The Summer of No Attachments by Lori Foster

Chapter Five

He hadn’t been prepared, but once her body went flush against his, he got with the program real fast.

What was it about Ivey that struck him so hard, got him talking about very private matters and thinking very intimate things? He’d known her only days but it felt like years.

She brought fun with her whenever they visited, and he never knew what she might say, where she might verbally go. She laughed with him, and sometimes at herself, which told him she was a good sport who didn’t take herself too seriously.

God knew he found her attractive, too. Her light brown hair was a mass of tiny, wild curls as unpredictable as Ivey herself. Her big green eyes could be bold or filled with concern, bright with teasing or soft with concern.

She looked great in her business wear, but dressed down like this? Shorts and a tank shouldn’t have been so sexy, but on Ivey, with her smiles and her protective nature and the love she had for animals in need, it came together in the sweetest, most irresistible package, hitting him like an emotional punch.

Getting involved should have been the very last thing on his mind. He had a full plate arranging a new life with a son he hadn’t known about, relocating to a new area, setting up house, getting to know the people.

Hectic as that might be, Ivey just seemed to fit. Effortlessly. Where he felt like he was working on everything else, with Ivey he was just...comfortable.

And against his body? Yeah, she fit there, too. Only the fact that Justin, Lang and Hope were nearby kept him from getting carried away.

Well, and Ivey herself. He’d felt it when she pulled back earlier, so he’d tried to chill. Pressuring her in any way was the very last thing he wanted to do. Regardless of how he felt, he could and would tamp down any urges that went too far, too fast.

But Ivey had been the one to up the ante again—and he was incredibly glad. The way she kissed him, or more like attacked his mouth, made him think she hadn’t been properly appreciated in far too long.

Her ex had to be the biggest tool alive.

As she adjusted and readjusted, she continually took the kiss a little deeper. She tasted sweet and hot, felt soft in his arms, and he loved the hungry little sounds she made...

The laughter reached them, along with the sound of the front door opening. Corbin eased her away, but couldn’t resist one more, soft kiss on her now damp mouth. “I think we were supposed to be ordering pizza.”

She touched her lips, her eyes heavy, her expression dazed. She let out a shuddering breath—then stalled his heart by whispering, “When I decided to add some fun to my life, I wasn’t thinking of a guy with a kid and a comedian brother.”

Was she already having regrets? “Meaning what?” She’d kissed him and now she wanted to rethink things?

“Meaning you’re so much more than I ever imagined. Not to say the pickings around here are precisely slim, but...yeah. I know all these guys and none of them ever curled my toes.”

There she went again, making him laugh. “Curled toes, huh? Sounds kinky.”

Around the corner by the entry, they could hear Lang calling for Justin to hurry up.

Ivey lowered her voice. “I was a teenager the last time I ran through the woods! And all the fun banter? I love listening to you and your brother, and I especially enjoy taking part. Even this, pizza at a guy’s house... I haven’t done anything like that in forever.”

Such simple things, and she appreciated them, same as he did. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”

“I am, so very much.” She glanced around his kitchen, seeming to take it all in with interest. “Thank you for including me. Far as first dates go, this one is a winner.”

“So that’s what this is? A first date?” Amused by the way she blushed, he picked up the kitchen phone. He’d found that his cell reception here near the lake wasn’t always reliable. Given his business interests, it made sense to have a landline.

“I consider it a date.” She wrinkled her nose. “But then, I’m woefully out of practice with this stuff. Geoff and I were together for two years—is it bad form for me to mention him? Probably, but hey, it’s true. In those whole two years, I don’t remember having this much fun.”

Why had she stayed with the putz for so long? A smart, caring woman like her should have demanded more.

He smoothed down one of her curls and watched it spring right back. It made him smile. “I’m having a great time, too, so I don’t care what we call it. Just saying, if this was a date, I got off easy.”

“Well, I imagine dating with a son is different.”

Lang stepped in. “It might have been, but now with Uncle Lang here...” He waggled his eyebrows. “You kids feel free to use me as a sitter whenever you want.”

