Page 4 of Irresistible

“If Brock is the love of my life, then I want a new one. All we’ve ever done is snipe at each other.”

“Which proves my point perfectly. You don’t snipe at someone you couldn’t care less about. It may be time to convert all that fighting you two do into lovin’. And I mean naked lovin’.”

Before Lilly could offer her rebuttal, the sound of brakes screeching and metal scraping pulled both of their attention to the open door. Lilly looked toward the intersection and cringed. “A truck T-boned a sedan.”

“Too bad it’s not Drew in one of those cars,” Poppy said as they gathered their things.

“From your mouth to God’s ear,” Lilly responded as she watched Brock run out of the bar. Seeing his long legs eat up the ground as he moved toward the accident gave her a little tingle. Not that she would ever admit it.

His phone was jammed against his ear and his deep voice carried across the street. She heard the rumble of it through the open door. It was the type of voice that commanded attention. It was the type of voice that made you obey. Grabbing a small notebook out of her purse, she jotted that down. They were good lines she could use in her book. Tapping the pen across her mouth, she studied the pull of his jeans as he ran in front of them. Definitely needed to describe that ass in one of her books. It was damn poetry and her readers would appreciate the visual.

Poppy shoved her bag of supplies in her hand and laughed. “Are you thinking about what I suggested?”

“Maybe,” Lilly replied. “It may be time to switch my gun for a box of condoms. I’m struggling with the current story, and I think it’s a sign. Maybe I’ll add some sexy sizzle and see if that helps. All I need to do is find someone to have wild, dirty sex with.” Slinging her bag on her shoulder, she walked out the door. “Research is important, and if I’m going to write about it, then I need to experience it.”

“Amen,” Poppy responded. “Let’s put that on the top of one those lists you’ve got going. Find someone to have monkey sexwith should certainly be prioritized above cleaning out the garage.”

“You may be right,” Lilly said, as they walked across the street toward the pub. The last year had been taken up with writing, dealing with Drew’s lawsuit, and little else. It was definitely time to add some fun back into her life. And wild, dirty sex sounded like the best kind of fun to add.

***

Lilly and Poppy sat at one of the tables that lined the back wall of the pub and waited for their dinner to arrive. Poppy drained half of her Coke and twisted her hair into a ponytail. “Here comes the youngest Landry.”

Lilly saw Brody walking in their direction. “That one is the heartbreaker of the family.”

“True,” Poppy replied. “We have a new rider at the stables and she fell for that boy hook, line, and sinker. It took her a couple of months to realize that what he said is what he meant. For some reason, she thought she was going to be the exception.”

Brody approached and blessed them with a smile that had broken hearts across the parish. “Ladies, can I join you?”

“Why are you askin’? Your butt was plastered in a chair at my mama’s kitchen table as often as mine was. We’re practically family,” Lilly responded.

Sliding into the booth next to Poppy, he winked. “I thought I’d show off some of the good manners your mama insisted on.”

“Appreciated.” Lilly asked after she drained her drink, “How’s the house going—are you on schedule?”

“If Mother Nature cooperates, then yes. It’s the biggest project my company has taken on, and we mean to stake our reputation on it. God bless people with more money than sense.”

“Is that the house for the tech billionaire?” Poppy asked as she waved the waitress over.

“Sure is. The man is building his wife’s dream house in her home state with no expense spared. Apparently, the woman was the Natchitoches Queen of Meat Pies, and the house is meant to memorialize that road to glory. If the meat-pie queen wants it, then her rich geek husband is going to get it for her.”

Lilly snorted and then started laughing. Of course, that was the moment that Brock chose to walk up to the table. Lifting a napkin, she covered her face and tried to stop. He shook his head and slid in next to her. So much for avoiding him and his cranky ways.

The waitress approached. Poppy ordered them more drinks, and the boys added their order. It was just enough time for Lilly to stop laughing. She waved the napkin in front of her face and smiled. “Sorry. I have no idea why that was so funny.” Wiping her eyes, she asked, “What happened with the accident?”

“No fatalities,” Brock responded. “What made you laugh so hard?”

“The Queen of Meat Pies,” Poppy said as she shrugged. “Do you all remember when I was crowned the Queen of Contraband Days?” Smoothing her long braid, she graced the table with her beauty queen smile. “I consider it a highlight of my life.”

Lilly snorted. “You do not. Your mama made you do it, and you complained about it for the better part of three years.”

“I like my version a lot better than yours,” Poppy said, as the waitress dropped off their po’ boys and drinks for the table.

Brody’s eyes bounced between the women. “Where were you two before you got here?”

“We were painting at the place across the street. We’re artists.”

Brody shook his head. “That explains it. You’re both half in the bag. Wine and painting…who the hell invented that?”

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