Page 14 of Crazy Imperfect Hearts

He cocks his head, no longer laughing. “Right. I forgot. You only sleep with the next future Mrs. Montana who never quite earns the title.”

I pick up the stress ball on the corner of his desk and throw it at him.

He catches it without missing a beat and squeezes. “So you had your first official hookup.” His head shakes slowly. “How you made it to thirty without one baffles me.” He toasts me with his Montana Winery coffee mug. “Cheers to popping your one-night stand cherry.”

When I don’t smile, laugh, or get up, he stares at me strangely.

“Luke,” he says, in a commanding voice reminiscent of our father. “You’re not telling me you want Regan Lucas to be your fifth almost-missus, are you?”

“No. Hell no. I’m just wondering what the protocol is for… seeing if she wants to do it again.”

He leans way back in his chair, thinking. The fingers on each of his hands tap together then steeple under his chin. “Whatyou’re really saying is you want a no-strings, friends-with-benefits relationship.”

I shrug. “At this point, that may be the only kind of relationship I should be having. I don’t intend on hurting another woman, Blake.”

“Well, it’s up to the girl. It’s always up to the girl.”

I breathe a small sigh of relief. “She said on Friday that she knew what it was, and she was okay with it.”

“Be careful,” he warns. “That’s how a lot of problems start. She could have just been trying to…” He trails off, immersed in his own thoughts. “You know what, I doubt Regan would do that.”

“Do what?”

“Try to trap you. You know, for the money. But no way, that’s not her.” He sits up straighter, feet now on the floor. “I say go for it, brother.”

“Yeah?”

“Sure. She’s single. She’s got a good head on her shoulders keeping a small business going. And man… those curves. She’s smoking hot.” He whispers the last part as if doing so won’t in any way be disrespectful to his wife. “But I’ll deny ever saying it.”

A mental picture of Regan in her underwear is suddenly front and center. “Tell me about it.” I shake it away and ask, “So exactly how do I have that conversation?”

“Like a thirty-year-old adult who helps run a billion-dollar winery.”

I furrow my brow. “This isn’t a business transaction, Blake.”

“No? Maybe it’s better if you both look at it as one. No feelings. Big payout.”

My head bobs up and down. I like the way he thinks. I get up to leave, then turn, one last thing niggling in the far corner of my mind. “Has a girl ever, um, faked it with you?”

He’s trying to mask his amusement, but he’s not doing a very good job. “I’m sure it’s happened. There were a lot of girls. Honestly, though, back then I wouldn’t have cared one way or the other.”

He looks ashamed. He truly has changed.

“So that’s what this is all about?” he asks. “You proving to yourself that you can get her off?”

“I’m not saying it didn’t happen. I’m just not a hundred percent sure.”

“Adulting isn’t that hard, Lucas. Try being one and ask her.”

“Since when does the youngest brother give the oldest one advice?”

“When he asks.”

I lean against the door frame. “You’ve really grown. Ellie and Maisy have been good for you.”

He holds both arms out in display. “Living proof that a leopard can change his spots.”

And now I’m thinking of Regan again. Her mouth. Her soft, sensuous body. Her maybe-maybe-not orgasm.

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