Lush (10 page)
28S
to our busy schedules. I like him. He’s sexy and funny and tal-
29N
ented.” She shrugged.
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“I’ve seen the celebrity news.” Ryan was calmer than Cal,
01
but no less intense. Maybe more once you scratched the surface.
02
She heard the warning and wanted him to know she understood.
03
“So have I. I know what he is. But I think he’s more than the
04
shorthand we know from the Internet. Anyway, I’m not going
05
to marry him, for heaven’s sake. I’m going to fuck him and let
06
him make me laugh and enjoy his company. I’m not stupid.”
07
Ryan closed his eyes and she winked at Daisy, who tried very
08
hard not to laugh.
09
“Surely you didn’t think we were playing Yahtzee and mak-
10
ing s’mores.”
11
“I try very hard not to think about whatever you get up to
12
with your boyfriends. You’re our baby sister, we worry.”
13
She squeezed her brother’s hand. “Thank you. I appreciate
14
it. But I’m good.”
15
“If he hurts you, I’m going to crush his nuts.”
16
That made her laugh. “Deal.”
17
18
19
Amazing how fast a fl ight went when you were on a private
20
plane. Mary made a note to herself to make Adrian something
21
yummy in thanks.
22
There’d been a limo waiting for them at the airport as well.
23
It took them straight into the city to the hotel Adrian had 24
arranged for them. She loved New York City. Loved the lights.
25
Loved the way the city simply never stopped. She loved the res-
26
taurants, the clubs, loved the museums and the shopping. The
27
next few days would be so much fun.
S28
She’d barely gotten her toiletries out and on the counter in
N29
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Lauren Dane
01
the bathroom before people were at her door. She smiled as she
02
opened up to admit them.
03
Levi and Daisy stood with Jules, Gideon, Cal and Ryan.
04
“We want to see your view.” Ryan came in and everyone fol-
05
lowed. The view was pretty spectacular, she had to admit.
06
“One, I’m starving and two, it’s not that late, especially on
07
West Coast time. I want to go the Empire State Building. I hear
08
it’s open late.”
09
Jules nodded. “I looked it up. It is. I want to go.” She pulled
10
her phone out. “I want to check in with Gillian fi rst.”
11
Of course she’d looked it up. “Good idea.” Mary’s phone
12
rang at that moment and she saw that it was Damien.
13
“Hello.” She knew she grinned, but he made her giddy, so
14
why not.
15
“I hear your plane arrived. We’re making our way back to
16
the city. Do you have plans yet?”
17
“We were just talking about dinner and the Empire State
18
Building. Jules is checking in with Gillian to see what’s up with
19
them.”
20
“Will you call me and let me know where you’re having din-
21
ner? I’ll come down and meet you.”
22
“Sure. We’re doing the touristy thing fi rst, I imagine. Then
23
dinner.” She wanted to see him. Felt that little zing his presence
24
had brought with it. And then she was so getting naked with him.
25
“I’ll see you in a bit, then.”
26
She hung up to fi nd everyone staring. “No.” She sent Cal a
27
warning glance.
28S
“No what, Tiny?”
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“Tiny, my patootie. You hush. You have a boyfriend
and
a
01
girlfriend. You don’t get to be judgy about my life. I support
02
your choices, butthead.”
03
Cal stepped closer, kissing her cheek. “Aw now, I’m not being
04
judgy. I just want him to be perfect. He’s got a reputation. I don’t 05
want you to get hurt.”
06
Big brothers. Even when they were all adults they wanted to
07
protect her. Which she usually thought was sweet. “We went
08
over this on the plane. I’m not getting hurt. I know what he is.
09
This is fun. This is sex and hanging out with someone I enjoy.
10
I have a life. I’m not giving that up to hitch my wagon to some
11
hot- stuff bachelor. When I settle down, I know the difference
12
between right now and Mr. Right. I’m not stupid. We have good
13
chemistry. That’s all. And that’s all it needs to be.”
14
“Leave her be, Calvin. Your sister is a smart one. She’s per-
15
fectly capable of managing her life.” Jules sent him a look and
16
he rolled his eyes before giving Ryan a different sort of look.
17
They’d keep an eye on things, she knew.
18
Which was fi ne as long as they didn’t act like jerks.
19
“Gillian says they’ll meet us in the lobby in fi fteen minutes.
20
Miles is all over the Empire State Building idea.” Jules nodded
21
toward Daisy. “Did you bring your camera?”
22
Daisy, who loved to take pictures, held up her bag. “Brought
23
the little one for tonight.”
24
Mary had left hers at home, sitting on her dining room table.
25
Damn.
26
“Let’s get moving. I’ll treat you to a drink before everyone
27
meets us down there.” Cal linked his arm through hers.
S28
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01
• • •
03
“Hurry the fuck up.” Paddy’s driving left something to be desired.
04
He drove like an old woman, not in any great rush to get back
05
to Manhattan. They’d been out at the Hamptons looking at a
06
place they were thinking of buying and giving to their parents.
