his reaction to the possibility of losing her. He’d all but panicked. Why?
Haley turned back to Meg. “So how many of you are there?”
“Oh, it’s just Michael and me. Mom had a miscarriage after me and didn’t get pregnant again. Dad died when I was seven.”
Haley’s voice held a note of sadness. “I’m sorry. I lost both my parents a few weeks after I graduated from high school. They were killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver.”
Meg frowned. “Man, that sucks. Dad had a heart attack. We’re lucky we still have Mom.
Michael cut in. “Must have been hard losing both parents at the same time.”
Haley nodded. “I was devastated.”
Meg asked the question before he had a chance. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“No. I’m an only child. Mom was too busy for more kids. I think she only had me to please Dad. She loved me, but we were never really close. Dad and I were inseparable. We did everything together.” She turned to Michael and grinned. “Like watching Vols football. When I was little, I had a Tennessee cheerleader’s outfit I wore for the games.”
“Do you still have one?” Michael winked at her. “I’d love to see you in one of those little skirts.”
Meg groaned. “Men.” She looked at Haley. “So w
hat do you do? Are you working tomorrow?”
“I’m between jobs right now.”
Meg sat up straight. “Really? Want to go shopping?”
Michael smiled at Meg’s enthusiasm. Haley seemed surprised by the invitation. “Well, I…I was planning to go check on my house tomorrow morning. I’m having one built just outside of Sevierville.”
Michael hid his surprise. He was about to question her about it, but Meg didn’t give him a chance. “Cool. Can I go with you? Then we can hit the outlets in Pigeon Forge. I want to do some shopping before I leave. Everything is so much cheaper here.”
“Leave?” Haley asked.
“I’m going back to L.A. on Sunday.”
“You don’t live here, then?”
Meg shook her head. “Not right now, but soon. I just got a position as public relations manager at Williams & Tanner here in Knoxville. L.A. was great for a while, but I miss home. I have to go back and work out my notice and stuff.”
“Congratulations on the new job.” Haley turned to Michael. “Is that what you were you celebrating last night?”
“No, she only found out today about the job. Last night we were just getting together with some cousins and old friends while Meg was here. I would have invited you, but Meg didn’t have a date and I—”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Michael. You could have brought her along. I’ve been without a date before.”
Haley leaned over and gave Meg a shove on her arm. “Hush. You’re lucky to have a thoughtful brother like Michael. I wish I had one.”
Meg laughed. “Yeah, I know. But I’m his little sister. Giving him a hard time is part of my job description. So are we on for tomorrow?”
Haley smiled. “Sure. I’d love to go shopping with you.”
“Great. I can tell you all kinds of embarrassing stories about Michael.”
Michael cringed. “God help me.”
Chapter Five
Haley pulled into the driveway of the Cleaver’s house from Leave It to Beaver, complete with the white picket fence. The front door opened, and Meg bounced out, her red curls springing with her movement.
She came around to the passenger door and climbed in. “Hey. Mom had a dentist appointment this morning. She was disappointed about missing you. She really wants to meet you.”
“She does?”
Meg laughed. “Well, yeah. You’re dating her son.”
“But it’s not like we’re…serious or anything.”
Her brows lifted. “Maybe you’re not, but Michael is smitten. I’ve never seen him like this.” She reached for the seatbelt and pulled it across her. “I’m telling you, he was totally freaking out last night when he picked me up. He was so worried that you’d never speak to him again.”
A mixture of panic and pleasure engulfed her. “I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s okay. Michael told me a little about what happened to you. I can see why you’d be scared to trust anybody. But my brother really is crazy about you.”
Haley stared at the steering wheel. Michael would have needed to explain why he was dragging Meg to her apartment. She hadn’t sworn him secrecy or anything.
“Hey. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to pry or push.”
Haley shook her head and smiled at Meg. “What kind of sister would you be if you didn’t put in a good word for your brother?”
She returned the smile. “Okay, so I’ve done my good deed. We won’t mention him again. Today is girls’ day.”
Haley put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. “So how did you end up in L.A.?”
“School. I went to UCLA. When I graduated from our Catholic high school, I was dying to get out and see the world. Mom and Michael tried to talk me out of it, but I wouldn’t hear it. After I got my degree, I landed a great job at one of the movie studios.”
Haley kept Meg talking about Los Angeles. Having made numerous business trips there and spending time in the city while overseeing design projects, she knew enough to keep the conversation on restaurants and shopping and away from her personal life and Michael.
She turned into her still unpaved drive and started up the hill. “This is where my property starts.”
“Wow. You’re really in the sticks.” Meg leaned forward to look up the drive. “I can’t even see the house yet. How big is the property?”
