The Summer of No Attachments by Lori Foster

Chapter Four

Hope smiled as she pulled into the long drive to the guesthouse—now her house. After work she’d done a little shopping for necessities, like coffee, cereal, milk, lunch meat, condiments and bread. She was incredibly excited to settle into the new space.

Even the driveway was beautiful. Tall trees of every variety offered welcome shade. Honeysuckle left a sweet scent in the air. And the birds, so many birds, sang their little hearts out. The privacy, the beautiful setting... God, it made her heart happy.

For so long it seemed she’d struggled to make ends meet, to gain her true independence. Leaving home at seventeen, especially in the emotionally devastated shape she’d been in, had thrown her priorities out of whack. Anger had vied with fear, but luckily that kept her determined to keep going.

With Ivey’s help, she’d gotten her two-year degree while working at the clinic, too. Soon she’d be able to continue her education so she could eventually be a veterinarian. Ivey’s clinic could really use the help.

Who needed the social scene when she had her work, a friend like Ivey and wonderful goals? She didn’t. She didn’t need her family, either. Could she forgive them? Yes. But four years had passed and not once had they said they were sorry. Why would they when they’d never acknowledged that she was a victim?

The stroll down memory lane lasted right up until she turned the curve in the drive and saw the man looking around her house. She hit the brakes so hard, dust and gravel spewed up around her, drawing his attention.

Shading his eyes, he looked toward her.

Her heart jumped into her throat and lodged there, making it difficult to draw a breath. Backing out in a quick escape seemed like a good idea, but he smiled and waved to her. When she didn’t drive forward, he started to approach.

He was as tall as Corbin, a little bulkier with strength, and from what she could see of his face, very handsome.

She didn’t care.

Holding a white ball cap and wearing reflective sunglasses, he could be anyone. His clothes looked like the typical summer T-shirt and cargo shorts with sneakers, except that the body beneath was different. More honed with muscle.

Locking the doors, Hope put the car in Reverse in case she needed to speed away. Didn’t matter how idiotic she might look, not when fear ran rampant inside her, urging her to flee, making her fight hard to remain in control.

“Hello,” he called out, pulling off the glasses, showing friendly light brown eyes and dark lashes. Yep, very handsome.

And it still didn’t matter.

When he reached the side of the car, he leaned down to look in. For a second, he just stared, then his smile warmed even more. “I’d about given up hope of finding anyone home.”

Hand shaking, Hope opened the window a tiny bit. Knowing she frowned, that she didn’t look the least bit welcoming, she asked, “Who are you?”

“Lang Meyer, Corbin’s brother.” He waited for her to introduce herself, to maybe open the window more, and when she didn’t, his smile slipped. “I wanted to surprise him with a visit, but he’s not home and not answering his cell. Any ideas?”

Yes, she had ideas. Like maybe he should go wait at Corbin’s house instead of hers. “He lives in the bigger house over the path in the woods.”

Bracing a hand on the roof of her car, he nodded. “Right. I have his address and I tried there first. When I didn’t find him, I went down to the lake in case he was swimming. Saw this house through the trees and figured—”

“He’s not here.”

Straightening again, he slowly replaced his sunglasses, put the cap back on his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. He wasn’t smiling now, but his tone still sounded congenial. “Got it. Sorry I bothered you.”

Hope watched him turn and stride away, and in that moment she hated herself for being such a coward. Her fears had made her unkind, bordering on outright mean.

Lowering the window more, she called out, “Wait.”

He paused, but three seconds passed before he faced her again. She could see his dark eyebrows raised over the top rim of his sunglasses.

Clearing her throat didn’t remove the vise of uncertainty trying to steal her voice, but she forced the words out anyway. “Corbin was with my friend earlier. She might have an idea where he’s gone. If you’d like to wait, I’ll call her.”

After a long hesitation, he nodded. “Thank you. If I hadn’t been so long on the road, I’d head into town and kill some time until he returns, but—”

“It’s not a problem. Just let me get parked first.” Hope reached for the garage door opener, but then withdrew her hand. Being inside the building with him would feel too confining, so instead she stopped the car right outside the garage. Taking her phone from her purse, she put in a call to Ivey.

