Sheltering His Desire by Allyson Lindt Page A

the accent by default. His mother had taught him. She’d
said when it was used at the right time, it could shape all sorts
of impressions. He never had to use it around Lys. Which didn’t
matter because he wasn’t thinking about her.
    Brittany moved to his side, and rested a hand
on his arm. “What can I do for you, sugar?”
    He did this all the time, so why did it feel
so unnatural now? Because he was over-thinking it, that was why.
“Which do you recommend? Chef’s special, or catch of the day?”
    She twirled a strand of hair around her
finger. “Depends. Catch of the day is fresh, but chef’s special is
spicy. You look like you enjoy a little heat.” She winked.
    “Quite a bit.” He handed the menu back. She
was hooked, he was almost certain of it. A couple more lines, and
he’d have her number. Except he couldn’t force out the next line.
He couldn’t close.
    “Me too.” Vivian passed her menu between,
breaking a teasing gaze about to turn awkward.
    Brittany turned her attention to the rest of
the table, and after one last glance at him, moved on to other
customers. The conversation shifted from work, to the Memorial Day
barbeque his parents were holding in just over a week. When Jared
shifted his attention to his sister to ask her something about
their own parents, Vivian tilted her head toward Tate.
    “I’m surprised you didn’t snag her number.”
Vivian’s voice was low enough only Tate would hear.
    Tate glanced at Lys, her eyes bright, a
genuine smile in place as she laughed at something Jared said. “I’m
off my game or something. Work, stress, blah, blah, blah.”
    Vivian smirked. “That’s never been an issue
for you before.”
    Irritation surged through him at the
prodding. “It is now.” The words snapped out sharper and louder
than he intended, and everyone’s heads swiveled in his direction.
Why was he even upset with V? She was being friendly, teasing the
way they always did. “Sorry. Like I said, stress.”
    Vivian pursed her lips. “Apparently so.”
    Again, the conversation shifted and flowed as
the food arrived, and then empty plates were taken away. At some
point, Brittany slipped her phone number under his hand. Tate
managed to bring his rambling thoughts under control by the end of
the meal. He should be fine in this afternoon’s recording session
with Lys, especially with the sound engineer around. Which reminded
him. “We have to get back.” He realized after a glance at his phone
to check the time. “Recording session.”
    “Everyone rode with me,” Jared said. “Meet
you back there?”
    Alyssia’s eyes grew wide, and she opened her
mouth, but before she could speak, Vivian cut her off. “I’m going
to catch a ride with you, if you don’t mind. J’s back seat is
cramped, and I have an idea I want to run past you.” Vivian fell
into step beside Tate. He tried but failed to ignore the
disappointment that flashed over Alyssia’s face before a smile
flitted back in.
    “Sounds like plan.” Did V have any idea she’d
just bought him another fifteen minutes by asking for a ride before
Alyssia could?
    Mikki and Alyssia split off toward the other
side of the parking lot with Jared, and Tate let relief trickle
through him. He glanced at the waitress’s number one more time
before crumpling it and tossing it in a nearby trashcan.
    “You’re going to break her heart.” Vivian’s
comment dragged him back into the now. Exactly where he needed to
stay. He’d remember that.
    Which meant she was talking about the
waitress, not Lys. “She served me iced tea, V. I don’t think she
expects a ring for that.” He held the car door open for her, and
waited until she was seated before taking his spot behind the
wheel.
    Vivian laughed. “That’s good. And not who I
was talking about. What do you think J’s going to do when he finds
out you hooked up with his sister?”
    She had figured it out. Fuck .
He wanted to ask if it was that obvious, but he wasn’t willing