Page 49 of Wild Bliss

It wasn’t. When she sat with the problem and asked herselfwhat she should do, she went back completely on everything she’d said before.That had been her fear speaking. What did her hope think about the situation?“My instinct is to fuck the man until he can’t imagine not being in my bed.”

Elisa grinned her way. “And that’s a problem, why?”

Sabrina wasn’t the only one doing a one eighty today. “Ithought I was too delicate to have a simple sexual relationship with a man.”

“I did not say that,” Elisa announced with a shake of herhead. “I said I thought you were too emotional to want nothing but sex from aman. Sex isn’t all you want from Sawyer. You like him.”

Sometimes she wished she didn’t. He was complex. He wasgoing to be such a hard nut to crack, but here she was. “I do. I’m surprised,but there are layers to the man I didn’t imagine, layers that go so well withWyatt’s. He’s practical to Wyatt’s dreamer. He’s oddly artistic. He’s grumpy ashell, but I think it’s because he expects to be alone for the rest of his life.His grandfather was. His grandad lost his wife and then his only daughter, andhe had to raise three teenaged boys alone. But I can see so plainly Sawyerwants more. He just doesn’t know how to get it. Or if he’s willing to lethimself have it.”

“So give it to him for a while and see if time and proximitycan change his mind,” Elisa offered. “Tell him you’re willing to sleep with himand date Wyatt, and he doesn’t owe you anything more than a good time in bed.”

Sabrina felt her eyes widen. “Who are you?”

Elisa chuckled. “I’m a woman who is learning to trust in hersister’s seemingly endless strength. I’m sorry I was so…like our mom the otherday. I was worried about you getting your heart broken, but I forgot how youcan’t feel joy if you don’t also feel sorrow. Mom thought she wouldn’t have tofeel grief or loneliness if she never loved or needed anyone. I think the onlything in the world worse than grief is emptiness. Go after what you want,Brina. Be ruthless if you think you’re good for him. And if he breaks yourheart…”

The thought didn’t terrify her the way it used to. A brokenheart could be mended. An empty one couldn’t. “I’ll have my sister to hold mewhile I cry. I’ll have Cassidy making me tea and cakes, and Dad will threatento bring the Neluts down on Sawyer’s ass.”

Her sister shook her head. “He means that literally. I got abig lecture on how they impregnate males. It was terrible. I can’t unsee it.There were slides.”

Sabrina laughed. “I’ll make sure to let Sawyer know to avoidall aliens. But seriously, I won’t want revenge on him. I want a shot with himbecause I don’t know if Wyatt will be completely happy without him, and I knowdamn straight Sawyer will never be happy alone. At least if I get my heartbroken, I’ll have had some spectacular sex.”

Elisa’s grin went wide. “Who would have guessed the boringLeal girls would be so wild?”

“No one. Not a single person.”

“I want you happy, and happiness sometimes requires risk, soI say go for it,” her sister pronounced. “I would take you shopping and get yousome sexy clothes, but we live here and our options are limited. We’ll have tofly to Denver for a weekend and go shopping.”

It would be a fun way to spend a weekend, but she wasn’tsure she needed it. “He seems to like me no matter what I wear. Attractionisn’t the problem. Getting through all of his walls is.”

“Wear him down, sister,” a practical voice said.

Sabrina looked up, and Rachel Harper stood in the doorway, ababy on her hip.

Callie Hollister-Wright was beside her and managed to looksheepish. “Sorry. We came by to talk about the lunch menu for next week anddidn’t want to interrupt.”

Sabrina gave the women her best teacher stare. “Didn’t wantto interrupt or didn’t want to miss a word?”

Callie winced, but Rachel simply strode in. “The secondpart. So you’re going to take Sawyer down? Are you sure because I have…”

Rachel could be a wrecking ball when she wanted to be. “I amnot dating anyone but Wyatt Kemp. I am thoroughly taken, so don’t set me upwith anyone. Move on to Delilah.”

Elisa stood and grabbed her hat. “I will let you get back towork, sis. Rachel, Callie.”

They both acknowledged her sister as she walked out.

“Fine,” Rachel said, shifting the young boy to her otherhip. The youngest Harper simply yawned and laid his head on his mom’s shoulder.“I’ve been waiting for someone to come in and take Sawyer in hand.”

“In hand?” She knew? She’d taken him “in hand” severaltimes.

“She means she wants to be able to get things out of Sawyerwithout actually having to talk to him,” Callie corrected. “Like wheneveranyone needs something from Max, they go straight to Rachel, or when peoplethink Nate’s in a bad mood, they come to me.”

“Speaking of, I am not paying that ticket,” Rachel informedher friend. “You tell Nate if he needs a new copy machine, he can ticket Stef.”

“You were going twenty miles over the speed limit,” Calliebegan and then waved her off. “We’ve talked a lot about how Sawyer could spruceup the bar and maybe have a better wine selection.”

“And a girls night,” Rachel said, taking a seat.

“Doesn’t Callie own a bar?” She knew the answer since shewas going there tonight. For her date.

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