Page 4 of Unexpected Adventures

Chapter Two

“Hi. I’m Shaun.”

I grin as words elude me. I can’t stop looking at him, wondering if Sherri’s eyes are the same as his or if he was the blessed one. His face sports more than a five o’clock shadow, and I wonder how rough those whiskers would feel against my cheek as he nibbles my ear…

Holy cow! Where didthatcome from?

I hear laughter and realize it’s my own. Shaun, the Hollywood God, joins in.

“Guess you know I’m Sherri’s brother. Sorry about blocking the road. My car over-heated and I was just about to hike the rest of the way up to the house.”

Denise does a one-eighty from earlier and offers him a ride. “Grab whatever you need and hop in. We’ll take you up.”

Shaun briefly looks at her, then back to me. The silent one, who can’t seem to utter a word to this gorgeous man at my window.

“Thanks. Be right back,” he says as he slaps his hand twice on top of the car before trotting away.

As I watch Shaun back at his car, retrieving whatever it is he thinks he needs right now, Denise swipes me across my shoulder, breaking my concentration on him.

“Hey, cat got your tongue?” she teases. “He’s a cutie, right?”

I turn to stare at her. “Just a moment ago, he was a deranged person.”

“Yeah, well, I guess I overreacted. You can’t be too careful,” she says, echoing my earlier words. “Too many crazies in this world. I’d hate for Mom and Dad to hear about our abduction on the eleven o’clock news.”

“Uh huh. And how in all this time you’ve known Sherri and been to her house, have you never once met her brother?”

“Well, I knew she had one. He was never at the house on the same occasion I was. I do remember seeing a picture years ago, but his hair was much shorter then. Sorry about freaking out like that. I’m glad I wasn’t alone.”

“So he could abduct thebothof us?”

“You know what I mean.” Denise rolls her eyes.

“How do you handle a crisis at work? I’d…”

“Here he comes! Talk to him!” she tries to whisper as she’s batting my shoulder again.

“I don’t even know him. Wh…?”

“So, you get to know him, silly!”

Before I can reply or protest, Shaun opens the door behind me to climb in, tossing a bag next to him. Denise swings around, oh-so-cheerfully greeting him.

“So, I’m Denise, I work with your sister. And this ismysister, Abby. She’s visiting from San Francisco.”

Shaun’s brow rises, and I can already guess what he’s thinking.Sisters? Really?

I get it. Denise and I look nothing alike. Although it’s difficult to tell our height while sitting, she’s only got a few inches on me, at an even six feet. I’m five-foot-nine. And while my hair is chocolate brown and in a braid that nearly reaches the center of my back, hers is currently frosty white, with magenta tips that barely reach her shoulders.

Denise is voluptuous from head to toe and is just shy of spilling out of her silky peach top. Although my figure leans more toward the trim and athletic type, with the right clothes––at least, thanks to Denise––even I can enhance my features. A push-up bra to help my girls, and the perfect green blouse to bring out the color in my eyes.

But back to Shaun. I continue to smile nervously, wondering what’s happened to my voice as I struggle to speak. Oh yeah, it’s lodged in my throat, threatening to escape as if I’d been huffing on helium. Thankfully, Shaun speaks up, giving me a few more moments to collect myself.

“Thanks again for the lift.”

“Sure,” Denise offers. “Do you live in the area too?”

“No, actually, Abby and I are neighbors.” He smiles as he sees my eyes widen. Before I can respond, he adds, “Well, as neighborly as one can get living in San Fran.”

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