Tequila Sunrises over Georgia (a novella) Read Online Free

favorite dishes.”
    I walk in and my brother gets up from one of
the recliners and comes straight at me.
    “Gia! Come here!” He envelops me in a big
bear hug and I immediately feel protected. I love my big
brother.
    “My baby’s finally home!” I hear my mom come
out of the kitchen in a rush.
    I turn so I can give her a big hug. “Hi, mom!
I’ve missed you so much.”
    “Oh… Let me look at you… It’s been too long,
sugar, I don’t know that I can keep dealing with you living so far
up north. But it’s so good to have you home! Come! Come to the
kitchen and help me finish up the food. Nash, sweetie, please set
the table for me, hon.”
    I hear my brother mumble a “Yes, ma’am.” As
he gives me a look that tells me things have not changed much
around here. With a smile on my face, I follow my mom and dad to
the kitchen.
    “Umm. Smells great! Are you making…”
    “Country fried steak, your favorite…”
    “Oooh, yum! Can’t wait to dig in!” I take a
wooden spoon and fill it with mashed potatoes, and proceed to eat
them with the tip of my tongue. Old habits die hard.
    Mom gives me a look, shakes her head and
proceeds to dip the cubed steak in the egg mixture first, the flour
mixture second, and finally on the oily skillet.
    I’m watching my brother getting the table
ready and noticed there is a fifth place setting.
    I look around, confused. “Who’s missing?”
    “Carter.”
    “Carter who?”
    She gives me an annoyed look and her lips
make a thin line.
    “Gia, Carter has been coming to all our
family dinners since his parents passed away about a year ago. His
brothers are also invited, but they are not in town much.”
    My mouth is wide open without a sound coming
out. I’m completely speechless.
    Dammit.
    As I’m trying to formulate a smart remark
that won’t get me in trouble with my parents, the backdoor opens
and in comes Carter.
    While he’s greeting my parents, I finish
licking the mashed potatoes off the wooden spoon. I walk to the
sink to wash it, when I hear the one voice that makes my insides
rumble in a terrible sexy way.
    “Hey, Gia.”
    “Hey, Carter.”
    He does a once over and nods his head. Dang,
he looks good.
    My brother comes in the room and shakes hands
with Carter.
    Suddenly, I’m transported to the time that I
was a little girl and I feel so out of place, it’s pathetic.
    “Everyone grab a plate and get some food.
Let’s catch up at the table.” My mom says in a happy voice.
    Me? Not so thrilled. So I have to work with
this sexy man who could be modeling for GQ, where I have to control
all my naughty feelings towards him, and now I have to deal with
him being at my house during family dinner.
    This shit ain’t fair.
    We all go sit down and the conversation gets
going.
    Nash is up first.
    “So Carter, you working with Gia, is that
weird?”
    “A little. It’s hard to get used to the idea
that Gia’s all grown up.” He looks at me appreciatively but with
respect. My daddy’s at the table, after all.
    Talking about my dad, is he chuckling?
    “What are you laughing at, Dad?”
    “This is such a small world. It’s kinda funny
that good ol’ Carter has to answer to my baby girl.” He snorts and
starts laughing. Then everybody’s laughing but me.
    I’m not laughing at all.
    “What do you mean by that?”
    “Well, you have to remember that Carter has
never been too good at following orders. He can be pretty
hard-headed!”
    I look at Carter and he’s giving me a sexy
smile and a wink.
    Crap.
    That’s all it took for me to get turned on. I
feel the heat rushing to my cheeks.
    It only takes a few seconds to imagine
Carter’s lips on mine and… things are not getting any easier as I
feel the same heat rush between my legs.
    Let’s try a different way…
    “Dad, it’s not so much about him following my
orders, but us collaborating together so that this project is
finished on time and under budget.”
    “That’s right, Mr. Black. Collaboration.