Her friend answered on the third ring. “Hey, chickie, what’s up?”

“Well, Corbin’s brother is here?” Yeah, that didn’t explain anything, especially since she posed it with so much uncertainty.

“Here, where?”

“My new place.”

Sharpened awareness came through in the way Ivey asked, “You’re okay?”

Lowering her voice, Hope whispered, “In my car, doors locked. He’s just standing there.” Looking gorgeous and waiting. “He does resemble Corbin, so I believe him.”

“You want me to shoot over there real quick?”

God bless her, she could always count on Ivey, even when it was horribly inconvenient. “No, I’m...” Fine? Was she fine? Hope shook her head. It didn’t matter. “He said he’s been calling Corbin but no answer. Any ideas where he might be?”

“I’m sorry, no. But if they’re on the beach, Corbin’s signal might have dropped. You know how it is there. For every phone service that works, another doesn’t.” Then with decision, “I’m coming over. Stay in your car. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“You don’t need to—” Hope realized that Ivey had disconnected and wondered what to do with Lang.

As if he sensed her unease, he kept his distance this time when he asked, “Any luck?”

That in itself was a surprise. Most men either ignored her nervousness or tried to tease through it. Mind made up, Hope lowered the window enough to poke her head out. “She’s...um, coming over. She’ll be here any second.”

“You say my brother was visiting with her?” As if relishing that idea, he nodded. “I’d love to meet her.”

“Yes, well...” She couldn’t continue to cower in the car. Anyone with eyes could see this man and Corbin were related. And he certainly didn’t act threatening. In fact, he was considerate, keeping his distance while not making a big deal of it. “I’ll try calling Corbin, too.” Going for stealth and likely failing, she asked, “What’s his number?”

Taking two measured steps closer, Lang rattled off the number while Hope put it into her phone. It rang three times before Corbin answered.

It startled Hope to hear his voice, since she’d believed Lang that Corbin wasn’t picking up. But he had known Corbin’s number by memory, so that counted as something. “Hey.”

“Hope?” Corbin murmured something, probably to Justin, then asked, “Everything okay?”

“I think so.” Keeping a wary eye on the guy, she said, “Your, er, brother is here?”

“Lang?” He laughed. “No kidding?”

Watching Lang smile again, she explained, “He called but you didn’t answer, so he...came to my place. That is, the guesthouse.”

“We were out on a boat for a test drive. Guess we lost the signal. Good thing you were around. I’ll be there in just a few minutes. Tell him not to budge.” Then he, too, disconnected the call.

Hope released a tight breath. Forcing herself, she opened her door and stepped out but stayed close to the car. “He’ll be here any minute. He said he was out on a boat, so his cell service didn’t work.”

Face falling, Lang asked, “Did he buy a boat?”

The ridiculous expression shouldn’t have been so engaging, yet it was. “I have no idea.”

“I hope not, or part of my surprise will be ruined.” He looked around again. “This is a great place. Really quiet.”

“I agree, especially since it’s close to town, and to where I work.”

“Yeah? Where’s that?”

“The animal clinic.” Why in the world would I tell him that?

“Really?” With his sunglasses in place, she couldn’t see his eyes, but she had the sensation of being looked over. “Seems right.”

Had he just checked her out? Her stomach jumped at the possibility, but not in an altogether unpleasant way. “It’s actually your brother’s property.”

He eyed the small house again, then vaguely gestured toward the woods. “I thought he lived over there.”

“He does, but he’s renting me the guesthouse.” Her lips clamped shut. She never volunteered information and didn’t know why she’d gone so talkative now.

“That’s a nice score.” His grin went lopsided. “Hope he’s giving you a good deal?”

“I couldn’t afford it otherwise.” The words left her mouth uncensored, shocking her. Unlike Ivey, she didn’t chatter. Or at least, she hadn’t until now.

“While we wait, will you tell me about my nephew?” Without crowding her, Lang moved slightly closer. “That is, if you’ve met him?”

“I have.” Despite herself, she softened. This was one subject she didn’t mind. “Justin is very cute. Tall, too. And a little shy.”