“Twenty acres. Total privacy.” Haley smiled. “I think that’s what I missed most when I lived in New York. I hated being packed into the city with the other sardines. Security guards at the entrance to my apartment and office buildings were a necessity, but they were also a reminder of just how dangerous it was.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. L.A. is like that, too. A woman I worked with was murdered last year. That’s when I started missing Tennessee.”
Haley pulled to the side, well away from the contractor’s pickup truck and several other vehicles. A beehive of activity buzzed. The screech of electric saws and the thud of hammers reached them before she even opened the car door. “This is it.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the car.
Meg shut her door and stared at the frame of the house complete with windows now. Her brows furrowed. “This is like dèjá vu or something.”
“What?” Haley moved around the car toward her.
Meg smacked her forehead with her palm. “Duh. It’s Michael’s design. That must be how you two met. Right?”
“Well, actually no. We met at the gym.” Haley started walking toward the house, ignoring the cacophony of construction noise and enjoying the scent of the surrounding forest combined with the aroma of fresh sawdust.
Meg followed. “So how did you end up working with Michael for the design?”
“Are you sure it’s his? I mean, my contractor dealt with Miller Engineering, but I’m not sure it’s Michael’s.”
“I’m sure. I had lunch with him the other day. He showed me the plans for the office building he’s working on now and sketches for a house he’d just finished. This is it. No question.”
They reached the front porch. Haley stepped through the open door. Only last week the crew had still been blowing insulation. Now, bare sheetrock covered the studs, and the walls awaited her choice for finishing materials. Things were coming along fine.
Meg stopped and put her hands on her hips. “So Michael hasn’t been here? Does he know you’re the one he designed the house for?”
Haley had to raise her voice to be certain Meg could hear her over the pounding hammers. “No. Come to think of it, I hadn’t even told him I was building a house until last night.” She turned to walk farther into the house.
Meg grabbed her elbow. “Wait a minute.” The woman stared at her with a look of confusion, maybe even anger. “Why haven’t you told him?”
Haley shrugged. “I don’t know. We just haven’t talked about it yet. I guess we’ll get around to it sooner or later.”
Meg shook her head, the muscle in her jaw working and the signs of irritation becoming more evident in her features. Did she think Haley was hiding things from Michael? “How long have you been dating?”
“We met two weeks ago. We’ve worked out together several times, but we’ve only had one date really. We had pizza one night after the gym.”
Meg’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped before she snapped it shut and shook her head.
Her reaction confused Haley. “What?”
“It’s just…” She shook her head again. “The way Michael acted, I thought you’d been dating for months.”
“Why? What did he say?”
“I don’t know. Nothing really. It was just the way he looks at you, the way he was so upset last night when he thought you were mad at him.” She sighed. “He’s really got it bad for you. Are you sleeping with him?” She’d no sooner asked the question than she threw her hands up. “No, wait. Don’t answer that. I don’t want to know.”
Haley almost laughed. “No. I’m not sleeping with him. For God’s sake, Meg. I hardly kno
w him. And to be honest, I’m not sure I’m ready for a relationship.”
Meg frowned. “You’re going to break his heart, aren’t you?”
“No. Meg, I really like your brother. I do, but…” Haley raked her hands through her hair. “It’s just that it’s all happening so fast.”
The buzzing of a table saw began, and Meg yelled to be heard over it. “But you do like him.”
Haley yelled back. “Yes, I like him. A lot. What woman wouldn’t? He’s a perfect gentleman, and he’s sexy as hell.” The saw stopped just as she finished her sentence. The last few words echoed throughout the house.
The two women stared at each other. Heat rose to Haley’s cheeks. Two men in hardhats peered around a wall. She met their gaze. Meg started laughing. It must have been contagious because the two men chuckled, and Haley started laughing, too. In seconds, she and Meg had dissolved into a fit of giggles. Haley wiped tears from the corners of her eyes.
Meg recovered first. “Well, I guess that’s all there is to be said about that.”
“I think you’re right. Want to see the rest of the house?”
“Sure.”
“Come upstairs. I want you to see the view from my bedroom balcony.” Haley hurried up the flight of stairs.
“Geez. Not you, too.”
Haley stopped at the top and looked down at Meg. “What?”
“Some of us don’t run up the stairs. Some of us like to be able to breathe when we get to the top.” She reached the landing and shook her head.
Haley laughed. “You should work out more.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know.”
“Come on. The bedroom is this way.” Haley led her down the hall. She was pleased with the progress the crew had made since she’d last been here. French doors now hung where plastic had previously covered an empty frame. She pulled them open and walked out onto her balcony. “What do you think?”
“Oh, my God, Haley. This is incredible.” Meg stepped to the railing. “Is that Wear’s Valley?”
“Yes. Pigeon Forge is that way.” She pointed to the left and then directly in front of her. “And Gatlinburg is up there.”