“Where’s Hope?” Ivey asked, not at all bothered by Lang’s intrusion.

“She and Justin found some creepy-ass caterpillar that I wanted no part of.” He shuddered. “Said they’ll be right in.”

“Wuss.” Corbin turned to Ivey. “What kind of pizza do you and Hope like?”

“Anything is fine. Pepperoni and sausage, or load it up. Oh, but no anchovies.” She made a face of disgust. “Those things are foul.”

“I’ve always thought so,” Corbin agreed, then turned back to the phone.

A minute later, Justin and Hope walked in discussing the bug. Hope said to Ivey, “Justin found the biggest tobacco hornworm I’ve ever seen. It was huge!”

“Really big,” Justin said, bounding forward in excitement. “And fat and green.” His taunting gaze slanted toward Lang. “He was afraid of it.”

“You disparage me, boy?”

Unsure how to take his uncle, Justin paused, his teasing expression arrested.

Corbin laughed and mussed Justin’s hair. “We both disparage you, Lang. You should have outgrown your phobias.” Damn Lang for making the boy uneasy.

Catching on, Lang gave Justin a nudge. “Hey, your dad and I disparage each other all the time. It’s all in how you do it.”

“With love,” Hope interjected, and then blushed.

“Exactly. I give Corbin a hard time but I do it with affection.” More seriously, Lang put a hand on Justin’s shoulders. “As a joke, in fun, it’s perfectly fine and I promise I was only teasing back. It takes a lot to insult me.”

“Very true,” Corbin said. “I’ve tried but he always laughs it off.” Since Justin was back to grinning, he figured they’d gotten past the awkward moment.

“Even though your uncle runs screaming from bugs—”

Lang snorted. “I do not. I just avoid them.”

“—he loves horror movies almost as much as you and Ivey do.”

That lead-in got everyone talking about favorite monsters and movies. First chance he got, Corbin planned to check out the movies Ivey had warned against, though Lang didn’t appear to think anything of it when Justin waxed on about Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers.

Finally the pizza arrived. Lang got out plates and napkins while Corbin offered colas, then they all took seats around the table. Corbin sat with Ivey on his left side and Justin at his right, which naturally put Hope and Lang together. He’d seen his brother in many modes, but this one was new. Lang was all about being the uncle, but he was also acutely aware of Hope.

Corbin gave her a quick, more detailed scrutiny. Sure, Hope was cute, in an understated way. She looked younger than she was and dressed in the plainest clothes imaginable. Dark brown, nearly black hair framed a pale oval face dominated by deep blue eyes. She watched Lang like a sheep fascinated with a wolf, understandably wary but interested anyway. Her reticence was almost painful to see.

Lang must have felt it, too, given the way his expression gentled every time he glanced at her. At thirty, his brother had been around enough to pick up on Hope’s shyness and insecurity.

But for the next two hours, everyone lingered over the food, talking, laughing, teasing and altogether having a great time. Being here with his brother, his son and Ivey was as cozy as a family gathering, Corbin thought.

Hope said little, even when Ivey tried to draw her into conversation, but she smiled a lot, taking it in with interest. Justin was just the opposite. He flourished in the group of people, talking nonstop first about the boat, then telling Lang all about Daisy.

Lang, ever a good uncle, asked all the right questions. When the puppies were mentioned, everyone looked at Ivey, but she blew them off, refusing to engage on the subject. It didn’t take a genius to know she had divided feelings. With the way she loved animals, she’d probably have a difficult time parting with them.

It gave Corbin a few things to think about.

With a yawn, Ivey stretched. “I have work tomorrow, so I suppose I should get going.”

Hope quickly said, “Me, too.”

“Awww,” Justin complained. It was clear that he hated for the fun to end.

Corbin hated for it to end, too, especially since Justin had enjoyed it so much.

Ivey smiled at him. “Daisy is used to seeing me in the mornings. Even on the days I don’t work, I go by to visit with her. And if I stay here much longer, I’m liable to sleep past my alarm, and then I won’t have as much time to play with her. Plus I need to get home to my kitty, Maurice.”

