A Prince of a Guy Read online

  Sean wished he was.

  “Can you believe it?”

  No, dammit.

  “They really want me, Little Miss No One U.S.A.!”

  And just like that, Sean’s heart fell right to his toes.

  “Sean?”

  “It’s great,” he heard himself say. “Of course they want you. You’re the best.”

  “No, I’m—”

  “The best,” he said firmly, willing her to believe it. Willing her the confidence she’d never had, the confidence he was supposed to have somehow given her but hadn’t.

  He’d tried.

  But their parents had never really known what to do with their young, wild, carefree, trouble-bound daughter. Sean had been ten when she’d been born, already independent, so he hadn’t spent that much time with her—until five years ago, when their parents had died one after the other.

  Twenty-five years old. His own man. His own life. And yet he’d been left with this whimsical, fanciful fifteen-year-old on his doorstep. Sean hadn’t known a thing about teenage girls, much less troubled ones, but they’d gotten to know each other pretty quick. Together they’d done the best they could, but deep down he knew a real guilt, for even his best had clearly not been good enough.

  He hadn’t managed to make Stacy believe in herself and her abilities.

  “This is my future, Sean.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you think I could stay? Just for another week or so?”

  “Another week?” His voice cracked on that one. “That’s a long time, Stace. Melissa really misses you.”

  “I miss her, too, so much. She’s doing okay?”

  Sure. If he forgot about her destroying his office one-handed. If he forgot the fact that she had a cry that could crack glass and a temper that could headline any horror flick. But she also had huge, expressive eyes that looked at him as if he were the center of her universe. And a hug that got him every time. “She’s doing good.”

  “I’m making money, and it’s not flipping burgers. I can’t get over that.” She sighed with relief.

  Sean stifled his own sigh. “We’ll be here waiting.”

  SEAN WENT to work before dawn. He did some of his best thinking at work.

  Fact was, he wasn’t sure what to do. He wasn’t sure about a lot of things.

  Such as Carly.

  But he was clear on one thing. They seemed to have a hormone problem around each other. It wasn’t something he understood.

  Until Tina, he’d had the occasional relationship, which included a date every week or so, the midweek phone call and some recreational sex.

  Then Tina had come along, and he had fallen hard. After, he’d closed off his heart.

  End of problem.

  Ever since, he’d avoided complications. Simple enough. Whenever a woman wanted more from him, he felt claustrophobic. But this time there was no claustrophobia in sight, and this woman was living with him. What did that say?

  The thought was nothing less than terrifying.

  He could want her and not trust her, he told himself. He’d learned that much. Keep it simple. Easy. Light.

  Yeah, no problem.

  So why he canceled a meeting, didn’t return phone calls, left Nikki with her mouth hanging open in shock and, for only the second time ever, went home early was beyond him.

  So much for simple, easy and light.

  He didn’t want to think about why he was doing this. Except that when Melissa saw him walking up the porch steps, she squealed with such delight his heart squeezed.

  Carly didn’t squeal with delight, she didn’t even smile, but something in the way she looked at him melted him anyway. He didn’t want to be drawn to her, but it didn’t seem to matter what he wanted. His brain was no longer in charge.

  The unthinkable happened the next morning, Saturday.

  He didn’t want to go to the office. He wanted a weekend at home, no work, complete with relaxing. He wasn’t sure what that entailed exactly, but he would figure it out.

  It was early when he walked into the kitchen, but Melissa and Carly were already there. They stared at him in surprise.

  “You’re late for work,” Melissa said, pointing her finger at him. “Bad boy.”

  “I’m not going to work.”

  Melissa grinned.

  Carly went still.

  “I’m taking the day off.”

  “To do what?” Melissa asked.

  “Well…” He glanced at Carly, then laughed. “I’m not sure.”

  “I’ll pack,” Carly said quietly.

  She thought it was over. And the two weeks were. His heart squeezed because he didn’t want her to go. In spite of everything, he didn’t want to say goodbye. “Yeah. About that—”

  “Can we have a picnic?” Melissa demanded, oblivious to the tension around her.

  “Just a minute, Melissa.” Sean lowered his voice to a mere whisper for Carly. “My sister needs some more time.”

  “She’s not coming back?”

  He shook his head. “Not for at least another week.”

  She looked deep into his eyes for a long moment. “I didn’t expect that.”

  “I know. Will you stay?”

  Melissa was bouncing around at their feet. “So can we? Can we have a picnic?”

  Carly was looking at Sean. “Yes,” she said.

  Melissa beamed, thinking she had her answer. “Yippee! A picnic!”

  Carly avoided Melissa’s gaze and started cleaning the breakfast dishes. “Have fun,” she said.

  Melissa threw her arms around Sean and gave him a sloppy, wet kiss on the cheek. “You’re the bestest,” she cried.

  Sean wiped his slobbery cheek, smiled at Melissa, then moved behind Carly, who was washing a pan for all it was worth. “You game for a picnic?”

  She looked at him, glasses fogged from the hot water, for once her mouth unpainted. She had a world of mistrust in her gaze. And a vulnerability that twisted at him.

  “Come on,” he coaxed. “I’m the bestest, you know.”

  She smiled at that. “Yes. Yes, you are.”

  Grinning, he bent to kiss her on the cheek. Just a little kiss. A little thank-you kiss.

  Only Carly turned to look at him, and their mouths lined up.

  Perfectly.

  She made a little sound, and Sean pressed closer still, needing to hold that kiss for as long as he could. He might have stayed like that forever, except he became aware of a violent tugging on his pants.

  “Kiss me, too!” Melissa yelled.

  “Okay.” Still stunned, Sean bent low, gave her a sweet little peck on the cheek.

  “That’s not the same!”

  Carly let out a startled laugh.

  And at the sound, Sean felt lighter than he had in a very long time. “No, it’s not the same kind of kiss at all.”

  8

  FOR THE FIRST TIME in Sean’s life, he was attracted to a woman, and it had nothing to do with her physical appearance. He couldn’t blow it off to…well, he didn’t know exactly.

  They saw a movie. Went on a picnic. Had a walk on the beach.

  Melissa had a great day, and Sean had to admit, so did he.

  It wasn’t until he’d showered for the dreaded required cocktail party that night that work came into his brain. It almost seemed like an imposition.

  He came out of the shower, reached for his clothes and stopped short. Would Carly have something to wear to go with him tonight? And how could he not have thought of it before?

  He doubted she had much money, and she certainly didn’t seem to have a wide variety of clothes.

  Cursing himself, he slipped into his pants and went down the hall to her bedroom.

  “Yes?” She didn’t open the door to his knock.

  “Can I talk to you?”

  “Uh, now? I’m a little busy.” She did sound rushed. “I’m trying to get ready.”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I might have forgotten to m