“He probably got the height from our side of the family, but shy? No, definitely not a Meyer trait.” He rested against one of the garage posts supporting the deck. “Does he look like my brother and me?”

“You’ve never seen him?”

“Small phone photos, that’s all. Soon as I heard about him, I put my business up for sale. Luckily, it went fast so I packed up and drove here.” He held out his arms. “You can probably tell how anxious I am.”

“A little,” she admitted, charmed despite her caution. “Well, Justin does have brown hair, but I think it’s lighter than yours. I don’t remember his eye color, sorry.” She wanted to ask him about his business, but if she did, would he feel free to ask her more questions?

Just then, Lang perked up. “You hear that?”

Tires on the gravel drive made a distinct and recognizable sound. “It’s probably my friend. I assume Corbin would go to his own house.”

But no, that was Corbin’s SUV coming around the bend in the drive. He stopped behind Hope’s car, hurriedly got out and greeted his brother with open-armed enthusiasm.

“Lang! I didn’t know you’d be here or Justin and I would’ve been home to greet you.”

“Surprise.” Wearing a wide grin, Lang strode to his brother and the two men engaged a bruising bear hug with a lot of back thumping and laughter.

Hope caught herself grinning, especially when she saw Justin’s wide-eyed amazement. Clearly he was as overwhelmed by his uncle as Hope had been.

Immediately Lang freed himself to face the boy. “Holy smokes, you are tall! You sure you’re only ten?” He approached Justin with consideration. “Here I had visions of a little squirt, but you’re nearly as tall as me.”

Scoffing, and fighting a smile, Justin said, “No I’m not.”

“Close enough.” To Corbin he said, “The kid looks sixteen, not ten.”

The expression Corbin wore could only be called pride. “He definitely looks older.”

That made Justin puff up, too.

It fascinated Hope, seeing the easy way Lang dealt with him, how comfortable he was meeting his nephew for the very first time.

“We were both tall, right? Mom’s mentioned that often enough.” Corbin put his arm over Justin’s shoulders. “I should warn you that your Uncle Lang is the wild one. Don’t believe anything he tells you.”

“Ha! It’s your dad who got into all the mischief. Me being three years older—”

“Which makes him an old man at thirty.”

“—it was my job to get him out of scrapes. Kept me busy around the clock.”

No one had noticed Ivey parking behind them, but as she stepped out, she said, “If he’s old at thirty, then I’m ancient at thirty-one, so my guess is that you want to take back that insult right now.”

Oops, Hope thought. Not because of Corbin’s comment; clearly Ivey was teasing about that. But her friend was more dressed down than usual. She wore loose shorts, ancient flip-flops, an oversize T-shirt, and she’d stuck her fluffy hair into a haphazard knot on top of her head that looked like it might explode free at any moment.

Corbin laughed. “Ivey, you’re here, too? This is like a party.”

Ivey raised her brows while fighting a smile. “And that crack on age?”

“Consider it retracted, although dressed like that, you look closer to twenty, so you’ve got a leg up on this old man.”

Lang feinted with a lunge, Corbin jumped back and Justin laughed out loud.

Hope’s gaze met Ivey’s. Males, they silently agreed, had a very different way about them.

Corbin did hasty introductions all around, then ended with, “So what do you think, Lang?”

“That you have great taste in women.”

Ivey choked.

Corbin said, “True, but I meant about your nephew.”

“My nephew. Damn, I love the sound of that. I’m getting all choked up now.” Belying that statement with another grin, Lang closed in on Justin. “You’ll have to forgive your uncle his excesses, but what the hell? I come from a family of huggers, okay?” Without waiting for Justin to agree, he swung him up and into a wide circle, making Ivey dart away and causing Justin to laugh hard.

Patting Corbin’s arm, Ivey said, “I’ll let you boys get to it,” and she walked over to Hope.

“Stay for dinner,” Corbin offered. “Both of you. If I know my brother, he’s starving. And I’m finding that Justin is an empty well. I could order up some pizzas. They deliver out here, right?”

“They do,” Ivey said, but deferred to Hope on the invitation.

Hope hated to be the party pooper, but it couldn’t be helped. “Thank you, but I’ve got a lot of stuff to unload.”

