Her Best Friend's Brother (11 page)

-L-

I’m not disappointed. I bet he is just pulling your
leg. I choose to stand strong in my backwards flushing
toilet beliefs.

-t-

They are letting my take over Sarah Kendall’s
column while she is on maternity leave. This is a big
deal.

Halloween at the office was great. I was Clark
Kent

-t-

Congrats! Send me copies!

I was a pirate wench—the accent was fun.

-L-

I haven’t been home for Thanksgiving turkey in a
while. I am pretty excited. When are you getting
home?

-t-

Mom and Stuart are going away for Thanksgiving.

I am glad— she doesn’t take many vacations. I am
going to New York to see Mel.

-l-

My mom got married!!! She came home from
Thanksgiving married! They eloped in Las Vegas--so
weird. I like Stuart and all—I just can’t believe they did
it in Vegas! It is too romantic for grownups.

-L-

Wow. Stuart’s pretty cool. He was my little league
coach you know. I bet they are happy. I am sure it is
weird for you.

I heard Mel scorched the turkey! Serves you right
for abandoning me in Lindstown. If you want to talk
you can call me.

-T-

We missed you at Christmas Lib. I wish you had
mentioned that you were staying at school to take a
winter class. I have a little vacation time coming up—I
was thinking of spending it in Florida. What do you
think?

-t-

“Hi Tony.” Libby was sitting in her dorm room. She had picked up her phone as soon as she saw his name flashing on the caler ID.

“Libby! You wil never guess. I mean I had almost given up on sending it out… But I’m nothing if not persistent…”

“Tony! You are starting to remind me of Mel.” Libby smiled into the phone. She had missed his voice. He was coming for a visit next week and Libby couldn’t wait.

She had a list as long as her arm of things she wanted to show him.

“Sorry, Lib.” Tony drew a deep breath. “I got an agent.”

“For your book? That’s amazing. Wow. I told you it was good.”

“I know you have been realy great. You are the only one I have told you know. I’m stil not teling anyone—not until I get a publisher. But an agent is a huge start. He is realy optimistic, and he has already hooked me up with an editor in the city. I am going to meet with her next week.”

“Next week?”

“I know Lib. That’s one of the reasons I am caling. I have to cancel my trip. I don’t want to, but I only get so much vacation time. And I think it would be better spent working with my editor.
My
editor
can you believe it?”

“Of course it’s fine. Great actualy. I am super happy for you.” Stupid book! Her whole week was ruined. Except it wasn’t a stupid book. It was very good and Tony was a great writer.

and Tony was a great writer.

“I knew you’d understand. Libby-- I don’t deserve friends like you. Mr. Carson, Jack, he’s the agent.

I sent him a bunch of sample stuff in addition to the manuscript and he likes it al. He agrees with me about Isaac Raines being the strongest character. I am already outlining a few stories. I told you about Isaac right?”

“Umm No.”

“He’s a detective. A real wrong-place-wrong-time kind of a guy. Think John McClain only less pissy.”

“John McClain is not pissy!” Libby loved the Die Hard movies.

“Missing the point here Lib.” Tony was laughing at her.

“Oh right. Sorry. Okay tel me al about your editor, and about you’re the new book.”

They talked late into the night. Tony was so excited. And he should be. This was a huge deal, but stil Libby felt sad. She hated feeling jealous. But she had to admit, if only to herself, that she was actualy very jealous.

Of a book. Wel not realy of the book—it just seemed like she was stuck in a holding pattern. Al around her people were doing things, making futures. And she was just happy to get a passing grade in accounting.

Mel had just signed a deal with a boutique in SoHo. (Because when you live in New York you do things like go to boutiques in SoHo). She was going to be offering Marchetti Designs in women’s dress shops. Apparently women are the ones buying men’s accessories anyway.

John and Parker were looking at medical and law schools.

Suzy spent most of her nights at her boyfriend’s apartment these days and was beginning to hint at an engagement.

Even boring Brian and his boring girlfriend were having the time of their lives in Australia. Dependable old Libby was just plodding along towards a business degree.

