by: Traci Douglass
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 9, 2020
Publisher: Entangled ~ Bliss
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Worst. Sexy. Stepbrother. Ever.
Mandy Reynolds needs a reset on life in so many ways. Her acting career isn’t exactly where she’d hoped it to be. She can’t even get a job as a germ for a commercial. When she inherits half a house she sees it as a sign and heads home to Heavenly Falls, Illinois. She’ll sell the house, and use the money to take her career to the next level in Los Angeles. That is if she can convince her hard-headed––and stupidly gorgeous–– ex-stepbrother, Alex Noonan, to sell fast.
The last time Alex saw Mandy, she was a gangly teen, who followed him around like a sad puppy. But she’s grown into a smart and funny woman, who is as frustrating as she is beautiful. The fact that they have to live in the house––together––while they fix it up, is one temptation he doesn’t need. And while he’s having fun spending time with her, she’s moving on soon, and he needs time to heal.
Plus, she has no idea he’s got a secret that could put a monkey wrench in all of her plans...
Alex eyed Mandy from across the kitchen table, trying to decide if she was bluffing. He hadn’t played poker since college, and his skills were a bit rusty. Not to mention his ability to read people these days was wonky. Ever since the shooting, he hadn’t been able to trust his instincts. They’d failed him that day, what’s to say it wouldn’t happen again.
She tapped a finger against her full bottom lip. “I’ll see your bet and raise you a nickel.”
A knock at the front door kept Alex from making a bad gamble.
“Food’s here.” He laid his cards facedown on the table then stood and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “Be right back.”
“Make sure they gave us extra soy sauce,” she said from behind him. He glanced back at her, his gaze dropping to the sun on the front of her shirt, smiling at him from atop her breasts. He quickly looked away again, warmth flooding his system.
“Already asked for it when I ordered,” Alex called back as he reached the foyer, his words stumbling slightly. He cleared his throat then faced the delivery guy, paying him fast then grabbing the paper bags from his hands before shutting the door.
By the time he got back to the kitchen, Mandy had cleared away their card game.
He started pulling out their food and setting it in the middle of the table, including two bottles of soda. “They gave us plastic silverware and chopsticks, too.”
“Great.” Mandy tried to move past him at the same moment he turned to toss the empty bag on the counter, and they collided. Without thinking, he grabbed her shoulder to steady her, and a tingling rush of awareness zipped through his bloodstream, hot and bright and dangerous. Alex pulled away as if burned. “Sorry.”
“No, no.” Mandy backed up several steps, looking anywhere but at him. “My fault.”
Alex slumped into his chair and busied himself by mixing his rice into his kung pao chicken, his fingertips still abuzz from their brief, unexpected contact.
Mandy took the chair across from him and picked up a packet of chopsticks with one hand and her carton of shrimp lo mien with the other. “Guess I’m still in your way. Just like when we were kids. Hopefully it won’t be a problem, though, once we both get moved in. I plan to take a room on the second floor, to give us each some space and, you know…”
“You’re not in my way,” Alex said, hiding his wince at the lie. No, that wasn’t true. Until they settled the estate and he bought her out, she was most definitely in his way. And unfortunately, he did know. Things were difficult enough with people treating him differently since the shooting, thinking he was weak because he walked with a limp. The last thing he needed was more pity, especially from Mandy. “And stay where you want. I don’t care.”
She looked up at him, a flash of hurt in her blue eyes, and damn if he didn’t feel like he’d just kicked a puppy or something. Okay. Fine. Maybe that had come out harsher than he’d intended, but he just wished the awkwardness between them would go away already. It was going to be weird enough living under the same roof again after all these years. They didn’t need to be walking on eggshells around each other, too.
They ate in silence for a while, until Mandy asked, “So, what’s fun to do around Heavenly Falls these days?”
“I wouldn’t know.” Alex kept his head down as he chewed. “I don’t get out much.”
The weight of her stare burned a hole through him, and he finally hazarded a glance up. “What?”
“Jack mentioned earlier that you’re on permanent disability—”
“Jack says too much.” Alex scowled down at his plate again. “It’s not my leg. I get anxiety attacks.”
She tapped a finger against her full bottom lip. “I’ll see your bet and raise you a nickel.”
A knock at the front door kept Alex from making a bad gamble.
“Food’s here.” He laid his cards facedown on the table then stood and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. “Be right back.”
“Make sure they gave us extra soy sauce,” she said from behind him. He glanced back at her, his gaze dropping to the sun on the front of her shirt, smiling at him from atop her breasts. He quickly looked away again, warmth flooding his system.
“Already asked for it when I ordered,” Alex called back as he reached the foyer, his words stumbling slightly. He cleared his throat then faced the delivery guy, paying him fast then grabbing the paper bags from his hands before shutting the door.
By the time he got back to the kitchen, Mandy had cleared away their card game.
He started pulling out their food and setting it in the middle of the table, including two bottles of soda. “They gave us plastic silverware and chopsticks, too.”
“Great.” Mandy tried to move past him at the same moment he turned to toss the empty bag on the counter, and they collided. Without thinking, he grabbed her shoulder to steady her, and a tingling rush of awareness zipped through his bloodstream, hot and bright and dangerous. Alex pulled away as if burned. “Sorry.”
“No, no.” Mandy backed up several steps, looking anywhere but at him. “My fault.”
Alex slumped into his chair and busied himself by mixing his rice into his kung pao chicken, his fingertips still abuzz from their brief, unexpected contact.
Mandy took the chair across from him and picked up a packet of chopsticks with one hand and her carton of shrimp lo mien with the other. “Guess I’m still in your way. Just like when we were kids. Hopefully it won’t be a problem, though, once we both get moved in. I plan to take a room on the second floor, to give us each some space and, you know…”
“You’re not in my way,” Alex said, hiding his wince at the lie. No, that wasn’t true. Until they settled the estate and he bought her out, she was most definitely in his way. And unfortunately, he did know. Things were difficult enough with people treating him differently since the shooting, thinking he was weak because he walked with a limp. The last thing he needed was more pity, especially from Mandy. “And stay where you want. I don’t care.”
She looked up at him, a flash of hurt in her blue eyes, and damn if he didn’t feel like he’d just kicked a puppy or something. Okay. Fine. Maybe that had come out harsher than he’d intended, but he just wished the awkwardness between them would go away already. It was going to be weird enough living under the same roof again after all these years. They didn’t need to be walking on eggshells around each other, too.
They ate in silence for a while, until Mandy asked, “So, what’s fun to do around Heavenly Falls these days?”
“I wouldn’t know.” Alex kept his head down as he chewed. “I don’t get out much.”
The weight of her stare burned a hole through him, and he finally hazarded a glance up. “What?”
“Jack mentioned earlier that you’re on permanent disability—”
“Jack says too much.” Alex scowled down at his plate again. “It’s not my leg. I get anxiety attacks.”
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