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Breaking His Rules

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She was right beside him, practically tiptoeing in her sandals, trying to decide what to do, when suddenly he opened his eyes.

Oh, Lord.

She felt snared, like a helpless doe in the headlights of a semi. She stared, swallowed and stared some more. The man seemed as surprised as she was, and then he suddenly moved, jerking upright. He lost his balance, and his chair went crashing backward with jarring impact.

The string of curses that emerged should have singed her ears, but instead it amused her. She smiled widely and leaned down to where he lay sprawled on the polished boards of the porch. “You all right?”

Still flat on his back, he ran one hand through his dark, wavy hair, eyes closed, and Misty had the distinct feeling he was counting to ten. When he turned his head to face her, she prepared herself for the impact of his gaze again.

It didn’t help. The man had the most sinfully beautiful blue eyes she’d ever seen.

“Is there some reason why you’re sneaking up on my porch?”

The chuckle came without warning. She was nervous, damn it, and she couldn’t be. She didn’t want Honey to know of her troubles, not when Honey had just found so much well-deserved happiness. Misty had already decided to act as if nothing had happened, to resolve her difficulties—what an understatement—on her own. Having the invitation to stay with Honey for a little while was a reprieve from heaven, and hopefully would give her a chance to get her bearings and make some very necessary plans.

“Now, I didn’t sneak,” she lied easily. “You were just snoring so loud you didn’t hear me.”

His blue gaze darkened to purest midnight. “I don’t snore.”

“No?”

“Any number of women can tell you so.”

Uh-oh. She was on dangerous ground. This obviously wasn’t the kind of man you could easily flirt with. He took things too seriously. And she sensed he wasn’t exactly going to behave like a gentleman. Misty brushed her bangs out of her eyes and gave him a cocky grin. “I’ll take your word for it. Must have been distant thunder I heard.” She looked pointedly at the clear blue sky, and he scowled, quickly prompting her to add, “Did you break anything?”

Without her mind’s permission, her gaze drifted over his big, hard, mostly bare body, and her pulse accelerated.

The man pushed himself into a sitting position off to the side of the chair. He let his arms dangle over his bent knees and narrowed his eyes in what she took to be a challenge. A very small, very sensual smile tilted his mouth. “You want to check me over to see?”

The idea of her hands coming into contact with all that exposed male skin made her fingertips itch. Distance became a priority, especially with the husky way he’d asked it. Misty came swiftly to her feet, but that just redirected his gaze to her legs, so close he could kiss her knee by merely leaning forward.

He looked as if he were considering it.

She quickly stepped back. Perspiration dampened her skin and caused her T-shirt to stick to her breasts. It had to be over ninety degrees, and the humidity was so thick you could choke on a deep breath.

Trying to lighten the suddenly charged mood, she asked, “How in the world can you sleep in this heat?” He pushed himself to his feet and righted the chair. He was a good head taller than her, with sleek, tanned shoulders twice as wide as hers. She felt equal parts fascination and intimidation. She didn’t like it. She would never let another man affect her in either way. When he looked down at her, his expression somewhat brooding, she gave her patented careless grin and winked. “Out all night carousing and now you’re too exhausted to stay awake?”

He stepped forward, and she quickly stepped

back—then had to keep stepping back until her body came into contact with the wood railing. He towered over her, not smiling, taking her in from head to toe. If Misty hadn’t known for a fact that she had the right house, and if Honey hadn’t assured her that all the men were beyond honorable, she’d have been just a tad more worried than she was. “Uh, is anyone else here?”

“No.”

“No?” Now she was getting worried. “What about your brothers? And wasn’t your mother supposed to be visiting, too?”

He frowned, but didn’t back up a single pace. He was so close she could smell the spicy scent of his heated skin.

She held her breath.

“My mother had a slight emergency and she won’t be able to make it after all. My brothers and my nephew are all in town together, enjoying a Saturday off.”

They were alone! She could barely form a coherent sentence with him deliberately crowding her so. She had a suspicion that was why he did it. She swallowed and asked, “What about Honey?”

His gaze sharpened and his dark brows pulled down in a ferocious frown. “She’s with them.” He looked her over again, very slowly this time. To her, it seemed as if he was savoring the experience. Then he asked, “Just who the hell are you, lady?”

His expression was bland, but there was something in his tone, a mixture of heat and expectation. Misty bit her lip, then stuck out her hand, warding him off and offering a belated introduction. “Misty Malone.” Her voice broke, and she had to clear her throat. “I’m Honey’s sister.”

His expression froze, then abruptly hardened as he stepped away without taking her hand. “Ah, hell.” He glared an accusation, then added, “That wasn’t at all what I wanted to hear.”

End of Excerpt