Surrendering To His Mrs. Right (Soul Food Diner) Read Online Free Page A

just not common for a woman your age.”
    “I know. I just suck —”
    He groaned at that word coming out of her lips.
    “I suck at opening up to people,” she continued. “Sure I can joke and be fun, but when it comes down to really connecting with people, I’m no good at it. It’s one of the reasons Liam’s such a close friend. He doesn’t push. At some point in high school it became a thing with the guys to see which one could pop my cherry. I don’t want sex or my first to be hollow.”
    “I can appreciate that. I haven’t dated anyone since I finished school. I can get off on my own. I don’t need to bring someone else into the mix unless it’s meaningful.”
    “She hurt you badly, didn’t she? I remember Liam saying something when you moved back.”
    He nodded. “Only as much as I let her.” It hurt to be nothing more than a pawn for Celia to move around in her sick game of emotional warfare. She had played him well.
    So much of games reminded him of his own father and Liam's behavior. It scared him for his brother future. However, he couldn’t blame his father or Liam for their true nature.—and didn’t—but nor did he want a life like that.
    “We had very different views on what a content life looked like. In many ways I’m lucky she set me free when she did. Others weren’t so lucky.” Eventually Celia had poisoned everything around her. “There are those that amuse themselves at the expense of the emotions of others.”
    “I know someone like that.” The question she should ’ve asked herself was whether Liam did it knowingly or not. For Tim, the verdict wasn’t in on his brother yet. “But that was a while ago so why no one since?”
    “Some wounds are harder to heal than others.” He laid his head back on the ledge of the hot tub. “I’ve had women.” One or two he could hardly remember, though it had never been his thing to sleep around just to get off. “Now I’ll wait for the right one.”
    “ Very unBoyd of you, boarding on noble.”
    If only he was. “I’m selfish.” Perhaps his view would appeal to a woman who didn’t sleep around. “I don’t like wasting time.” A lot had already slipped away on him. “Would you like a drink?”
    “Whatcha got?” She peeked over the side then over his bare chest. Hunger glimmered in her eyes.
    If she was good he’d let her touch , if she liked.
    She gazed away into the house.
    “Beer or coolers?” he asked.
    “A cooler, please.”
    Tim stretched out of the water to the fridge and pulled them out a drink each. They were the twist tops. “May I open it for you?”
    She shook her head.
    Reluctantly, he handed over the bottle.
    She used her nearby towel on hers.
    “ I could have done it for you,” he said.
    “I know. But it’s more fun to do them myself.” She drank back half. “I’m thirsty.”
    Despite them having stopped to eat, he had a feeling the cooler would hit her hard. From what he could remember, she was a lightweight when it came to drinking.
    He opened his beer and sipped.
    “Do you think you’ll sell this place once Liam moves out?” she asked.
    “No. It’s my home.” There was nowhere else he wanted to be. “I hope when I meet the right woman she’ll feel it’s her home too. The décor needs a fresh touch but since she’ll probably want to redo it anyhow I’ll wait for her.”
    “There’s nothing wrong with the décor. It’s neutral.” She pointed her cooler toward the patio.
    He nodded in agreement. The wind blew in her hair, tossing it around. Soft lighting from the fireplace shone on her rum skin. She polished off her cooler and sank back against the edge.
    “Another please?” She held out the empty bottle.
    Tim leaned over and removed another.
    Music would be g ood right about now. He reached over and turned on the stereo. Modern jazz came pouring out of the speakers.
    She downed three -quarters of the second cooler. “Tim, do you like my swimsuit? It’s new.” With one hand on