“Will I get to meet Maurice when we visit?”

“Of course, but remember, he’s old and grumpy so we have to be really calm and quiet when we’re around him.”

“I’ll pet him real easy, okay?”

Ivey gave him a smile full of affection. “You were so good with Daisy, I’m sure you’ll do great.”

Justin beamed.

Lang started putting away the empty pizza boxes. “I have The Monster Squad saved to my iTunes account. Since the ladies have to leave, you want to watch it with me?”

“Heck, yeah.” Justin glanced at Corbin with open yearning and heartbreaking uncertainty. “You wanna watch with us, Dad?”

He’d never tire of being called Dad.

Wondering if that was another one he shouldn’t let Justin see, Corbin shot a look to Ivey, but her easy grin told him it would be fine. “You’ll love it. Super fun for all ages.”

“I can’t imagine a better way to round out a perfect day.” The happiness on Justin’s face made Corbin feel like he could take on anything. “If you two can wait until I walk Ivey and Hope over, then yeah, I’d love to watch it with you.” Already he imagined Justin snuggled in close to his side, maybe sharing a big bowl of popcorn.

“Not a problem.” Lang stood there holding empty boxes and a trash bag. “Justin can show me where to find the garbage can and maybe whatever room you want me to use?”

Just like Lang to immediately pitch in. Their mother hadn’t raised any slugs. “Justin, why don’t you show him the room downstairs, okay?”

“It’s cool,” Justin promised. “There’s a bed, but the rest is empty. Dad says we’ll put a gym down there.” He took the bag from Lang. “Come on, I’ll show you.” Then the imp added, “I found a spider down there the other day.”

“Don’t taunt me, boy, or I’ll be camping out in your room.”

Grinning, Corbin watched them go—and realized both Hope and Ivey were doing the same. Hope actually looked confused, as if she wasn’t sure what to make of Lang, but Ivey looked merely amused.

“A domesticated man.” Ivey nudged Hope. “It’s a pleasure to see, don’t you think?”

Hope went pink in her cheeks.

“We were taught well,” Corbin explained. Being tidy had become a habit, learned under his mother’s watchful eye. Because he’d been looking at Hope, he saw her flush and turn away—with a small smile. Interesting.

Putting a hand to Ivey’s back, and with Hope preceding them, they headed out. “Lang is terrific,” Corbin said. “I’m glad he’s here, but it’s sooner than I expected.”

“I guess he didn’t let you know he was on his way because he wanted to surprise you?”

“With a boat.”

Still smiling, Hope headed for the path that led to the guesthouse. “He said he sold his business?”

“That sounds crazy, right? But we’re family, so...” Corbin stepped ahead of Ivey and moved aside the branches of a prickly bush. It’d make sense to clear the path a little more. He’d see to that soon. “I knew Lang was selling his sports complex, but he got it done quicker than I expected.”

“A sports complex?” the women said almost in unison.

Dusk had fallen, yet streaks of red and orange clung to the horizon. Without the baking sunshine, it wasn’t quite as muggy. The throaty trill of frogs on the lake mixed with the constant chirping of crickets. It was a peaceful night. He wouldn’t mind spending more like it.

“Yeah, you know. Batting cages, indoor soccer, outdoor baseball and softball diamonds—”

“Wow,” Ivey said. “It was his, or part of the family business?”

“All his, and it was the perfect job for Lang.”

“Because he’s athletic?” Hope asked, as she moved around a spiderweb.

It amused Corbin that she was skittish with men but thought nothing of insects. Like Lang, he’d just as soon not tangle with some types of bugs. He wasn’t quite as squeamish, and put to the test he’d definitely man up. But given a choice? Yeah, he’d avoid spiders.

“Lang is one of those natural athletes that did well at every sport he played,” Corbin said. “He never took any of them too seriously, though.”

Ivey snorted. “Does he take anything seriously?”

“Family.” Lang would do just about anything for him, their mom and now Justin. “It was hard enough on him when I moved closer to where Justin lived. At first, I didn’t want to change too many things in his life, but it didn’t take me long to rethink that.”

