An Unexpected Valentine

Kari has plans to spend a relaxing Valentine's Day with Garret. Just as friends, since there's never been the slightest spark of attraction between them, and both of them are currently single. But when the evening arrives, it isn't Garrett who shows up at her apartment. Instead, it's Garret's stepbrother Stefan at her door. The last person she wanted to see.

Kari's never forgiven Stefan for breaking her heart all those years ago, yet their unexpected reunion quickly makes it clear that her body still yearns for his. And he seems to think they can just take up where they left off--that she'll simply tumble back into bed with him. But things aren't that simple. Or are they?

Excerpt:
“Spaghetti noodles and garlic. That sounds like a date disaster.”

Despite myself, I couldn’t help laughing. Because it was so very true. “Keep in mind, I was planning to feed this to Garrett. Not a date.”

“So you two weren’t—”

“No. Never.”

“Why not?”

“I just never saw him like that. And I’m sure he would never see me in that way, either.”

“Hmmm.”

It sounded like he didn’t believe me. Didn’t matter. I’d told him the truth. And if he couldn’t figure that out, it was his problem. Not mine.

I had to remember that.

Hell, I was having a very hard time remembering just why I had been angry with him for so long. He was being too nice. Too… effortlessly charming. I should have known that this would happen, when I’d decided to let him stay. But I’d been motivated as much by my empty stomach as I had been by the other conflicting desires in my heart: my attraction to him and my need to pretend that I wasn’t going to be as much of a sucker for him as I had been in the past.

He was still standing too close to me for my peace of mind.

Trying to make my move as casual as possible, I finished portioning up our plates and carried them to the coffee table in front of the sofa. I didn’t have an actual dining room, of course. My apartment was far too small for that. “Come on, let’s eat. I’m starving.”

Stefan gave me an arch look. “Not worried about eating this meal in front of me, either, I guess?”

Despite myself, I shivered from the sudden rush of heat that flushed through my body at that look of his. “Why should I be? It’s not like this is a date. And I certainly don’t want to impress you.”

“I wish you would.”

“What?