While She Was Sleeping... by Isabel Sharpe Page A

actually took a step back, then another, then folded those strong arms across her heaving chest, face flushed. She finally meant business.
    “Stop. Just stop.”
    “About time.” The muttered words came out louder than he intended. Her eyes widened and for a second she looked hurt and he felt like a toad even if she did deserve it. But the moment of vulnerability clicked off in a second and her mouth opened for more screaming. He hurried to cut her off—withwords this time. “I meant that you seem to enjoy being…coerced.”
    That didn’t help, either. Around women like her he needed to learn not to say whatever was in his head.
    “I’m just going to tell you one thing. You are not staying in this house and I’m going to do everything in my power to bring Melanie to Florida with me, out of your depraved company.”
    Depraved company? Did she stay home and read Gothic novels all day? Now he was frustrated, horny and completely disgusted. “That was two things.”
    “What?”
    “You said you were going to tell me one. You told me two.”
    “How can you possibly pick on that after—”
    “Because you refuse to listen or—”
    “—you kiss me, when—”
    “—let me finish my sentences.”
    “—you and Melanie are dating seriously.”
    He frowned. Had he heard that correctly? “What?”
    “See?” She tossed her thick below-shoulder hair scornfully. “It doesn’t even occur to you that it’s a bad idea to come on to your girlfriend’s sister?”
    “Huh?” She had him at a complete loss. Again. Women were the most mysterious beings on the planet. “Melanie and me? ”
    “She’s had enough pain in her life being betrayed and tossed around by men. Give her a break. Just pack up and leave before you hurt her.”
    Okay. A small lightbulb, just a small one. “Your sister and I are not—”
    “Come on, Sawyer.”
    “No, listen to me, Alana.” He went to grab her arm and she sidestepped him. “Just stand there and listen. We are not dating, not seriously, not casually, not at all, nothing. We’venever…ever. Not even half—not even a sixteenth of what you and I did.”
    Her blush came back. “Why should I believe you?”
    “Uh…” He pretended to think it over. “Because I’m telling the truth?”
    “Melanie said you were the guy for her. The One.”
    “The who? ” Was there something that happened to women in childhood that turned them into total aliens? Would plasma slime work on them? He needed to consult with his nephews.
    “So excuse me if I don’t trust you. At all. You seem like a pretty typical Melanie choice.”
    He thought of Fast Freddie. “I take it that’s not a compliment.”
    She shook her head, but sadly. Whatever else, she did love her sister.
    “Think about it, Alana. If Melanie and I are dating seriously, why aren’t we sleeping together?”
    “I don’t know. You snore?” She wrinkled her nose at his skeptical look. “Okay, maybe not that. But—”
    “Alana.” He held up his hands and, by some miracle, she fell silent. “I swear to you. Your sister and I are not dating. I don’t know why she told you that. Here’s another tidbit for your truth file. Melanie planned to ask someone else who works at Habitat for Humanity to move in with her. A dubiously rehabbed meth addict known as Fast Freddie, who makes ‘speedy delivery’ jokes and has a facial tic and questionable hygiene. I thought I’d make a better roommate, so I stepped in.”
    She closed her eyes. “Oh, God.”
    “What?”
    “That sounds like something Mel would do.”
    Wow. She actually believed him. A miracle. “So are we straight here?”
    She frowned, but did seem derailed from her total condemnation of Sawyer—and why did he care? “I’ll have to talk to Melanie.”
    “That’s fine.”
    “And it doesn’t change the fact that you…did what you did to me last night when I was asleep.”
    He shook his head. Why bother even trying? “Yeah, that was because of my unfortunate drug