“You wanted a clean break?” Ivey asked.

“Since his mother walked away, and he didn’t have any close ties there, it seemed like a good idea. Make everything different but better.”

Ivey nodded. “Give him a new focus and a fresh start.”

“Lang would have been there right away, but I wanted it to just be us, you know? I figured we should get acquainted before the rest of my family closed in. It’s mostly Mom, Lang and me, but we have other relatives we see on holidays. How about you two?”

Hope was suddenly giving all her attention to where she stepped.

Corbin knew he’d said something wrong, but he had no idea what.

Catching his hand, Ivey squeezed. When he glanced down, she gave a small shake of her head so he’d know to let it drop with Hope, but then she followed up with, “I’m an only child. My parents were one and done.”

“Because you were a handful?” he teased.

“Probably, though the way Mom tells it, I wasn’t bad, just determined to do things my own way. She said I never minded hard work. Honestly, though, I am self-absorbed.”

Hope snorted in disagreement.

“When I set my mind on something, I rarely notice anything else going on around me. It was that way in school, in college and when I took over the clinic here.”

“Don’t buy into that,” Hope said with firm insistence. “Ivey is wonderful.”

“I agree.” Corbin rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “But the same goes for you, Hope. I mean, anyone who can take over bug duty with my son is okay in my book.”

Tension easing, she laughed. “Anytime.”

When they reached the driveway of the guesthouse, Ivey stepped away from him, saying to Hope, “I’ll walk up with you.”

“You don’t need to.” Hope shot a guilty look at Corbin.

The house was dark, none of the outside lights on, and the night seemed to envelope them. To Corbin, it felt like great ambience, but to Hope? He doubted she felt the same way. She had a very fragile air about her.

“I don’t mind,” Corbin said, encouraging them. “Justin is with Lang, so I’ll wait. Take your time.”

Gratitude sparkled in Ivey’s pretty green eyes. “Thank you.” Once Hope unlocked and opened the side door for the garage, Ivey took the lead.

He had the feeling she’d been doing that with Hope from the start, protecting her when necessary, supporting her where she could and caring for her with her whole heart.

To him, that made Ivey a truly remarkable woman.

Hope and Ivey both kept mum as they went up the stairs, but Ivey felt her excitement crackling until it popped the second they had privacy.

Grabbing Hope’s hands, she gushed, “Oh my God, isn’t Corbin incredible?”

Hope laughed. “Yes, he is.”

“And his brother?” Ivey searched Hope’s face, saw her try to look away, but she didn’t let go. “Hope? C’mon, don’t be coy. Admit it. You actually liked him, didn’t you?”

The smile came slowly, then bloomed into a beautiful grin. “It was the oddest thing, but... I felt different with him.”

“Oh, honey.” Feeling like a proud mama, she drew Hope in for a warm embrace, happier with her news than she was with her own feelings for Corbin. “That is so wonderful.”

Hope laughed it off with obvious embarrassment. “It doesn’t mean he’s interested, too. No, don’t say he is because then I might be disappointed if he isn’t.”

Pressing her lips together, Ivey accepted that Hope had a point. “So,” she said carefully, “it’s true that some guys flirt and it only means that he finds you attractive.”

Automatically, Hope’s hand lifted to smooth her hair.

Her friend was not used to worrying about her appearance at all. She was neat, but far from styled. That suited Ivey, because she wasn’t all that styled, either. But where Ivey had crazy hair, Hope’s dark hair was sleek and shiny, a beautiful contrast to her blue eyes. Add in flawless skin, a gentle smile, and any man would be lucky to catch her attention.

Ivey held her at arm’s length. “You have to trust me on this, okay? You are so damn cute, of course Lang flirted. Other men would, too, if you gave them half a chance.”

“I never wanted to give them a chance,” Hope fretted. “You know how I panic. It’s awful and embarrassing, and sometimes I hate myself for it.”

