Page 6 of Mr. McHunky

“All I’m saying is that a single woman should not be driving around in the middle of the night in a strange town. Alone.”

“Okay, Grandpa,” she says. “Since when is nine-thirty in the middle of the night?”

I ignore her question and proceed. “Your dog would not be able to protect you.”

“I can protect myself, thank you very much. I’ve been on my own for far longer than you’d imagine. I know how to be safe.”

Every protective instinct in me is on alert. I want to pull her into my lap and tell her that I’ll do it. I’ll volunteer as tribute to take care of her and make sure she’s always safe. But that’s not my fucking job nor do I need one more damn woman to take care of. For fuck’s sake.

Instead, I pull the truck up in front of the bookstore.

Sofia, my middle sister, runs out and opens the truck door, then stops short when she sees Emory.

“Hello,” my sister says. “Mind scooting over so I can get out of the rain. Sucks breaking down in this weather, huh?”

Emory scoots across the bench seat until her body is pressed against mine, shoulder to hip. My dick twitches in my jeans. Well, this should be fun; getting a fucking hard-on with my sister in the truck. And who gets a damn erection from a woman barely touching them? This is not a sexy situation. Her clothes are drenched.

While Sofia climbs in and buckles her seatbelt, I reach behind me and find one of the towels I keep handy.

“Here,” I say.

“Thank you.”

“Who’s this little guy?” Sofia coos.

“This is Rosie the Retriever,” she says.

“That tiny ball of fluff is no retriever,” I say.

“No, it’s a homage to Rosie the Riveter,” she says. “Sheesh, are you always this charming?”

Sofia laughs. “She has your number, big brother.”

“You’re grounded,” I reply.

“Nice try, but I’m over eighteen, remember.”

“Still live under my roof.”

“Whatever. Save your grounding nonsense for Juliette. Aria and I have grown up, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Juliette would say she’s grown up too,” I say.

“She wouldn’t be wrong. She’ll be eighteen in a few months.”

“You have three sisters?” Emory asks.

“Unfortunately.” I drive in silence for a few beats, tapping my thumbs on the steering wheel. “You really don’t even have a reservation at one of the campsites?” I ask.

“No, I do not,” Emory says in that sassy, clipped tone of hers. “Normally I don’t need one. They usually have room at them, unless it’s a major holiday or something. But seeing as we just finished the holidays, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Except for all the snowbirds,” Sofia says.

Shit, I hadn’t even thought of that. “Call the sites and see what we’re dealing with, Sof.”

“Can’t she plug her van into your big ass plug in your revival tent?”

“It’s a barn, for the last fucking time. I swear you girls are gonna put me in an early grave.”