He's the One by Jane Beckenham (ready to read books .TXT) 📗

"You make it sound like a competition!"

"Not quite, but it's like a game of baseball. First base, second, third, et cetera. Besides, a little competition never hurt anyone."

Taylor's eyes widened in horror. “How many bases are there exactly?” Her fingers griped her pen, twisting it. Any thing to stop her hands from shaking.

Nita shrugged and gave her a sheepish grin. “A few."

Oh, god. “This is worse than I expected."

"Okay, okay. Keep your pants on.” Nita giggled at her own joke. “Well, maybe not."

"Nita!” Taylor warned.

"Firstly, there's kissing, lip-to-lip lock. You've done that, right?"

Taylor nodded as the “kissing” video revved up in her brain. Hotter than hot. Cade Harper was one good kisser.

"Then there's the tongue. Well, his tongue and yours, actually.” Nita eyed her.

"Don't ask me."

"Honey, one look at you and I don't need to. Now, let's see. Third base is the touchy feely stuff."

"No more.” Taylor held up her hand. “That's it. Don't ask me any more; don't even look at me. I'm not sure I can do this. I mean, I want to."

Man, did she want to.

Cade set her pulses racing without a doubt.

"He's turned me down twice."

"Two times, huh?"

"What do you mean, huh?"

"It's serious,” Nita informed, her smile fading.

Taylor found herself sitting on the edge of her seat. Sweat beaded between her breasts, and her throat felt suddenly desert dry. “Bad serious?"

"Yep."

The pen skittered from her fingers and across the desk. She needed a drink. “How bad?"

"Let's look at this way. Cade's no slouch in the lady department, right?"

Taylor nodded. Definitely temptation in one hunky package.

"So all we have to do is get him into you, proverbially speaking that is."

"What do you mean we?"

"Taylor, don't they say two heads are better than one?"

"Yeah,” she agreed as a great deal of trepidation mounted to dangerous proportions with every passing second. “I'm not sure I like that look on your face, Nita. What have you got in mind?” She really shouldn't have asked but couldn't help herself.

A devious glint darkened Nita's green eyes, and she gave Taylor a know-it-all sort of smile. “Wait and see, Taylor. Like Cinderella, you'll get your man."

"But Cinders wanted the whole kit and caboodle, Nita Brown. She wanted marriage to Prince Charming and the whole two point four kids. I don't want commitment, remember? I just want to get on with my life, get this whole thing over with."

"You need a plan. You phoned Cade yet?"

"No. Of course not."

"What ya mean ‘no'? How you going to get that boy between the sheets unless you're in his face, Taylor Sullivan? Women are allowed to phone the male species, you know."

Desperation warred in Taylor's belly. “What do I say? ‘So, Cade, when do we get between the sheets?’”

"Sounds proactive."

"Humbug,” Taylor wailed. “What on earth am I doing?"

"Oh, Taylor, Taylor. Boy, do you need me."

"Like a hole in the head.” Taylor hugged her diary to her chest as a protective shield.

Nita chuckled, and Taylor realized, then and there, she had no way out. Nita was like the proverbial dog with a bone, and she wasn't about to let go. “Come on; I'll get the coffee, then we can get down and strategize."

"You make it sound like an armored attack."

"Could be,” she chuckled, tapping the side of her nose as if she had some huge secret she was about to divulge. “A lady needs her armor."

"In that case, you had better make my coffee strong and black."

"An espresso coming right up. And while I'm doing that, take a look at some reading material.” Nita dug into the leather satchel she used as bag and passed Taylor a pile of books.

Taylor's cheeks burned as her eyes glazed over the titles. “Read...” Oh, Lordy.

Sex and the Single Man.

Want It Hot?

"You better make that a double shot coffee."

Chapter Five

"Man, are you grumpy.” Zane Harper straddled the rickety wooden chair in front of Cade's desk.

Cade hissed out a resigned sigh. It didn't look as if his younger brother would move any time soon.

"Back off, Zane.” Issued as it was through gritted teeth, Zane should have realized he was on dangerous ground. He didn't.

"Yep, definitely cantankerous. Katie said you weren't your usual chirpy self this morning."

Cade picked at a stray thread on his jeans. It started to unravel. Typical! “Get lost, Zane."

"Late night, was it?” Zane folded his arms across the back of the chair. Nope, he definitely wasn't about to move.

His brother was driving him nuts. Cade grunted. “None of your damn business."

Zane grinned. “Now that's where you're wrong. Trust me. You know I look up to you; you're my elder brother, after all."

"Try looking for the exit instead."

"Why would I do that, when I can see you need to talk? Anything you want to tell me?"

"To you? You are joking. You'd spread gossip around the bar in ten seconds flat."

"There's gossip?"

Cade's mouth turned down, hands fisting at his sides. He wanted to punch his brother's lights out. Frustration gnawed in his gut, hell, his groin, too, if he was truthful. He'd had a hard on since ... well, since Taylor Sullivan waltzed into his bar with a proposal that was as outlandish as it was exciting, which jerk that he was, he'd agreed to.

Trouble was, belatedly, he'd come up with some fool idea of gentlemanly behavior.

Dumb move. All the cold showers in Antarctica wouldn't ease the ache he felt right now.

He looked up at his brother. “What are you looking so pleased about?"

"Just figured it out. You said you didn't have a late night."

Cade felt the pulse in his jaw flicker and gritted his teeth.

"So, it must be a lady. You didn't get laid last night, is that it?"

"Don't be so crude, Zane."

"We're family. I'm looking out for you. Katie said some classy chick came in here the other night."

"I don't need looking after, Zane. I've looked after myself since I was ten years old, remember?"

"Yeah, and you haven't forgotten it. When are you going to let it go, Cade?"

"What is it with you and Katie? Both of you