Ivey’s heart turned over. “Please don’t. You have every right to your feelings, whatever they might be.” She tipped her head. “And I think with how handsome and humorous Lang is, you have a right to react to him.”

Impatient, Hope shook her head. “I shouldn’t even be considering it, because. I’m not sure I could do anything about it anyway. If I give him the wrong impression, it could be so awkward.” Wrapping her arms around herself, she turned away, her voice dropping to an agonized whisper. “Can you imagine how Lang would react? He probably thinks I’m a normal girl...and I’m not.”

Ivey saw her shudder at just the thought of causing herself that much embarrassment. She stepped closer and kept her voice low as well. “If he doesn’t understand what you’ve been through, it could be awkward, but probably not in the way you’re thinking.” From what she knew of Corbin so far, he was a conscientious man, so she had to assume his brother was the same. They might be worried and unsure of the situation—but in no way would either of them consider Hope abnormal.

Hope swallowed heavily. “Maybe...if a man knew what to expect up front, he wouldn’t be disappointed.”

“If he knew the situation, I’m sure it would help,” Ivey agreed.

Hope spun around. “You would tell him?”

“If you want me to but, Hope, real men, good men, would understand.”

As if afraid to believe, Hope said softly, “And they’re good men?”

“I think so.” Ivey considered the repercussions, but she felt she had to press Hope just a tiny bit. Her unheard-of interest in Lang could be an opening, a careful start for so much more. Hope had a well of affection and caring to give, but she needed the right man, and if that wasn’t Lang, Ivey would warn him off right now. “So. What do you think?”

“You probably should. If you don’t, Lang might just think I’m a weirdo.”

Ivey tried a reassuring smile. “Not the impression I got.”

“No, I know. But he...well, he got too close outside and...well, you know me. I bolted away like a scared rabbit. He gave me this long, curious look that kept me frozen to the spot, and then he just acted like nothing had happened, but he kept his distance.” She covered her face. “He might think I don’t like him.”

Imagining how that had played out, Ivey nearly winced. She was fairly certain it had taken Lang off guard. As much as she loved Hope, she wanted to be fair to him, too. Catching Hope’s wrists, Ivey gently lowered her hands. “But you do like him?”

“I barely know him.”

“Doesn’t matter. Go with your instincts. I knew I was into Corbin right off. And from what I could see, you seemed to like Lang?”

“I really do. Don’t you? Don’t you think he’s funny? And he’s already so determined to be a great uncle, and...”

Ivey laughed. “I’m convinced, yes, and I’m thrilled that you’re seeing things as they are.”

Hope bit her lip. “Because I see him as a nice man who probably wouldn’t hurt a woman?”

Oh now, see, that shattered her heart. “Only disgusting creeps would. I can almost guarantee that if Corbin would have been around, he’d have taken your side.” He might have even shown the bastard the error of his ways. A girl could hope. “And since Lang is his brother, I’m betting he’s the same.”

Hope laced her fingers together. “What do you think he’ll make of it?”

There was no way for her to know for sure. She had a guess, based on what she knew of Lang so far, but you couldn’t always trust assumptions. Plus, as was evident from Hope’s family, siblings were sometimes very different. Where one might be honest and caring, another could be selfish and mean.

Ivey pasted on an encouraging smile. “I’ll talk to Corbin and we’ll go from there. Okay?”

Looking both excited and concerned, Hope agreed. “Please make it clear that I’m not expecting anything, not even interest.”

“Of course.”

“And if he laughs it off, that’s that. Promise you won’t press.”

“I wouldn’t.” It was so refreshing to see Hope’s anticipation. “Look at it this way. If he isn’t interested, then he’ll stop flirting, and you’ll be able to be around him without worrying.”

Hope let out a big breath. “Thank you, Ivey. You’re the absolute best.”

Such a shame that kindness from a friend earned so much gratitude. In so many ways, Hope still judged others by a four-year distant incident. “I’ll secure the garage door when I leave, then text you so you can rest easy. Enjoy your first night here, and remember, if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to contact me.”

