Read Online Where There's Smoke by M. J. Fredrick - Free Book Online Page A

you should know it's something I've been thinking about for awhile."
    He saw the surprise on her face before suspicion took over. “How long is awhile?"
    "A few weeks."
    "Since the bathroom."
    It took a minute for her meaning to sink in, then it hit him with all the warmth of a steamy shower. You know, the kind that had clingy garments sticking to curvy bodies. Those kind of thoughts he shouldn't even be thinking in a church parking lot.
    "I never thought of you as the silky-underthings type."
    "I'm not."
    "But you were—"
    "Everything else was dirty."
    Not the choice of words he'd use, in his state of mind. Or out of his mind, take your pick.
    She tilted her head and looked at him, no longer defensive. Curious maybe. “So you've been looking at me and seeing—"
    He covered his face with his hands. “Stop. I don't want to think about it."
    She squared her shoulders with a bit of swagger. Pride. Power. Hell.
    "So is this a good thing, or a bad thing?” she asked.
    "You know all the reasons this can't happen.” Only she didn't, not all. And he couldn't tell her.
    "I know the kiss was incredible."
    Damn straight. “And you know what kind of man I am.” God, it hurt to say that, even more than he expected. But that was all she had to know. “It's not worth risking our friendship, Lauren. I'm sorry."
    But somehow, she didn't look all that upset about it.
    * * * *
    So. It was out in the open. Seth sat beside Lauren in the restaurant. The wedding party and the family were seated in the upstairs loft of the Market Square restaurant, surrounded by garish sombreros and piñatas, things tourists expected to see in a San Antonio restaurant. The group was loud, tension high in anticipation of tomorrow's wedding. Next to him, Lauren chattered with his Tia Sarah. Everything was okay, back to normal. He could look at her now that they'd talked. He could look and not see the sexy lady he'd kissed breathless. Yep. Liberating.
    Normal was good.
    And then she brushed his leg with hers under the table; an accident, while adjusting her chair so his Tia Angelica could get by. He shifted out of the way, watching Lauren's face. No reaction.
    Then something soft and unmistakably female brushed his arm. Was that cotton sliding over silk? Hell and damn. His bite of enchilada wedged in his throat as Lauren sat back, holding the plastic tortilla holder, her expression innocent. No one could tell him she hadn't felt that, even if she hadn't done it on purpose.
    He wouldn't think about it. He'd talk to his Tia Virginia across the table. Nothing remotely sexual about that.
    Lauren ducked in front of him to talk to his little sister Lisette on his other side. Her hair brushed his arm, his lap; he swallowed hard, his body heating. He shoved back from the table, but before he stood, Lauren gave him a very female, very evil look.
    She knew just what she was doing.
    And what the hell was he going to do about it?
    Then, she went perfectly still. “What is my mother doing here?"
    He turned to see Valerie Stokes approach the table, very elegant in a flowing dress, her eyes searching the table. Lauren's breath hitched when Valerie spotted the only empty chair, right next to Mitch.
    "Have they even spoken since Thanksgiving?” Seth asked.
    Lauren made a noncommittal noise, but he turned to see her gaze riveted to the scene. “Why is she here?” she asked again.
    Seth scanned the table and found the culprit with a smug look in her eyes as she passed the salsa. “My mother."
    "It's going to ruin everything for Crystal.” Seth heard the tension in her voice, wanted to reach into her and take it out.
    "Crystal will be fine,” he said, knowing it was true, even if disaster ensued.
    Valerie sat beside Mitch, who barely acknowledged her. So unlike Mitch, who was always a gentleman. Valerie's smile at Crystal was wavery, and she had yet to acknowledge her own daughter.
    "Look, you want to get out of here?” Seth asked, turning toward Lauren, desperate to