“She’s staying the night,” Ivey volunteered, while missing Hope’s subtle gesture that she should go along. “The rest of her things will be delivered over the weekend, but until then, I’ll help her set up what she has with her.”

Lang had surely noticed already that her passenger seat and the entire rear of her small hatchback was packed full. Rather than comment on it, he lifted Justin’s arm, lightly squeezed his biceps, and said, “Yup, plenty strong enough.” He held out his arms. “That means you have three strappin’ menfolk here willing to help, so just tell us where to put what.”

“And once we’re done,” Corbin added, “we’ll all go over to my house for pizza. Deal?”

Hope could see that Ivey wanted to but was holding back so she didn’t put Hope in an uncomfortable position. The funny thing was that here, with the brothers’ laughter and open affection, she didn’t feel as on edge as usual. “I could eat,” she finally said, surprising Ivey, though the guys didn’t seem to realize how rare it was for her to socialize, even in a small group. “Thank you.”

“And since Maurice is already fed and napping again,” Ivey said, jumping on board, “you can count me in, too.”

Hiking up his loose shorts in a take-charge manner, Justin strode forward. “Ready when you are.”

It was the first time Ivey could recall seeing Hope relax around men. But then, Corbin and Lang continually heckled each other with good-natured insults while paying a lot of attention to Justin, praising him on everything from his strength, his speed, his intelligence and his good looks, which they both made clear had been inherited from them.

They were so relaxed together, it appeared to relax Justin, too.

Each time Hope laughed, Ivey wanted to grab her up for a tight celebratory hug. She’d give a lot to see Hope live a carefree, happy life. Her peace of mind had been stolen from her at the sensitive age of seventeen, and until today, it seemed a permanent mark had been made on her psyche.

Now she was flourishing right before her eyes. Ivey couldn’t have been more thrilled.

“Everything okay?” Corbin asked, nudging his way into the tiny kitchen to help empty a few more boxes.

She gave him an easy smile. “Yes, actually.”

His gaze lingered, grew warm. “You look pleased about something.”

“I am.” Peeking around him, she saw that Lang, Hope and Justin were getting the last few boxes from the car. “I’ve never see her like this.”

“Comfortable with men?”

Very perceptive. “You and your brother are so casual about everything, I think it’s difficult to be stressed.”

He tugged on one long crimped curl that had fallen loose from her topknot. “One of these days, you’ll tell me about her.”

“Yes, I think I might.” It was strange, but in such a short time, she trusted him.

His attention dropped to her mouth. “What would you think if I kissed you before the evening ended?”

Oh wow. “Seriously?” Awareness flooded her system, setting her nerve endings alight. “I’d think that was pretty awesome.”

They heard footsteps coming up from the garage, so Corbin brushed his fingers over her cheek and stepped back. “Soon, then. Maybe when I walk you to your car tonight?”

The fast way she nodded earned a soft laugh from him. Ivey didn’t mind amusing him. She’d be anticipating that kiss every minute until then.

The guys didn’t tease Hope when she shook out her brand-new sleeping bag in the bedroom. Instead, Lang knelt down to check it out, smoothing his hand over the material. “Cushy. Lots of padding.” He twisted to look at Corbin. “You remember those old sleeping bags we used in the backyard? Man, it was like sleeping on a beach towel. No stuffing at all.”

“How could I forget?” Corbin asked. “We used them in our tree house, where all the mosquitoes felt free to feast.”

“We have a tree house, too,” Justin boasted. “Well, almost. We’re still working on it.”

“He’s a workhorse,” Corbin said, again with his arm over Justin’s shoulders.

“I noticed.” Lang came back to his feet. “I think you hauled more than your dad and me combined. Maybe you’ll be strong enough to get us up the tree in our old age.”

“The way your brother tells it,” Ivey said, “we’re already in the old-age category.”

Clutching his heart as if she’d just pierced it, Corbin pretended to stagger, leaving Justin to laughingly prop him up. “I’ll never live that down.”

Ivey gave him a playful shove. “So, that’s it?” She turned to Hope. “Anything else you need done?”