As promised, Ivey locked the garage’s side door, tugged on it twice to be sure and then texted Hope. Already her friend had turned on the outside lights so that the entire area glowed like midday. The only sign of nightfall was the deep shadows beyond the reach of the floodlights and the stars twinkling to life overhead on a deep indigo sky.

Once she got confirmation from Hope, Ivey rounded the garage and found Corbin leaning against a post, long legs crossed at the ankles, his expression thoughtful. Very quietly, she stood there gazing at him. He hadn’t yet noticed her as he stared off in the distance, likely pondering the million and one things he had on his mind now that he was a father.

She’d never thought too much about children, other than how they acted with their pets. Some kids disturbed her, those who were allowed to use their cats and dogs like dolls, stuffing them into baby clothes whether the animal liked it or not. Kids who ignored their pets, or worse, took enjoyment in annoying them. It was times like that where she didn’t care if she talked too much or if she overstepped. Kids needed to respect animals, period.

Then there were the children like Justin, who instinctively empathized with animals. Some kids were that way. Others had parents who supervised them and taught them how to properly care for pets. She was sure Corbin was that type of parent.

Was there anything at all not to like about him? If so, she hadn’t found it yet.

Before meeting him, she would have said her preferences leaned more toward messy blond hair, bleached by time in the lake, tanned muscles and blue eyes. Yup, she’d seen a few guys like that playing volleyball on the beach, using their paddleboards or kayaks, some of them fishing off docks—tourists, she had assumed, since she didn’t recognize them. She’d even considered them when deciding she was done with relationships. What better way to indulge an easy, meaningless fling than with a hunky guy who wouldn’t be around long? Ideal situation, right?

Yet none of them had instantly excited her the way Corbin had.

Now she much preferred light brown eyes and warm brown hair. And those shoulders, those long muscular arms, that—

“Hey.”

Busted, Ivey realized he’d caught her cataloguing all the intriguing aspects of his awesome bod. Mentally, she shrugged. He shouldn’t look so good if he didn’t want her to notice. “Sorry,” she said with a grin, starting toward him. “You look good standing there framed in the light like that.”

His mouth curled in a very masculine smile. “One of these days, you’re going to make me blush.”

“But not today?”

“No,” he said, his voice gentle. “Not today.”

Whoa. When was the last time a man had looked at her with so much heat?

That’d be a great big never.

He nodded up at Hope’s windows. “Is she okay?”

Yup, Corbin definitely appeared to be the whole package, irresistible inside and out. “She is, for now.” Ivey tamped down the urge to jump his bones. “Do you think we could talk about that?”

“About Hope?”

She nodded. “If you have time?”

“If I know Lang, he packed enough for a lengthy visit. He’ll keep Justin busy helping him move in.”

“For good?”

He shook his head. “No, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed with me for the summer.”

“You won’t mind that?” She couldn’t imagine anyone moving in on her, but then, she and Maurice were pretty set in their ways.

“He’s my brother,” Corbin said.

It must be nice to have close family like that. The thought led her right back to Hope.

“So let’s talk first, and then if you still have a few minutes, maybe we can do a little kissing, too?” Thinking that might need explanation, she added, “That kiss in your kitchen sort of rocked my world. I need to try it again to see if it was an anomaly or if you’re really that good.”

The promise was as much in his eyes as from his mouth when he murmured, “I have time.”

Oh goodie. Glancing around, Ivey wondered how far voices might carry. She took Corbin’s hand. “Let’s get in my car. If we stand out here, we’ll get chigger bites.”

“Wouldn’t want that.”

When she reached for the driver’s door, he opened the back door instead. “We’ll have more room here.”

In her little car, they’d still be crowded, but at least the console wouldn’t be in the way. “Good idea.” She climbed in first, but quickly scooted over so he wouldn’t have to walk around to the other side.

Once he closed the door, they were cocooned in deep shadows. He gazed at her. “Now, about Hope?”

Shame on her for nearly forgetting, but with him sitting there taking up so much space, his eyes glimmering in the darkness, the scent of him surrounding her... Well, forgetting to breathe would be understandable.

