HOOKED ON YOU (Paradise Cove) by Patrice Wilton Read Free Book Online

hands. “Bravo! He’s staking his claim,” she said. “Good for him.”
    “He has no right.” Taylor leaned against the table. “He dates half the women in Paradise Cove. Or at least sleeps with them. So he damn well can’t have me too!” What made everything worse was that her body had responded to Colt’s “claim”—wasn’t she stronger than that? She glanced at all three faces, with their mischievous smiles. “Matter of fact, if Jack calls, I will go out with him. He’s intelligent, interesting, and definitely eye candy.” He could also satisfy her in ways no man had been able to before. Maybe that was what she needed. A hot night under the covers.
    Anna covered Taylor’s hand and squeezed. “But what about poor Colt? He’s such a dear man.” She glanced at her older, more sensible daughter. “Kayla! Help me out here. Taylor will listen to you, more than she will me.”
    “I’m right here, Mother,” Taylor said crisply, pulling her hand free.
    Anna ignored her and spoke again to Kayla, who had more common sense than any of them. “You know your sister as well as I do, and she’s a homebody by nature. So what do you advise her to do? Get some action with a guy who’s not from around here and won’t be staying, or open her eyes to what’s standing right in front of her?”
    “Don’t discuss me like I’m not in the room.” Taylor scooted back from the table. “I know what I’m doing. I know Jack. He’s a great guy. Partner in his father’s law firm. Successful. Killer good looks. And he came on to me! I’d have to be completely nuts to turn him down. After all, there aren’t a whole lot of quality guys to date around here. Even if they outnumber the women three to one, there isn’t a big selection. Take Colt as an example. He’s a good daddy, a nice man, but he’s in debt up to his eyeballs, and has no intentions of getting into any type of relationship with anyone. He just wants a body to cuddle in bed.”
    Taylor reached for her champagne glass, realized it was empty, and put it back down. “Guy should get a freakin’ dog.”
    Brittany put a hand on one slim hip and tapped her heeled toe. “Taylor, Taylor, how did you ever get to be my sister? Where did your genes go wrong? Mom has more gumption than you do. Married twice, and looking for number three. You, on the other hand run scared.”
    “Hey!” Anna said, pretending her feelings were hurt.
    “Brittany,” Kayla warned. “Tread lightly. Everyone is different—there is no right or wrong.”
    “I do not run scared! I lived with my last boyfriend for two whole years.” The only running she did, was running two full-time businesses. Any fear on her part had everything to do with failing. Not falling in love.
    “Yes, and what did he use to call you? Ice. Ice, ice, baby.”
    Kayla smoothed Taylor’s hair in silent comfort.
    “That was my fault.” Taylor jumped to his defense, wishing she’d never shared that story with her sister. “I know it sounds awful, but I started that whole thing. After we’d been together for a year or more, he wanted to know if I was happy in bed. I told him I was, then made a lame comment about how I could have played the part of Elsa in Frozen. You know….in bed. I have a hard time reaching a climax.”
    “So he was a lousy lover. You shouldn’t have taken the blame.” Brittany sat across from her. “A good guy could turn you around in an instant,” she told her, putting a hand over hers. “Now, here’s the plan. You go out with your hot guy from the city, screw his brains out. Use a condom, and don’t worry. Or give Colt the thrill of his lifetime and do him instead. But you are not a nun. Not even Catholic. And you are certainly not frozen. You’re a warm, affectionate, joyful person. All you need is to start living before it’s too late.”
    Brittany took a sip of her champagne as she glanced around the table. “We of all people know that life doesn’t come with a guarantee.