How to Love Read Online Free Page B

coffee shop.”
    Which was probably true. Jules liked Matt a lot, but she knew he drove Neve crazy. Since their dad had died when Neve was eleven, Matt had taken over the father role and Neve did not appreciate it.
    “You should tell him what your plans are.” Neve had recently confided her goals but had asked Jules to keep that to herself because of her own doubts, and also because she knew how her brother would react.
    Neve scowled. “Why, so he can make fun of me or tell me it will never work? Or I should be doing a ‘real’ job? No thanks. Let him think I’m wasting my life away.”
    “Hey, Jules! Neve!” People greeted them as they climbed the steps to the deck, some giving them hugs and kisses. They pulled out their margaritas.
    “Where are the guests of honor?” Neve asked, pouring a drink. “And our hostesses?”
    “They went inside for a tour of the house.”
    “Ah.”
    Neve and Jules exchanged glances, thinking of the two cute little blonde sisters and the two hunky neighbors. Jules pursed her lips. Whatever.
    She and Neve started talking to Matt’s live-in girlfriend Corey Fenwick about her incredible hand-made chocolates. “Your chocolate is as good as an orgasm,” Jules said with a groan. “I need some.”
    “That must be some chocolate,” said a deep voice from behind her.
    Jules turned to see Mike, smiling, holding a bottle of beer. “Oh, it is,” she said. “Have you met Corey?” She made introductions.
    “And you haven’t met Carlos yet,” Mike said. “Carlos! Buddy, come meet our next-door neighbor.”
    Jules followed his gaze and watched a man detach himself from the Surf Sisters with a smile and stroll across the deck toward them. She let out a soft sigh. Oh man. Another easy-on-the-eyes neighbor. Carlos was about the same height as Mike, who she put at around six feet, more muscled than Mike’s lean build, also broad in the shoulders, narrow in the hips. His darker skin, short beard and cropped black hair contrasted Mike’s golden tan and sunlit brown hair. When he smiled, blinding white teeth flashed and dark eyes crinkled at the corners.
    She recalled her impulsive invitation to Mike earlier, to pose nude for her. God. Carlos could pose too. Jesus.
    “Hey,” he said, extending a hand. “I’m Carlos Vergara. You must be Jules.”
    “I am.” She shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Carlos.”
    “Mike tells me he was at your gallery this afternoon.”
    “Yeah.” She shot Mike a sideways smile. “He was. He didn’t buy anything though.” One corner of her mouth kicked up.
    Neve made a little noise like she was clearing her throat and Jules caught her lifted eyebrow. Oh yeah, she hadn’t told Neve about Mike’s visit to the gallery. For some reason, Mike seemed like something she wanted to keep…to herself.
    But he wasn’t hers, and that was a silly thought because when it came to men, she had no desire to have anyone belong to her, or for her to belong to them.
    “I saw your prices,” Mike said. “I couldn’t afford to buy anything.” His eyes glinted.
    She smiled. “I’m worth every penny.”
    “I’m sure you are.” Their eyes met and held, and the air thickened around them. Then she turned back to Carlos. “So you and Mike run an adventure tour company, huh? That sounds cool.”
    “We like it.” He smiled.
    “How long have you been doing that?”
    “I started working for the company a few years ago, when I’d just gotten out of the Navy. I couldn’t stand the idea of working in an office or doing nine to five. One of my old Navy buddies owned the business. Then we needed better management, and Mike was looking for a change from the accounting job he was working at.”
    “Total dead end,” Mike added. “I like number crunching, but I wasn’t getting any opportunity to use business management skills.”
    “We even got him guiding some of the tours when we needed help,” Carlos continued. “He’s the one who thinks up new marketing ideas