Her Charming Heartbreaker by Sonia Parin

to rectify
the omission.”
    “Is that what the
ring—”
    “I was told to deliver
it to you. If you want to know more, you’ll have to ask Jon.”
    She looked down at her
hands. “I wasn’t after his money.”
    She would have had it,
in spades. If only she hadn’t kept Ben’s existence a secret. “I
don’t mean to sound crass, but Jon has plenty of it. Anyway, I’m
the one buying the couch.” He rubbed his face. “The prospect of
trying out the sleeping bag has me quaking in my boots. I’m just
not game to try the floor. The damage could be irreversible.”
    She laughed. “You
haven’t done much camping.”
    “None whatsoever. And
I’m not even prepared to fake it.”
    “You’re a lot like your
father, but he’s more of a rough diamond and you’ve been buffed...”
She tilted her head, “And yet, I can imagine you playing a cowboy.
I’m surprised you haven’t followed in your father’s footsteps.”
    “And he’ll never
forgive me for it.” He swung his feet off the couch. “I should get
a move on now. I need to contact the airlines and let them know
you’ll be traveling in my place. There’ll be some necessary
paperwork...” He also needed to do whatever he could to stop
himself from thinking about kissing Eddie Faydon.
    He swore under his
breath.
    He’d be keeping his
distance for a few hours, but then what? Eventually, he’d bump into
her. He couldn’t pretend it hadn’t happened. Nothing would erase
the memory of her lips from his mind… his body. Best to bring it
out into the open. Tackle the kiss head on. And tell her what?
    There were far too many
questions marching through his head. He’d bet anything she was
juggling a few of her own.
    Eddie Faydon deserved
answers. And he wouldn’t mind hearing some of them too. He hadn’t
inherited his father’s acting abilities, but they had similar
traits. Where women were concerned, both he and his father
exercised a sense of tact and exclusivity. One night flings simply
didn’t do it for them. Sure, unlike his father, he’d never married,
and he hadn’t always set up house with his partners, but there’d
always been the possibility of more...
    More of what, he had no
idea.
    It didn’t matter. He
only knew he wouldn’t be able to explore the possibilities with
Eddie. There simply wouldn’t be enough time. His life was
elsewhere.
    Regardless, he needed
to clear the air...
     
    * * *
     
    “Matthew. Mitch.
Markus,” Eddie said in a voice that spoke of calm and control, “I
know you cheat, so from now on, there’ll be no more drawing of
straws.”
    “What do you suggest we
do instead?” her older brother Markus asked.
    “It’s a fair system,”
Mitch insisted, his arms folded, his feet crossed at the
ankles.
    “Tried and tested,”
Matthew agreed. “It’s not our fault if you always draw the short
straw.”
    “How’s this for new
rules,” she said and slammed her hands against her hips, “As of
today, we have a roster system in place and there are only three
names on the list. Yours.”
    Matthew ruffled her
hair. “It’s not like you to throw a hissy fit. What’s up?”
    “Maybe I’m fed up with
always getting the raw of the deal.”
    Markus drew his
eyebrows down. “Is someone giving you a hard time?”
    Eddie crossed her arms
and pressed her lips together.
    “She’s clamped up. That
has to mean something,” Mitch said.
    “It’s an innocent
enough question, Red. Don’t make us hurt you.”
    She poked Markus on the
chest. “Don’t. Call me. Red.” He only ever did it when he knew he
could get a rise out of her.
    “It’s not Adam because
he promised to stay away, especially on Karaoke night.” Matthew
shook his head. “You should have known the microphone was on and
everyone would hear you.”
    “You talked to Adam?
Even after I told you I could handle it?”
    Mitch uncrossed his
feet and strode up to her. “Look me in the eye and tell me it’s not
Theo Kendrick.”
    “Stop sidestepping and
trying