Page 18 of Playing with Temptation

Kendra acknowledged his statement with a small nod. Navia had been furious with her when she broke up with Nate. The rest of the Johnston clan eventually made peace with the situation, but not Navia. She’d probably never forgive her for hurting her twin brother.

“How is Vi doing, anyway? Still calling for my head on a stake?”

Nate grinned. “Nah. She’s softened up a little. Now she just wants to see you in stocks for a week or two.”

Kendra laughed. “She’s warming up to me again. Good to know. And what does she think about this little arrangement?”

He slipped off his expensive leather shoes and shrugged his broad shoulders. “Haven’t talked to her about it yet. You know how worked up Vi gets about everything. Marcus and I thought it was best if we waited until we had some viable results to show her.”

“Guess I’m not the only one who’s afraid of your sister.”

“I spent nine months sharing a very small space with Vi.” He grinned as he spread a cream-colored cashmere throw over himself. “No one knows better what she’s capable of. If I were you, I’d try to wow her.”

Kendra pursed her lips. Nate was teasing her. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t check underneath her car seat for ticking devices—just in case.

CHAPTER 7

“Hello, Nate.” Greer Willis gave him an awkward hug—unlike the dozens she’d given him before. “Wade’ll be here shortly. He picked Jake and Mariah up from school.”

Greer’s demeanor was pleasant, but the narrowing of her blue eyes and the sharp pronunciation of his name—without any of the soft edges of her deep Southern accent—sufficiently conveyed her indignation.

She was sweet and cordial, but also fiercely protective of her family. An endearing quality when he wasn’t on the wrong side of it.

Today, he clearly was.

“Kendra!” An authentic smile lit Greer’s face, highlighting her natural beauty. She wrapped Kendra in a tight embrace. “Honey, it’s so good to see you. Hasn’t been the same without you.”

“Good to see you, too, Greer. I can’t wait to see the kids. How old are they?”

Greer threaded her arm through Kendra’s, leading her to the living room. “Jake is ten and Mariah is eight. They’ve grown like weeds since you saw them last. Noah is three and baby Allie is thirteen months. The little ones are down for a nap. You’ll see them soon enough. Can I get y’all something?”

“No, thank you. We’re good.” Kendra surveyed the impressive house. The architectural gem was made up mostly of local fieldstone, walls of glass and a symphony of light-colored woods. “My God, Greer, this place is gorgeous. The architecture…and those views. It’s stunning.”

Greer’s grin widened and her cheeks colored. She was still a small-town Alabama girl who grew up on a working farm, never imagining a charmed life. It was one of the reasons Nate had always genuinely liked and respected her. Greer and Wade were good, down-to-earth folks. His friends.

He’d hurt them both.

“Still can’t believe we get to wake up here every day.” A strand of Greer’s wavy honey-blond hair escaped her low ponytail. She tucked it behind her ear. “I’ll show you around when the little ones wake. Meantime, have a seat. I’ll ask Edison to fetch y’all’s bags and take ’em to the guesthouse.”

“There’s a guesthouse?” Kendra eased onto the large gray sectional. It blended nicely with maple flooring stained the same shade of gray as the driftwood that washed ashore on the beach back home. Kendra laughed. “What am I thinking? Of course there’s a guesthouse. How much land do you have here?”

“’Bout a hundred acres. We’ll take you for a tour tomorrow, when there’s plenty of daylight.”

Chest burning and his mouth dry, Nate paced behind the sofa rather than taking a seat.

Until he saw the anguish that dulled Greer’s blue eyes, he hadn’t considered the collateral damage he’d caused.

“Greer, I’m sorry I got you caught up in this.” The words blurted from his mouth.

“I know you are, Nate. But it’s a bell you can’t un-ring.” She shrugged. “Who knows, maybe somethin’ good’ll come out of all of this after all. Now, have a seat, please. You’re making me nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, pacing like that.”

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