Satisfaction glowed in Hope’s expression. “Nope. I’m all set, at least until my furniture arrives.”

All set and clearly excited by the prospect. Ivey would remind her again to check in, just so Hope would know she wasn’t alone.

Again proving himself to be a great guy, Corbin said, “There are floodlights off the balcony and behind the house. They’re bright enough that you can see all the way to the lake.”

“The electric bill—” Hope began.

“Isn’t a problem. You pay a flat rate, so don’t worry about that. It’s added into your monthly payment and the bills come to me.”

For that alone, Ivey could kiss him. And kiss him again.

Maybe a little more than kissing. But then, she was sort of looking for any excuse to get nearer to him. When she’d started this new campaign of being footloose and fancy-free, not once had she counted on a guy like Corbin.

Funny that him being a great dad only made him more interesting. She wasn’t sure how hooking up would work with him having a ten-year-old son, but for now, she enjoyed getting to know him better.

And yes, she realized that was the exact opposite of her plan, but who cared? He was nearby, incredibly good-looking, interested and... There she went, making excuses again.

“Speaking of the lake...” Lang smacked himself in the head. “I left a surprise for you and Justin over at your house, but now I’m concerned it might be a duplicate.”

“You hear that Justin?” Corbin led him toward the stairs. “Let’s go see what Uncle Lang has brought you.”

“Uncle Lang,” his brother said with a big, satisfied grin. “I’ll never get tired of hearing it.”

“Will you be the best uncle ever?” Ivey teased.

“Naturally.” Assuming a lofty expression, Lang stated, “I excel at all I do.” With that, he shot a quick, suggestive look at Hope, making Ivey stiffen.

Her friend never liked male attention, and in fact, it set her on edge. Outright flirting or innuendo tended to leave Hope floundering.

But Lang moved right along, adding, “I have no doubt I’ll win the uncle gig, too. Just watch.”

When Hope only chuckled without a single sign of unease, Ivey felt her heart turn over. She couldn’t wait to get Hope alone to ask her about her reaction to Lang, but for now she enjoyed seeing her relax and have fun.

Together, they all tromped over the path in the woods to Corbin’s house. Branches spread out overhead, and exposed roots tried to trip her up. Corbin stayed close, occasionally holding back a weed, once removing a spiderweb with a stick.

When Justin ran ahead, Corbin called, “Wait for us,” but Justin didn’t slow and Corbin didn’t seem to mind. “That boy has one speed, and it’s fast.”

Ivey smiled with him. “Typical of kids his age, I guess.”

Lang said, “I remember always being in a hurry.”

“And I remember always beating you.”

“A challenge!” Lang broke into a flat-out run, and Corbin immediately gave chase.

She and Hope shared another look. “Should we?”

“Heck, yeah.” And just like that, Hope took off, too.

Wow. She’d had no idea Hope was so fast! Laughing while struggling to catch up, Ivey ran as fast as she could in flip-flops...and skidded to a halt when she found the others all staring at Corbin’s driveway, where a very nice inboard boat sat in shining splendor.

Holy smokes.

Pleased with himself, Lang stood with arms crossed while Justin and Corbin circled the boat.

Finally Corbin looked up. “You didn’t.”

“You already know I did.” Smug, he took a bow and said, “Surprise.”

Astounded, Corbin rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s big.”

“Not too big for the lake. I checked before getting it. If you take the cover off and climb inside, you’ll find a tube, skis, rope, jackets...everything you need.”

Corbin’s mouth hitched on one side, giving him a lopsided grin. “Wow.” To the women, he said, “My brother is sometimes overly extravagant.”

“Pfft,” Ivey teased, totally deadpan. “It’s just a boat,” and that had both men chuckling.

Justin couldn’t seem to take it in. “You bought it for us?”

“Yup. What do you think? Am I the best uncle ever or what?”

Taking everyone by surprise, Justin launched himself at Lang and got swung up into a big hug. “You are!” Ninety miles a minute, he explained, “Me and Dad were looking at boats, but he said it was a big decision and we had to take our time and now we have one and it’s bigger than the one we rode in today.”

As Justin drew a breath, Lang said, “I’ll teach you to water-ski, okay? Or your dad can. He was better at it than me.”

