Filed to story: Help! I’m Falling for My Dad’s Best Friend Novel Free
Huh.
After the initial shock passes and the bullshit pleasantries are exchanged, my mother pats my shoulder and yaps happily, oblivious to my desire to kill her friend. “Harper’s a sophomore at Brown, too! Maybe you two could entertain each other?”
Crap. I honestly don’t need this. In my mom’s mind, I’m a five-year-old who needs help playing nice with a new friend. At the moment, I actually want to grab my father’s hunting rifle and herd Mr. Collins at gun point back to the SUV and spirit him far, far away from this madness.
Sayonara peeps, hello Hawaii. Bangkok. Bali. Wherever they can’t find us. I force a massive, sweet, fake smile as I try to tame the bitch prowling inside me. Carolyn is checking out Mr. Collins while Brandon treats me with the same sweeping gaze.
Mr. Collins and I glare at each other, unhappy.
My parents remain blissfully oblivious. Good grief.
Acting the gracious host, I show Carolyn and Brandon to their rooms. I know they’ve got a cabin not far away but, apparently, my mother decided wooing was best done in close quarters. When my grandfather built the cabin in the fifties, he’d blown his savings on the place, thinking he’d retire to the woods in style. Even though it’s big enough to be called the “log mansion”, we still refer to it as the cabin.
The cabin has two stories and six bedrooms upstairs, all sharing on large bathroom. The master bedroom is situated on the first floor, right along with the open kitchen that extends to the living room. Add in the hot tub on the back patio and it’s a veritable heaven on earth. There’s nothing like sliding into hot watery bubbles while surrounded by snow.
I give Carolyn and Brandon rooms on the left side of the hall while I make sure I’m in the room next to Mr. Collins’s.
And oh, what a coincidence, my room has an inner connecting door to his.
Huh. Wonder how that happened.
My room used to be my nursery when I was growing up, and my dad installed the connecting door so my nanny had easy access to me.
My mother is a blue-blood Southern belle to her toes and thinks a maid and nanny are necessities.
The moment I show Brandon his room, he strikes up a conversation.
“So, you go to Brown… I don’t think we’ve ever seen each other on campus.” He’s six-four, nice, toned body and takes after his mother in the good looks department with his pale blond hair and shockingly blue eyes.
I nod. I gotta play a little nice. “It’s an enormous place. I still get lost now and again.”
He drops his bag on the foot of the bed. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” He turns toward me, rubbing his palms together. “So, are you dating anyone?”
Wow. Blunt.
My eyes widen, and now he gives me a small, sheepish grin. “Sorry, just curious. I figure, a pretty girl like you probably has guys lining up, right?”
Well, the guy’s got balls.
“No, not really.” I want to tell him the man I’m sleeping with is currently being ogled by his mother. Of course, I can’t do that, huh?
He nods, a different kind of smile in place, and heat in his eyes. “I’m not seeing anyone either.”
Now, I figure he’s yanking my chain or hiding deep in the closet. With his looks, girls should be chasing him. I’m seriously staring at a young Brad Pitt. And from my experience, these hotties score with nine out of ten women they meet.
“Oh,” I nod. “Awesome.” Before he can put any sort of “moves” on me, I conjure an excuse to get the hell away from him. “I, uh, have to help my mom with dinner. Maybe you can help? Chop some wood for the fireplace?”
“Sure. I’ve helped my dad before.”
“Awesome.” I edge closer to the door, my escape in sight. “I’ll see you downstairs.”
I glide into the hallway and slam into Mr. Collins. I seize him, dig my nails into his muscled arm. He’s wearing an olive shirt that’s molded to his muscular body like a second skin. I lean forward and whisper, careful of our surroundings. “If you flirt with her, I swear I will kill you with my newly attained ninja skills.”
Okay, I have no ninja skills, but I’d get them just to kick his ass.
Mr. Collins only smiles in return, knows what I mean. My mom had been a bit over the top when she’d introduced him to Carolyn. Even the village idiot would have seen she was playing matchmaker.
He lowers his head, whispers back, “Wanna ditch this place and head to Vegas? Grab a quickie?”
“Why do we have to go to Vegas? My room is, like, ten feet away.”
His eyes blaze, and I’m struck by the naked want, desire and a little something else in his eyes. “Quickie wedding.”
I release him as if his touch burns, and I know my mouth is hanging open. I flutter. I stammer. My cheeks heat and I know I’m bright freaking red. “Y-you’re crazy…”
Mr. Collins just shakes his head, clucks his tongue, and then shimmies past me, heads into his bedroom, leaving me alone and flabbergasted with his crazy suggestion.
Wedding? Is he serious?
My face is on fire. Seriously. Every time I think I’m in control, he raises everything to another level. Is he just f**king with me?
“You okay?”
The voice startles me, and I jump with a high-pitched squeak.