Wife and Mother Wanted by Nicola Marsh Page A

of like him anyway?
    Sounded stupid just thinking about it.
    ‘Has this got anything to do with that dishy neighbour of yours?’ Tahnee didn’t do innocence very well, and with that wicked gleam in her eyes Carissa knew she’d have to tell her sister something, anything, to stop her from delving too deeply into the reason behind her mood today.
    ‘How do you know he’s dishy? You’ve only ever seen him in a rabbit suit.’
    Tahnee grinned and licked strawberry frosting fromher fingertips as she demolished the last of her cupcake. Michel’s Patisserie made the best cakes and croissants this side of Sydney, and they had been regular patrons since the popular café had opened.
    ‘Oh, I’ve seen him out of that bunny suit, Sis. Well and truly out of it.’
    Carissa’s heart stopped. Did Tahnee mean what she thought she meant?
    Tahnee clapped her hands and bounced on her seat. ‘I knew it! You should see the look on your face. You’ve got it bad, Sis. Real bad for big, beautiful Brody.’
    ‘I’m going to kill you,’ Carissa said calmly, taking a mouthwatering bite out of her croissant and wondering if Tahnee was right.
    Did she have a crush on her brooding neighbour? No way. The guy had done nothing but rub her up the wrong way since she’d first laid eyes on him. And he didn’t know she existed in the female sense. Apart from a sensational body and good looks, he’d done nothing to impress her—even if he had lightened up on her spending time with Molly.
    So he had one redeeming feature? That didn’t make him God’s gift to women. By the permanent scowl he wore, far from it.
    ‘Come on, Sis. Spill it.’ Tahnee leaned forward, her eyes sparkling.
    Carissa shrugged. ‘There’s nothing to spill. The guy acts like a hermit and I’m just trying to be neighbourly. You know, get him out of his shell.’
    At least, she didn’t think there was anything to spill. Surely she didn’t look like a woman with a crush? She’d never been any good at hiding her emotions—one of theweaknesses her adoptive father had played on repeatedly, making nasty jibes till she cried. When she’d wised up enough not to respond to his cruelty he’d found other ways to torment her, like driving away her friends, withholding pocket money, even letting down the tyres on her bike one day so she couldn’t get to her part-time job. Ron Lovell had been an A-1 creep. In the fatherhood stakes, Brody looked like a saint next to him. Not that she should even compare the two in the same thought.
    ‘Why, that sounds downright charitable of you—taking pity on the man and trying to draw him out.’ Tahnee rolled her eyes. ‘Okay, cut to the chase, Sis. You like him, don’t you?’
    Carissa licked her finger and dabbed at the croissant flakes scattered in the bottom of the bag. ‘He’s a single father and it’s tough. I guess I admire him for doing the best he can.’
    Tahnee grinned. ‘Is that all you admire about him?’
    Carissa thought about his great body, his melted chocolate eyes and the sexy smile she’d only glimpsed once before banishing the image from her mind. ‘He’s not bad-looking, I guess.’
    ‘You’re doing an awful lot of guessing. You guess you admire him; you guess he’s not bad-looking. If you ask me, I guess you have a thing for Mr Tall, Dark and Dangerous!’
    Before she could truthfully answer Damned if I know , the soft tinkle of the front doorbell wrested her attention.
    ‘Let me serve this customer, and when I get back I’ll set you straight on how inaccurate your guess is,’Carissa said, knowing that her sister might have a small point, but determined to ignore it anyway.
    She wasn’t interested in a relationship, and even if she was brooding Brody Elliott would be the last man she’d consider.
    Right?
    ‘Hello? Anyone here?’ a loud voice bellowed, and Carissa hurried into the shop, fixing a welcoming smile on her face.
    As soon as she caught a glimpse of her first customer for the afternoon