Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Based on the wrinkle of her brow, car trouble and AAA were foreign concepts to this woman.
“Well, we’re all here now. Isn’t that nice?” Harvey stepped back and gestured proudly. “Son, please allow me to introduce you to Sofia, the goddess of my heart.”
Sig gave his father a dry look. “Very nice to meet you, Sofia.”
“Likewise. I’ve heard such incredible things about Harvey’s son, the professional hockey player. Let’s get you a drink, so you can tell us everything there is to know.” There was something familiar about Sofia’s graceful mannerisms as she swept aside and gestured for Sig to precede them into the parlor, but he couldn’t quite put a finger on what. Or maybe he didn’t want to put the clues together yet. Ignoring the bolt tightening in his gut, he followed Sofia’s wordless directive, entering another expensively decorated room, that light and sort of ethereal music growing louder. Louder. “We thought it would be nice if Chloe played for us while we waited for dinner to start.”
Sig’s throat burned like he’d swallowed acid, the world moving in muddled motion, as if he’d jumped out of the window and into the freezing cold Sound, his body encapsulated in pressure from all sides. His hands were notorious for being steady, but they shook now. Shook so noticeably that he shoved them into his pockets to hide them instinctively.
That was his first and most regrettable mistake.
He’d play it over and over again in the months to come.
Hiding.
He never should have hidden a damn thing.
Especially when Chloe’s fingers froze on the strings of her harp and he caught the horrified shock in her gaze as she saw his reflection approach in the picture window. In that moment, he should have announced to the room that he’d met Chloe earlier that evening and there was something happening between them. Something real. But he let the seconds tick by. Tick, tick, tick, while Chloe waited for him to react. Out loud.
He couldn’t find his voice, though.
Couldn’t wrap his head around their bad fortune quickly enough.
Their parents were dating. His father. Her mother.
Chloe turned slowly in her stool, blinking at him. Opening her mouth, closing it.
God, she was spectacular. She’d showered, twisted her blond hair up into some kind of style at the back of her head, little pearls peeking out everywhere. She had on a short, cream-colored silk dress and no shoes. And on top of every amazing thing about her—her wit, her warmth, her beauty—she had the ability to produce that music?
Our parents are dating.
“Honey, I can’t wait another second. Let’s make this a celebration dinner, shall we?” Harvey crowed behind him, his father coming up beside Sig to press a crystal rocks glass halfway filled with golden liquid into his hand. Then Harvey wrapped an arm around Sofia’s waist, both of them smiling from ear to ear. “Chloe. Sig. We brought you both here tonight to announce that we’re getting married.” He laughed tearfully while looking into Sofia’s face. “By the spring, we’ll be husband and wife.”
Sofia raised her glass in a salute. “And you’ll each gain a sibling!”
The resulting roar in Sig’s head rivaled the crashing waves below.
RISING FROM HER stool in front of the harp and walking to the dining room was a challenge. Her legs weren’t working like they normally did. Not at all. Why would they be? She’d just found out that her soon-to-be stepbrother and the man she’d kissed passionately on the golf course just over an hour ago were one and the same.
And oh, stranger things had happened in this corner of the world. There were only so many blue-blooded rich people in this neck of Connecticut and they all insisted on marrying each other. Rumors of kissing cousins were not totally uncommon. It’s not like she and Sig had been aware of their impending connection at the time he kissed the face off her. It could be their secret, right? No one ever had to find out.
Except . . . the fact that she’d never be able to kiss him again was positively terrible. In the short time they’d spent together, Sig had made her feel more than any man ever had. She’d been breathless about seeing him again later. Sneaking out and making love with this rough-and-ready hockey player who said things like sit on my face. But who also looked at her like she might be hiding angel wings beneath her clothes.
Sig sat directly across from her now with lines of strain around his mouth and eyes, his fist curled tightly around a fork. Staring at her beneath drawn brows. They needed to talk. For some reason, she had this overwhelming belief that he’d know exactly what to do. She couldn’t imagine this man being uncertain of anything.
“Pancetta and pear puff, Ms. Clifford?” asked their chef, Yuri.