“Truth,” Corbin said, turning to the women. “Either of you ski?”

Hope shook her head. Far as Ivey knew, she hadn’t even been in the lake, or worn a swimsuit, since the assault.

“I’ve gone tubing, but only when the driver swears not to deliberately dump me.” Making a face, Ivey said, “Geoff drove a friend’s boat once, and there was nothing fun about it.”

Corbin sent her a shrewd look. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

“He did dump me, the jerk. And back in the cove where I just knew there’d be big turtles and catfish and all kinds of snakes.” The memory irked her all over again. “I made him take me home and the whole thing was a fiasco.”

Lang said, “Geoff sounds like a—”

“Bad driver,” Corbin inserted, giving his brother a frown and sending a quick nod Justin’s way. To Ivey, he said, “Our mother would ride in a tube and we knew if we dumped her, there’d be hell to pay. I promise you, you can trust both of us.”

Lang crossed his heart, but added, “For the record, I like getting dumped.” He stuck his hat on Justin’s head. “What do you think?”

“I don’t know.” Justin lifted his shoulders. “I guess I will.” He moved away to circle the boat again.

“So.” Hands on his hips, Lang surveyed his brother. “You hadn’t yet bought a boat, right?”

“I was trying not to overindulge,” Corbin said.

Ivey couldn’t take it a second more. “Not to be nosy, but you’re saying you could have bought a boat like that, too?” Pretty sure it had to cost eighty thousand or more, not that she knew boat values since she’d never considered one herself, much less one so fancy. Then to Lang, “And you can just grab a boat like that as a gift? To give away?”

Corbin hedged, but Lang shrugged it off as nothing. “Yeah? Corbin didn’t tell you?”

“No,” Corbin said. “I haven’t yet shared my financial records with her.”

Ivey laughed. “The two of you should take this act on the road. Together, you’re hilarious. And hey, it’s not like being financially secure is a bad thing.”

“It’s not old money,” Corbin said with a shrug. “Early in Mom and Dad’s marriage, he turned a rundown sporting company into a thriving business. They reinvested everything for years, expanding across the country. After Dad died, Mom took over, though she’s no longer involved in the day-to-day running of things. Lang and I have stock, of course, and investments of our own.”

“So you don’t need to work?”

“Don’t need to,” Lang said. “But we both do.”

“It’s an ethical thing,” Corbin explained. “And we’d be bored in no time if we didn’t stay busy.”

Proving none of that meant anything to him, Justin asked, “Can I look inside?”

“You bet.” Lang started unsnapping the cover of the boat. “Why don’t you and I explore it while your dad gets that pizza ordered? I’m starved.”

“Me, too,” Justin said, already climbing up the trailer’s wheel well with the nimbleness of a monkey.

Smiling fondly, Corbin put a hand to Ivey’s back and urged her toward the house. “Hope? You want to come in with us or check out the boat?”

Fingers laced together, bottom lip caught in her teeth, Hope looked longingly at the boat.

Catching her expression, Lang said, “We could use your help. Grab that side of the cover.”

For a few seconds more she hesitated, then sent a smile at Ivey. “I’ll help out here.”

Oh my, oh my.Gently, Ivey said, “I’ll be right inside if you need me.”

Hope nodded and headed over to the boat, dutifully grabbing the cover and helping Lang roll it back.

Bending to Ivey’s ear, Corbin said, “You look stunned. Is it really so unusual for her to join in like this?”

She glanced back, but just then, Hope seemed exactly like what she was: a young woman interacting with a handsome man who’d been flirting with her. “I’m more thrilled than anything else,” she whispered, “but it is surprising. Normally she’d do everything she could to dodge a man who seems a little interested.”

“Will she be okay out there?” Concern plain in his expression, Corbin glanced back, too. “Justin is a good chaperone. That kid misses nothing. The thing is, my brother can be outrageous.”

“No way. Really?” Because that had been insanely obvious from the start, Ivey chuckled. “I hadn’t noticed.”

In reaction, Corbin gave her a brief hug.

She liked that far too much, but holy cow, the man was solid and warm. He even smelled good, causing her to draw a slow but deep breath.

