Page 46 of One Hot Moment

Both women stop walking at the same instant. And both gawp at me as if I suggested we should have a ménage à trois here in this clearing.

Sabrina's mouth has fallen open. "You would invite me to your brother's wedding?"

"Yes. Why not? Believe me, my family would love to meet you and your parents."

Tabitha blinks rapidly, her eyes wide. "You could get invites for our whole family?"

"Isn't that what I just said? It's my brother's wedding. I can invite whomever I like. You and your family have been incredibly welcoming to me, a complete stranger, so the least I can do is give you a lovely little weekend holiday in England."

No one speaks for several seconds.

Then Tabitha and Sabrina rush at me as one, hugging me and kissing my cheeks, jumping up and down, laughing too.

Tabitha plants a hard kiss on my mouth. "Thank you, Spence. You're the best."

"It's not as if I proposed marriage."

"You did something even better. You've just become a member of our family."

"Do I get a T-shirt or something?"

She rubs her thumb over my lips. "You get something even better. You can call me Tabby."

Chapter Twenty

Tabitha

Sabrina's eyes widen so much that I wonder if she's having a stroke until she blinks quickly as if she's getting grit out of her eye. Then my sister does a cartoon-like double take, purposely trying to look silly and exaggeratedly shocked. "Tabitha 'don't call me Tabby' Remington just gave someone permission to use her nickname. Wow, Spence, my sister must be totally in love with you."

"I never said 'don't call me Tabby.' I prefer my full name most of the time, that's all. You, Mom, and Dad have always called me Tabby."

"But the guys you dated never did."

"So what?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you again? You're completely in love with Spencer the Halfenaked guy." She glances at the man in question. "If you want to live up to your name and whip your shirt off, it's fine by me."

I groan and lift my gaze to the sky. "Get a grip, Bree. When did you become a boy-crazy teenager? You're too old for that."

"Oh, you mean like how you're too old to sing along with cheesy old eighties pop songs in your car at full blast."

"It's retro, sweetie."

Spencer seems rather amused by our sisterly behavior. "This is the first I've heard of Sabrina having a nickname. May I call you Bree?"

"Honey, you can call me anything you like. The cowboy who finally roped my sister deserves applause and a medal."

This conversation is starting to annoy me. How did that happen? I'm the freest free spirit in our family. I guess I'm feeling territorial about Spencer. Maybe I should tell him how I feel---but not in front of my sister.

Sabrina starts walking again, leading us up to her little house. It's pink. Thankfully, Bree has good taste and chose a pale pink shade rather than a gaudy color. She does know how to decorate a house. I have to give her credit for that. Sabrina is one of the smartest people I know, though she does a great job of hiding that fact. Well, people say that about me too. Bohemians tend to get a bad rap.

We aren't goofballs. We're just free spirits.

Spencer loves that about me.

As we halt at the front door, Sabrina turns toward us. "Now, Spence, I know you like Tabby's house. But mine is a little different."

"Yes, I can already see that. Pink is a good choice for the exterior. It suits you."

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