Always Look Twice by Geralyn Dawson Read Free Book Online Page B

bitter-sweet.
    The memory of Annabelle’s announcement that day at the Waldorf was a nightmare.
    But that was a thought for another time, he told himself, shaking the memory off. This time belonged to Matt and Torie, and Mark truly was thrilled for them, so he chatted with his sister-in-law about silly, baby-related things until they stood outside the door to the suite. There, Torie lifted her hand to touch his cheek. ‘‘You’ll talk to her?’’
    ‘‘Torie . . .’’
    ‘‘I’ll keep the others off your back if you’ll promise to talk to her.’’
    ‘‘You keep the others off my back, and I promise I’ll think about it.’’
    For the next two days while playing tourist with his family, he did little else. The time he spent entertaining his nieces made a particular impression. Finally, on the morning of the day they were to leave, while the women were in the hotel spa getting girly and Matt had taken the twins to the beach to dig in the sand, he rousted Luke from a lounge chair beside the pool and said, ‘‘Put some clothes on and come with me, would you?’’
    ‘‘Where you wanting to go?’’
    ‘‘To see Annabelle.’’
    At that, Luke moved like lightning and twenty minuteslater, the two men loaded into the rental SUV and headed for Kaimuki, where Annabelle lived in a two-story walk-up with an office downstairs. While Mark drove, he sensed his twin’s curious gaze upon him. ‘‘What?’’
    ‘‘Nothing.’’ After Mark snorted, Luke added, ‘‘All right. I’m just thinking about what a good brother I am. Do you have any clue about how much Maddie’s gonna make me pay for this?’’
    ‘‘You mean for leaving the kids with Matt?’’
    ‘‘Nah, he volunteered to babysit this morning. Said he needs the practice. The guy is over the moon about the baby. He’ll be fun to watch over the next eight months. No, what’s gonna piss Maddie off is that I’m gonna get to meet Annabelle and she’s not.’’
    ‘‘You don’t have to meet her. In fact, I’d rather you just wait in the car while I talk to her.’’
    ‘‘The hell you say.’’ Luke snorted. ‘‘I’m not gonna wait in the car. Why did you ask me to tag along if you wanted me to wait in the car?’’
    ‘‘You’re my protection,’’ Mark answered truthfully.
    ‘‘You think she’ll hurt you?’’ Luke pursed his lips and considered. ‘‘Yeah, I could see it happening. She’s not exactly girly.’’
    ‘‘I think she might do me.’’
    ‘‘ Do you?’’
    ‘‘Yeah.’’
    Luke’s mouth gaped. For a long minute, he stared at Mark, obviously at a loss for words at the idea that his brother wanted to avoid having sex with his wife. ‘‘You have something against sex, brother?’’
    ‘‘No, but if I’m alone with her, I’ll have sex against something. Anything. It happens every damned time.’’
    ‘‘No shit?’’ Luke’s eyes widened with admiration.
    Mark nodded grimly. ‘‘That’s how this whole marriage began and I’m afraid it could keep it from ending.’’
    ‘‘Why would you—?’’ Luke broke off abruptly. ‘‘Ending?’’
    Mark gritted his teeth as he spied the address he wanted on the left. A brass nameplate read MONROE INVESTIGATIONS and pots of blooming hibiscus sat on either side of the entry. He pulled his car into the parking spot marked RESERVED FOR MONROE CLIENTS and shifted into park. Then he sucked in a breath when the office door opened and Annabelle stepped outside. She wore a yellow polka-dot spaghetti-strap sundress and carried a watering pot in her hand.
    He removed his aviator sunglasses and their gazes met and held. Beside him, Luke whistled softly. ‘‘Hell, Mark.’’
    ‘‘Yeah. I know.’’
     
Annabelle let out the breath she’d been holding for three days. He’s here. Finally. He’d come, just when she’d given up waiting for him.
    It seemed as if she’d been waiting for him forever.
    She concentrated on stopping the tremble in her hand that