“Understand,” Corbin said, “Lang wouldn’t cross a line. Not ever. Flirting, though? Can’t rule that out.”

“I get the feeling he probably flirts with every woman.”

“True, but he’s being a little more attentive than usual.” They reached the front door and Corbin released her to unlock it, then waited for her to enter.

Curiosity had her doing a quick perusal of everything she could see. The house was immense with an open floor plan, including a loft over the great room. Casually decorated with plenty of plush seating, it wasn’t at all ostentatious. “This is nice.”

“Thanks. I like all the windows that face the lake, and the deck out back, too. My biggest issue is the master suite is there.” He pointed to a door between the foyer and the great room. “The other bedrooms are either upstairs or down. I was worried Justin would be nervous sleeping on a different level in a new house, so I took one of the rooms upstairs nearer to him. We’re across from each other with the open loft between us, so still plenty private, but it means I have to come downstairs to use the master bath so he can have the bathroom upstairs.”

Taking that all in, Ivey blinked. “I grew up in an older home with one bathroom and we all shared, so I’m sure you’ll survive.”

The playful mockery had him laughing out loud. “Maybe I’ll look at the stairs as daily exercise.”

“There you go.”

Evidently more amused than insulted, he pointed to another set of stairs to the left of the foyer, leading down to a lower level. “I’ll put Lang downstairs, and don’t judge me, but he’ll have his own bathroom, too.”

Impressed, Ivey asked, “How many bedrooms altogether?”

“The master, which isn’t being used, two upstairs and two down. Three and a half baths. But hey, property around here is way less expensive than I’d expected.”

“And you’re loaded.” She poked him with her elbow to let him know she was teasing.

“Don’t let Lang fool you. We’re comfortable, but you won’t see either of us living in a mansion or buying a private jet or anything.”

She made a face of bogus disappointment. “So you’re not filthy rich? Bummer.”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re interested?” he teased right back. “You’re after my money?”

Boldly looking him over, she sighed. “What other reason could there be? I mean, you’re hot and all, tall and fit. Undeniably sexy.” She fanned her face. “You’re also funny and friendly, with all the makings of a great dad and loving brother, but—”

Grinning, he said, “Stop right there before I blush.”

Ivey snorted. “Money doesn’t impress me anyway because I’m comfortable, too. Why, just last summer I totally bought my own kayak.”

“No kidding,” he said, playing along.

“It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.” She peeked up at him, caught his grin and struggled to look sincere. “I didn’t have to save for it or anything. Just drew the cash from the bank.”

“Wow. So if I’m a money-grubber, you’re my ticket?”

The humor broke free, and she chuckled. “Yeah, we small town vets are all about the paycheck.” She rubbed her fingertips together as if holding money. Leaning into him, she admitted, “I sometimes get paid with the barter system, like a deal on a new roof or landscaping. One time this kid kept my grass cut for a month in exchange for his dog’s surgery.”

Corbin’s grin softened to a tender smile. “You did that for him?”

“His family already struggled, and he kept busy with high school and a part-time job. But he loved that aging dog so much. He’d always kept up with vaccines, flea treatments and stuff like that. When the dog needed a tumor removed, the family wasn’t sure what to do. An expense like that wasn’t in their budget and might have meant skipping a payment on other bills.” She lifted her shoulders. “What else could I do?”

“Some people would refuse services.” His hands framed her face. “But you? You found a way to work it out.”

They’d moved from friendly to intimate in a heartbeat—and she didn’t have a single complaint. “I love animals, and I love people who take good care of them.”

His thumbs brushed over her cheeks. “Damn, but you’re amazing.”

Her heart started tripping, especially with the way he looked down at her, as if memorizing each of her features. Very ordinary features, she knew. Put all together, she wasn’t a hag, but she’d never had a guy like him look at her quite like that.

“What?” His thumbs went below her chin, tilting her face up more. “You don’t know how amazing you are?”

“I’m just me.” A small town vet who’d so far led a fairly mundane life. “No man’s ever said I was amazing before. Only Hope. She compliments me all the time.”

“Men can be stupid—and Hope is right.”

