Page 14 of Seducing Daddy

Chet was certainly a handsome man, yet I noted immediately he didn’t give me the same tingly feelings his brother did.

It was a relief to discover that someone hadn’t suddenly turned on my biological clock such that I could expect a season of perpetual horniness to ensue. My mind reeled with confusion at how Rex disturbed me with the raw power of attraction. I considered the implication of that while listening to the three of them exchange friendly banter.

Despite how hot Chet was, from a strictly objective point of view, I realized he wasn’t my man, and that threw me off. When did I come to think of his brother as mine?

Why did the expression even cross my mind?

Rex was stable.

Focused.

And determined to pursue me, I thought at the very moment his hand slipped under the table to rub the top of my thigh in a possessive and reassuring motion. Every fiber in my body warned me we’d get caught, and yet, I didn’t move his hand away. Instead, I allowed the fiery heat of his palm to seep through the borrowed sweatpants I wore and fantasized what it would feel like if his hand found its way beneath the elastic band of my sweats, pulled my bikini briefs aside, and worked his strong fingers inside me.

Dear God.

What an inappropriate thing to be thinking of at the breakfast table. A sure sign I might be falling for him.

Banishing the thought from my mind, I shook my head to myself, reprimanding the boldly sexual being that had taken over my body.

That oversexed minx hadn’t brainwashed the air of caution completely out of me.

If you lose yourself to him, you’ll lose yourself. You can’t let that happen again.

Maybe enjoying the company of these two handsome men, who their mother had raised so well, would help me grow whole again.

I convinced myself to relax.

It was one thing to hunger after a man and another thing entirely to go after him. The Pritchett life was a more peaceful existence than any I’d known. Mine became so tempestuous I’d no choice but to escape it here in this tiny town.

I was still a mess.

Rex wasn’t.

So why would he want me?

“Jolene?” Mrs. Pritchett asked, interrupting my internal apologies to myself. “You will stay, won’t you? It makes little sense to rent a hotel when I’ve got a perfectly suitable guest room all made up.”

Oh, crap.

I’d been spacing out while they were talking about me.

“I really appreciate the offer, Mrs. Pritchett.” Obviously, not stating out loud my fear that if I slept over again, I’d get involved with her son.

By that, I meant entering into a relationship with his penis.

Even though I had no intention of honing in on a member of the male species right now, I didn’t see how I had much of a choice about staying over. After using most of my savings to pay for my new website, I couldn’t afford to pay for a hotel.

I hated admitting that I wanted to spend more time with Rex, but a serene smile slid across his lips.

Pure male.

I couldn’t resist giving him a playful smirk right back.

It took time and space to heal. Hadn’t I given myself enough of both by now? Did I really need more? I’d proven I could make it on my own financially after leaving with nothing, but I would never forget what could happen if I dropped my guard and became intimate with someone.

Unfortunately, I currently needed Reverend Pritchett as much as this cup of coffee.

Chapter 8

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