Tmarchetti: You there?

Libby thriled at the ping of the chat window on her computer screen.

Libbylibbylibby: I was just finishing a paper, yeah I’m here.

Tmarchetti: I had a meeting with my agent in the city today. I ate dinner at Mel’s. Have you talked to her lately?

Libbylibbylibby: Not in a couple of weeks actualy.

She’s so busy. Is everything okay with her?

Tmarchetti: She’s fine. Can I cal you?

Libbylibbylibby: of course.

“Helo?” Libby was starting to get worried. She should have caled Mel to catch up. But school had been crazy lately.

“Hey. Lib.” Tony sounded strange.

“What’s going on?”

“So I was in the city today. And I was at Mel, and John’s place. And Parker stopped by.”

“Okay. What’s going on Tony?”

“Libby he had a girl with him. And I didn’t know if you knew or what the deal was, but you should know. And you are a thousand times prettier—if that helps. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking.”

“Tony! Are you trying to warn me that Parker has a new girlfriend? Her name is Penny. I’ve met her. I like her.” Geez! Here, she had been worried and here it was just his overprotective brother routine.

“So you two aren’t together anymore?”

“No. We never were. Not realy. Just a few dates and a great friendship. Seriously my heart is intact. But thanks for worrying about me that was sweet.”

“You weren’t
together
!” Anger laced through Tony’s voice. “That’s not what it looked like when you were sharing a wardrobe with him last summer!”

“At the risk of repeating myself—Parker and I are just friends.” Libby tired to keep her voice even. This was none of his business.

“So you were what? Friends-with-benefits? A way to pass time when he was in town? I should kil him.” Now that kind of pissed Libby off. “No you shouldn’t do anything Tony! Because you aren’t responsible for me; you aren’t
my
big brother. Even if you were I am an adult and old enough to know which, and what type of friends I want in my life.”

“I know how old you are Lib.” Tony ground out.

“Sorry. I just. I don’t want to see you hurt Libby.” It sounded like he was calming down.

“Parker has never hurt me.”

Tony winced. He knew he had been the one to hurt Libby, but things were different now. “So Parker has Penny and you…?”

“And I am happy for them.”

“Okay. When are you finished classes?”

Libby was relieved that Tony had changed the subject. She realy didn’t want to have to discuss her relationships with Tony. She gave him the dates of her final exams (which were stil several weeks away) and when she expected to return to North Carolina. They talked for awhile about how it would be strange for her to be going

‘home’ to Stuart’s town house instead of the building where she had grown up. And when Tony could hear her yawns through the phone line he sent her to bed.

Chapter Eleven

Tony was waiting for her when she got to the bakery the morning after she returned to Lindstown. He was leaning against the back door with his arms crossed over his chest and a mile wide grin split across face. This was a new smile. Not quite her coveted only-for-Libby smile. Somehow it was more chalenging, and a little predatory, but that had to be her sleep deprived mind playing tricks on her.

He lifted her into a long tight hug. “I missed you Lib.” His soft whisper fel into her hair just above her ear, and Libby felt a thril she hadn’t alowed herself to indulge in since high school.

“What a surprise.” She managed to speak when he had set her back down and she was able to get the key into the door.

Tony folowed her inside, and watched her silently as she began preheating ovens and getting ready for the business day. It took al his self control, not to kiss her senseless. It was only 5:00 in the morning; her hair was puled tightly into a ponytail and there wasn’t a trace of makeup on her face. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. But he wanted to be cautious -- no more assumptions or misunderstandings. Tony was going to get this right and that meant keeping his libido in check for awhile longer.

“Okay, are you going to tel me what you’re doing here?” Libby broke the silence.

“I told you—I missed you.” Tony flashed her, his most charming smile.

“At 5:00 in the morning?”

“Especialy at 5:00 in the morning.” His smile grew a little suggestive. “I’m in town for a couple of days. I would have been at Stuart’s yesterday, but I thought your mom might want you to herself.”