Resting a hand on his chest, she countered, “Obviously, not all men.”

“No.” His gaze moved over her face, settled on her mouth, and he drew her closer. “I promise I won’t be stupid.”

Making promises to her? Be still my heart.

Trying to play it off, to be more lighthearted than she felt, Ivey mused, “Not rich but not stupid. That really balances things.” Then to give herself a moment, she got serious again. “Hope has gotten really good at avoiding situations that make her uncomfortable, so she must be enjoying your brother’s antics.”

He accepted the topic switch, releasing her from the intensity of his gaze, dropping his hands and taking a casual step back as if the heart-throbbing moment hadn’t happened. “So is Justin. It’s damned rewarding to see how easily he’s accepted Lang. It’ll be a good thing to have him here, though I’ll admit, the boat is a little overboard.”

How nice that he acknowledged what she wanted without her having to spell it out. He’d effortlessly picked up on her cue without making it awkward. Every moment with him made her want more, but how much more? And what about the unrestricted, unattached attitude she’d planned to adopt?

She’d met Corbin and all her newly declared objectives had flown right out the window.

“So,” she said as he led her toward the kitchen. “You don’t want a boat?”

“Sure I do. We live on a lake.” His hand went to the back of his neck, his expression pained. “I’d been debating the pros and cons of getting one.”

“Now you won’t have to.” The eat-in kitchen opened to a spacious formal dining room. Beyond that was a covered deck with a screened-in porch. All around her, the greens of the trees were visible, but the real kicker was the sight of the setting sun.

“This is absolutely beautiful.”

“I think so.” Pulling his gaze away from her again, Corbin leaned back on a counter. “So far, life here has been good. Justin is settling in, getting used to things.” He rubbed his mouth. “I want him to know he’s loved, not because of what I give him, but because he’s mine. Because I’ll take care of him and protect him. It’s hard to know if he’s struggling when I keep getting carried away and surprising him with new stuff.”

“You don’t want him to think you’re buying him.” Ivey touched his arm. “But he’s a smart little boy, and kids—like animals—have a sixth sense when it comes to BS. They know when people are genuine and when they’re not.”

“I hope you’re right.” He tugged her a tiny bit closer. “I feel like I have ten years to catch up on. I’d like to show him everything, tell him everything, give him everything as soon as possible. I’ve had so many luxuries through my life, but more than that, I had parents who loved me. Until Dad passed away when I was twelve, they were always there, always supportive, and after he died, Mom filled all the empty places the best she could.”

“Does your mother live nearby?”

He shook his head. “About four hours away, but she’s indulging a hot romance right now.” His mouth quirked. “Some dude she met at bingo. Nice guy, no kids of his own. He’s crazy about my mother.”

“You like him?”

“I like seeing her happy.” Reaching up, Corbin smoothed her hair again, then teased a springy curl between his fingers. “Normally she’d have been here by now to meet her grandson, but they’re doing this big drive across the country in his RV. Lots of touristy stops along the way.”

“Sounds fun.” Very aware of the gentle way he played with her hair, Ivey smiled.

“Justin is excited about the gifts,” Corbin went on, “but not nearly as excited as I am giving them.”

“Everything is still very new for both of you. I’m sure you’ll get it in check.” It felt incredibly natural, sharing this moment with him. Ivey put her hand to his jaw. “In the short time I’ve known you, he’s already warmed up and relaxed more.”

Turning his head, Corbin kissed her palm. “Sunset is a good place. It seems to have that effect.”

“I think it’s your love that’s doing it.”

“God, I do love him. It was only minutes after Darcie dropped that bombshell on me that I started feeling it. By the end of the day, I was consumed with the need to protect him. I wanted to make him feel secure.”

“Does he miss his mom?”

“He never says, but he must, right? I tried talking to him about it once, but he shut down and since then, I don’t want to pressure him.”

“He just needs time. Keep being so attentive and understanding, and you’ll get there.”

His gaze flicked from her eyes to her mouth and back again. “I hope you’re right.”

Giving in to the impulse, Ivey went on tiptoe and put her mouth to his. A gentle kiss of reassurance. At least that’s how she’d intended it. But once her lips touched his...