07
“You got a date or something? What’s the hurry?”
08
“As it happens, Mary just arrived and I want to have dinner
09
with her.”
10
“Oooh, the famous Mary. Can’t wait to fi nally see this chick
11
you’ve been mooning over.”
12
Vaughan shifted his legs. “Ignore him. He’s just jealous. She
13
sounds pretty fabulous. Gillian was talking about her last week.
14
Saw some pictures. Hot.”
15
“She is. Hot, that is. Smart too. Talented. Don’t tell Mom
16
but she’s the most amazing cook. Anyway, I like spending time
17
with her. Is that a crime?”
18
“No. Can we come to dinner too? I’m starving.” Vaughan
19
rubbed his belly.
20
“You’re always starving. But yes, you can come. I think Adrian
21
and their friends will be there too. I’ll get her alone later.”
22
They dropped the car off twenty minutes later and he called
23
to see where they were.
24
“We’re in the lobby still. Trying to get all these people mov-
25
ing is like herding cats. Poor Jules doesn’t deal with chaos well.
26
She’s the organizer of the group.”
27
He walked around the corner and saw her there, smiling at
28S
her friends as she spoke to him.
29N
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“That works.” He hung up and tapped her on the shoulder.
01
“Hey there.”
02
Her confusion melted into a smile and he leaned down to
03
kiss her.
04
“Welcome to Manhattan.”
05
“Are you the offi cial welcome wagon? I can’t imagine the
06
budget for such a thing.”
07
He kissed her once more quickly because he had to taste a
08
little more.
09
“Just for you.”
10
“Aw, does that mean we don’t get to kiss her?”
11
He looked over his shoulder. “Don’t think so. Mary Whaley,
12
this is my older brother, Patrick, but everyone calls him Paddy,
13
and my younger brother, Vaughan. Guys, this is Mary.”
14
She shook their hands and made introductions as well.
15
“I’m so hungry. We need to go now. Take pity on me, please.”
16
She headed toward the doors and everyone followed. He took
17
her hand and she smiled up at him.
18
“Have you eaten at the Gramercy Tavern yet?” They’d eaten
19
there the last time he and his brothers had been in Manhattan.
20
He fi gured she’d love it.
21
Her face lit and he was glad he’d suggested it. “I’ve wanted
22
to but didn’t have time the last visit.”
23
“Since you’re so hungry would you like to eat fi rst? Then we
24
can head to the Empire State Building.”
25
Adrian nodded. “Good idea. Let’s get a cab over and I’ll see
26
if we can’t get a big table or one of their private rooms. Short
27
notice I know, but it’s a weeknight.”
S28
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01
And he had the juice to make it happen. Damien bet tables
02
opened up for Adrian on short notice all the time.
03
The doorman grabbed them two cabs and they headed over.
04
Mary ended up between him and his brothers in their cab.
05
“So, Mary, we hear you’re amazing in the kitchen.” Paddy
06
gave her a Hurley grin and she grinned back.
07
“I do okay in the kitchen, I’m told.” She paused and then
08
snorted. “That’s bull crap. Yes, I am amazing in the kitchen.”
09
Paddy laughed and Damien squeezed the hand he was
10
holding.
11
“I like to cook so I’m lucky I’m good at it and that I can make
12
a living from it.”
13
Vaughan nodded. “I hear that.”
14
“What were you all up to today?”
15
“We went out to the Hamptons to look at a house for my
16
parents. Running a ranch is a huge job and my dad loves it. But
17
he and my mom need some time away from it. We can run it
18
while he’s on vacation. But they’d never go if we didn’t do this.”
19
“Well, by ‘we can run it,’ what Damien really means is that
20
Ezra, our oldest brother, can run it and tell us what to do and
21
we’ll do it. We can shovel and lift things and put out fencing
22
and that sort of thing. But Ez, well, he’s the brains at the ranch.
23
He’ll take over from our dad when it’s time.”
24
“What do you all, um, produce? Ranch?”
25
“Pears, alfalfa and hay. The hay is new. My brother thought
26
it would be good to diversify and when we bought some extra
27
acreage fi ve years ago, he started then.”
28S
“I love pears. What kind?”
29N
“Anjou.”
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Her eyes lit and he really, really liked it. “I have a recipe for
01
pear and gorgonzola soup that I make with red Anjous. So good.”
02
Their mother would adore her.
03
“Ah, here we are.”
04
He got out fi rst, helping her from the back, sliding an arm
05
around her shoulders as she leaned into him.
06
Paddy raised a brow at him but a hint of a smile lived on his
07
mouth.
08
Cal’s gaze moved over them and Damien read the concern
09
on her brother’s features. But his girlfriend tipped his chin in
10
her direction and kissed him quickly.
11
They were met and led to a table in a lovely private room.
12
“Damn, remind me to travel with you more often.” Vaughan