TheTemptationNotJustifiedAReFinal by Delaney Diamond Read Free Book Online Page A

oldest, he’d felt a responsibility to do what
he could to make sure they remained emotionally healthy. The original plan had
been to have them move in with family since his first year at MIT would soon
start. Instead, Cassidy and Matthew begged to be with their older brother. He
rented an apartment, and the two moved up to Massachusetts to live with him. At
the age of eighteen, he became a full-time student and the legal guardian of
his younger siblings.
    “You’re
welcome, princess. I’m just happy we found someone who would put up with you.”
    She
smiled up at him. “Me, too.”
     
    *
* * *
     
    Breakfast
consisted of Roarke’s pecan pancakes and Matthew’s “famous” loaded omelets
filled with cheese, sausage, ham, and sautéed onions, green peppers, and
mushrooms. Matthew and Cassidy sat at the breakfast bar, while Roarke stood on
the opposite side.
    Matthew
mussed his sister’s hair. “I can’t believe you tricked poor Antonio into
marrying you.”
    Cassidy
smoothed her hair back into place and cut her eyes at her older brother. “I
didn’t trick him. He loves me.”
    “Yeah,
until he realizes you have no intention of learning how to cook.”
    “Did
you miss the part where I said he loves me?”
    “You
know how those island men are.” Matthew shoveled food into his mouth.
    “I
know all you care about is feeding your face, but Antonio’s not the same.
Besides,” Cassidy smirked, “he’s not concerned about my cooking in the kitchen.
It’s my cooking in the—”
    “Whoa,
whoa!” Matthew dropped his fork. “Slow your roll. I’m not trying to hear that.”
    “Please
keep any cooking outside of the kitchen to yourself,” Roarke added.
    Cassidy
shook her head. “The two of you are ridiculous. How many times have I listened
to you brag about your conquests? I’m twenty-three . I’m getting married.
It’s not like I’m still a virgin. I—”
    “Cass!”
    “I
feel nauseous. Seriously, stop. Keep it to yourself .” Roarke spoke past
a mouthful of eggs. “You’re our little sister. I don’t want to think about you
doing those things.”
    Cassidy
sighed. “Freaking double standard,” she muttered. “You two”—she stabbed the air
with her fork for emphasis—“are living in a dream world. You have sex with everything
that moves.” She looked pointedly at Matthew, who shrugged. “Yet you want to
think there are still virgins out there waiting for you to deflower them.”
    “I
hold no such illusions,” Roarke said. “And I don’t sleep with everything that
moves.”
    “Me,
either—to the first part.”
    “Good,
because you’ll be really disappointed. The only virgin I know is Lorena, and that’s
because her father’s kept her under lock and key for the past twenty-five
years. I feel sorry for her. I’m surprised he let her out of his sight to be my
maid of honor.”
    “Lorena’s
a virgin?”
    Both
Roarke and Cassidy turned to Matthew. Roarke noted the heightened interest in
his voice. “Why are you so interested?” Cassidy asked.
    “I’m
not. I’m . . . surprised, that’s all.” Matthew picked up his glass of milk and
took a large swallow. He became captivated by the food on his plate.
    Roarke
suspected there was more behind his brother’s outburst, but Cassidy seemed satisfied
and directed her attention to him. “It’s about time you get married and
start having a family. You know Aunt Iris is going to mention it when she sees
you this weekend.”
    Roarke
hated having to field questions about his love life, but he resigned himself to
its inevitability. He’d been too busy to date seriously, but if he had his way,
his love life would be different. The image of Celeste’s face floated across
his mind’s eye.
    The
shock of waking up to an empty hotel room still stuck in his craw. One night hadn’t
been enough. He couldn’t forget her, but apparently, she’d forgotten him. After
a full week since their night at the Ritz-Carlton, he still couldn’t