“Actualy, Mom and Stuart did have a big dinner waiting when I got there. They had some pretty amazing news too.”

“I have some amazing news myself.” They had moved into the dining area, and Tony wordlessly joined her in lowering chairs off tables onto the floor. “Wel some of it is news and I have something else I want to talk to you about.”

“What’s that?”

“Wel first… Jack sold
Thrills
! It is a smal run, but they are talking a multi-book contract based on some sample chapters from the Isaac Raines books. It is a big deal…” Tony didn’t get to finish talking because Libby rushed him, throwing her arms around in a warm uninhibited hug.

For a second Libby was embarrassed at her actions, but Tony’s arms circled her waist without hesitation. He crushed her body to his, and lifted his big hands to frame her face. His mouth took hers in a passionate hungry kiss. Rough skinned fingers trailed down her neck, his hands opened and skimmed down her back.

Heat from his skin burned a path down her spine through her thin tee shirt. When she felt the tips of his thumbs brush the underside of her breasts she gasped. Tony growled into her kiss; his tongue explored her mouth with abandon.

her kiss; his tongue explored her mouth with abandon.

Gripping her waist he easily lifted her onto a stool.

Instinctively Libby parted her knees—inviting him closer.

He stepped into her, gliding his hands down past the hem of her shorts and massaging the bare skin of her exposed thighs. Lifting one of her legs to wrap around him, Tony ground his hips into her.

Heat pooled in Libby’s midsection. She could clearly feel Tony’s arousal even through the material of their clothing. Drunk with the power she had over him, she scraped her nails lightly down his back and when she reached the waist band of his jeans she urged him to press harder and closer. Slipping her hands under the hem of his shirt she gave herself access to al of his heavenly hard muscles. She mapped him with her palms as she pressed hot open mouth kisses down his neck until she was nibbling his colar bone.

“Unghh, Libby!” Tony rasped. He had one hand buried in her hair, the twister long since tugged loose and discarded, and the other wrapped around her knee holding her tight to him. Libby had never known how wonderfuly erotic a touch to the back of her knee could be. “We have to stop” he managed through his panting breaths.

“No way.” Libby nipped at the skin on his neck, and lifted her face for another taste of his lips.

“Stop.” Tony wrenched his hands from her beautiful soft smooth skin. He gripped the counter behind her caging her in his arms, but no longer touching her.

Libby felt a cold rush over her at the loss of his skin against hers. “Right, just friends.” Libby looked everywhere but into his eyes.

“No Sweetheart.” Tony’s voice was husky and tender between panting breaths. “I just didn’t mean for that to happen.” He chuckled a lightly. “You do have a history of messing with my plans. You know?” Libby looked confused. “There is a wal of windows behind me. I was this close taking you right on that stool.” Tony whispered into the curve her neck between dropping kisses there.

“Okay, let’s go in the back.”

“I’m tempted sweetheart, but that isn’t how this should happen. Hard and fast between your mother’s ovens? That isn’t you.”

Libby thought it probably could be her.

“We have a bad record with communication, you and me. We should talk first.”

Oh. It was a little clearer now. Briefly she regretted alowing him to believe that she and Parker had had a sexual friendship. He was making sure she didn’t have any expectations. That was fair, she thought, since he lived 1100 miles away from her. Fair didn’t make it hurt any less. “Okay. Talk.”

Tony pushed off of the counter and rocked back on his heels. He ran a hand over his face, and through his hair.

Libby loved when he did that. “Just give me a moment to reboot my brain. I don’t want to get this wrong—

communication problems remember?” A smile played at the corner of his mouth. “Talk to me Libby. Distract me.”

“Okay.” Libby slid off her stool, and smoothed her clothes back into place. “Wel. My bedroom in Stuart’s house is the size of a postage stamp. He says he is going to switch it with his home office, but he hasn’t gotten around to it. There is barely enough room for my bed.”

“Libby!” Tony’s eyes were dark with heat, but he balanced his expression with a laughing smile. “About something other than a bed, please.”