But even so, her dad and her brother pampered her. Which might be charming if it didn't mean they still saw her as weak.

Couple that with the fact that since her mom had moved out when the twins were seven, Mina had grown up in a house with two men, both of whom plunked her firmly on the Princess Throne. A seat she'd never wanted. But, at the same time, she loved her father and brother. And if they wanted to spoil her rotten...

With a sigh, she leaned back and closed her eyes, letting Darryl steer them toward home. As annoying as he and her dad might be, the truth was there were a lot worse problems she could have than an overprotective family.

Like, she thought, one that dabbled in matchmaking.

She frowned, suddenly suspicious, and opened her eyes. "Tonight's just us, right? You didn't invite Zacharius over, did you? Because I want to put on some yoga pants, make some popcorn, and veg."

"It's Zachary, and no. Just us."

"Good." She felt the stress practically ooze off her. "Are we watching at my place or Dad's?"

"Let's do the house," Darryl said. "I may crash early."

"Sounds good." Her father still lived in the house they grew up in, and Darryl's room had stayed the same during his years in undergrad and law school, like a museum in honor of the departing hero. Mina had moved out, too, but she'd taken her stuff with her. Not far, though. Unlike her brother, who'd moved out of state, Mina had not only stayed in Texas, she'd stayed in Austin for both undergrad and graduate school.

She'd lived on campus until she got her bachelor's, but the summer before grad school, she'd moved into the family's garage apartment. A well-appointed residence, it took up the entire second floor of the detached six car garage that graced the back half of the five-acre lot nestled in the hills near Lake Austin.

It had been her father's suggestion--another nod to taking care of little Mina. But by that time she'd spent four years with a roommate and had learned the value of a rent-free place to live. Especially one with access to a pool, tennis court, theater room, and a seriously well-stocked wine cellar.

"How long are you staying with Dad?" Mina asked as Darryl turned the car up the private drive that led to their gate.

"Not sure," he said. "It's a big house. If he doesn't drive me too crazy, I might stay for the year of my clerkship, then see where I land."

"Good," she said. "You might be a jerk on occasion, but I've missed having you around."

He pulled the car up in front of the massive garage and

killed the engine. "Glad I'm back, too," he said. "Meet at the house at six? I'll order Chinese."

"Perfect." She reached for the car door.

"Oh, to finish answering your question, I did invite one person over for movie night."

Her hand stilled, and she groaned as she turned to her brother. "Please tell me you're joking. It's Friday. It's been a long week. All I want is to kick back and chill, not act all perky for some guy you're looking to fix me up with."

He laughed. "It's only Cam. I told him to come by for Chinese and whatever movie you saddle us with--see? I didn't forget that it's your turn to pick. Or should I tell him not to come over?"

"Cam?" She realized she was smiling and dialed it back. "Well, duh. Of course, Cam's welcome."

"Just checking," Darryl said. "God forbid I foist a guy on you."

"Oh, please." She pushed open the car door, using the motion to camouflage the fact that she'd turned her face away. "Cam's not a guy. He's practically like family."

Which completely begged the question of why her skin suddenly burned with the memory of his bare chest under her palm--or why she had a sudden urge to spend the rest of the afternoon taking a scented bath, shaving her legs, and trying on outfits until she found something casual yet cute, and just a tiny bit sexy.

* * *

Like family?

Hours later, her words still rang in her head, and she wondered at her own foolishness. Because no way in hell was Cam like family.

Not tonight. Not now.

Not while Mina was standing in front of her bathroom mirror in her underwear, her entire body tingling as she let her mind drift back on the afternoon. The pressure of Cam's body against hers as he hugged her in congratulations. The heat of his skin when she'd so boldly slid her hand in his shirt. The blood pounding under her fingers and the way she'd felt that unexpected craving rush through her as if following a path from her fingertips all the way down to her sex.

With a little shiver, she eased her fingers under the band of her panties, then moaned when she realized that she was wet.

Tags: J. Kenner Man of the Month Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net