She's the One (Lowcountry Lovers Series Book 2) by Kim Boykin Read Free Book Online Page A

to her place in Charleston. Cassie leaned over the console. Her fingers traced a line down her neck, then splayed across her cleavage. “Are you taking me to dinner or are you taking me to bed?”
    His body responded to her voice, an old habit. But in his mind, he could see the band packing up. That guy offering to give Melissa and Savannah a ride; he’d have a good excuse since Cassie had destroyed their bikes. The guy would act like he was being a good Samaritan and would drop Savannah off at her place before he took Melissa home.
    Shane knew she played bass and had seen her play once at a little bar on Shem Creek, not long after they met. He was pretty sure Melissa didn’t have a history with that guy, and it was obvious the guy wanted to start one with her.
    But hadn’t Melissa begged Shane to choose Cassie to accommodate the stars or some kind of bullshit? He turned left, cruised by the packed parking area and pulled up in front of The Palms Oceanfront Hotel. A few tourists were waiting for a cab along with a kid who was acting as both valet and bellman for the tiny hotel. Shane got out of the truck and opened the door for Cassie.
    He would have to be dead not to have noticed her legs and the body attached to them. He’d always liked her hair long and it was even longer than the last time he’d seen her. He offered his hand and she got out of the car unfolding with a long, breathy sigh that made sure she had everyone’s attention.
    “Help you sir?” The kid’s sunglasses weren’t as dark as he thought, or maybe he didn’t care that he was undressing Cassie with his eyes. But she was used to the attention, hell, even Shane had gotten used to it when they were together.
    Shane put four twenties in the kid’s hand along with Cassie’s keys. “182 East Bay Street. Forty for cab fair, the rest is yours.”
    Cassie went ballistic, but it helped that she was still falling down drunk. In a flash, Shane was back in the truck with the doors locked. Her shoe hit the back window as he drove away.
    To be honest, it was kind of a rush, like a teenager playing a prank, until he thought about Melissa. He hurried back down toward the marina. The restaurant’s parking lot was still packed, the dinner crowd coming in after a day on the beaches. He double-parked next to Cassie’s black Mercedes. The way the bikes were wedged underneath, it would take a tow truck to lift the car off of them. He got out of his vehicle, hurried to the makeshift bandstand, and stopped short.
    The line for the restaurant was out the door; a few families sat at the tables around the bandstand, waiting to be seated inside. The fire pit was smoldering. And Melissa was gone.
    He rode by her cottage on 30 th and parked across the street. A red Prius was parked in the driveway with every indie band and save-the-world bumper sticker imaginable. Her windows were open; he could hear the music, the blues she loved. He didn’t know what the song was, they all kind of sounded alike to him.
    Just thinking about that guy touching Melissa, trying to seduce her with some stupid song made Shane crazy. He heard her laugh. His chest felt tight and he realized he had the steering wheel in a death grip. Luckily for Shane, every light in the house was still on; he’d seen her walk back toward the kitchen a couple of times. Fully clothed.
    With the truck windows down he could smell the ocean but could barely hear it. The moonlight played on the tin rooftop; Melissa loved this house. She’d restored most of it herself. He’d shown her how to do the DIY projects she’d wanted to tackle, and he knew every board of the place. He had shown her how to lay tile and wood floors and patch holes in the drywall. The whole time he told himself he was just being a good guy, a friend, but damned if somewhere along the way he hadn’t fallen for her.
    He should have told her how he felt sooner. He should be the guy making her laugh, making her feel the music. He opened the car