Ivey cleared her throat. “Lang was flirting with Hope.”

“Yes. I think she has him confused. He’s used to women actively reciprocating, but Hope seemed very skittish about his interest.”

“She’s not!” The last thing she wanted to do was discourage Lang, except... “That is, she is skittish, pretty much with everyone. But it doesn’t mean she’s not interested in him.”

“In some ways, she reminds me of Justin. Anxious to take part, but afraid of disappointment.”

Ivey let out a strained breath. That summed it up pretty well. “When Hope was seventeen, her sister’s fiancé tried to rape her.”

Corbin went very still. “I wish I was surprised, but I figured it had to be something that awful.” He reached for Ivey’s hand. “Please tell me the bastard is locked away.”

“Oh, how I wish I could.” His hand was big and strong, holding hers securely. “The assault was bad enough, but her family...they blamed Hope. Her sister didn’t want to break off the engagement, so they ordered Hope to keep quiet about it.”

“Jesus.”

That he didn’t question whether or not it actually happened meant the world to Ivey. To her, it seemed anyone could look at Hope and know she’d gone through a terrible ordeal. But on top of that, Hope had a great many facts to back her up.

“The man’s family has wealth and influence, and without her own family’s backing, Hope knew she didn’t stand a chance in court. If she’d told her family about it first, they might have talked her out of saying anything at all. But it happened at a swanky party. She went upstairs to use the restroom while most of the guests were outside.”

Repeating it hurt, so how much harder must it have been for Hope to live through it?

“He’d followed her, and the second she stepped out of the restroom, he was on her. At first, she didn’t know what to think, so she didn’t scream or fight as she might have with a total stranger. She’d known him for months, and she didn’t like him at all, but she hadn’t guessed that he could do such a thing.”

“Her sister’s fiancé? No, of course she didn’t.” Corbin lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed an encouraging kiss to her knuckles.

Best to just get it over with. “He dragged her into an empty bedroom.” Her voice lowered to a raw whisper. “He left bruises on her, Corbin. In terrible places.” Her throat felt thick. “But my girl fought him hard. She raked her nails over his eye and that hurt him enough that she was able to get away. As soon as she was out of the room, she started screaming for help. Several people reached her before her family got there and took her to a secluded room.”

“And despite all that, her family didn’t back her up?” He sounded as angry as she often felt.

“They wanted his money. Hope’s sister thought she’d misunderstood. Her mother thought she’d overreacted.” Ivey’s fingers tightened on his. “Before anyone knew who had attacked her, the police were called. I’ve seen the photos from that day, and believe me, there was no misunderstanding. She left, of course, and she hasn’t heard from her family since.”

“God, that’s harsh.” He freed her hand to put his arms around her, holding her close. “I’m glad she has you, Ivey.”

“We have each other.”

For a minute, he just held her, his hands moving up and down her back, occasionally giving her a squeeze, then he kissed her temple. “You want me to talk to Lang, tell him to back off?”

“Actually...no. This is the very first time I’ve known her to show any interest at all. Usually if a guy looks at her, she gets as far from him as she can. Your brother didn’t pressure her, and that’s good, but he probably needs to know that Hope moves at a different pace. Unlike me, who by the way, is totally hoping we can work something out sooner rather than later, Hope hasn’t even been kissed in four years. If Lang isn’t the patient type, or if he’s going to consider her dysfunctional or something, then yeah, he better back off or I’ll demolish him.”

Corbin gave a soft laugh. “If my brother was that way, I’d help you.” He tipped up her face. “But, honey, he’s not. He’s a good man. I’m proud of him.”

“I assumed.” Sadly, Hope couldn’t.

“I can’t speak for him, so I don’t know his intent, but I can make sure he understands the situation.”

“That’s what I figured.” Ivey licked her lips. “Darn it, we should have done the necking first.” Hard to follow up such a sad, depressing topic with kisses.

“Look at it this way.” Corbin pecked the tip of her nose. “We’ll have something to look forward to.” And with that disappointing conclusion, he opened the door and helped her out.