Free Home Is Where the Heart Is (Welcome To Redemption) by Donna Marie Rogers

mouth beneath hers. Lindy’s head swam; her pulse thrummed hard with need. It had been so long since she’d been with a man. Since she’d even kissed one, until yesterday, though she’d keep that bit of news to herself. Drew’s ego was practically spilling from his ears as it was.
    Strong hands caressed and stroked the tender muscles of her back as deft fingers wove a tingling path up her spine, sending currents of sexual energy to every nerve in her body. Nestled against his hard chest, Lindy’s nipples tightened in anticipation, every inch of her aching for the incredibly sexy man she had pinned to her bed.
    Without warning, Drew broke the kiss and gently slid her off of him. He sat up with a muttered curse and pulled his cell phone from his front pocket. It must have been on vibrate because she hadn’t heard it ring. He listened to a message, stared at the ceiling for a moment, then stuck it back in his pocket.
    “What is it? What’s wrong?”
    He sat up with a groan and swiped a hand through his hair. “Nothing, I...Listen, Hot Stuff, thanks for the pizza, but it’s late and I have an early day tomorrow.”
    Before she could form a thought, Drew rolled off the bed and shot to his feet. He looked uncomfortable, and Lindy felt like crawling in a hole. He didn’t want her. She’d practically thrown herself at him, and he wasn’t even interested enough to take advantage of what she offered. Tears burned her eyes.
    “I’ll call you.” With that, he left.
    She heard him call for Bo once he reached the foyer. When he shut the door, it may as well have been a cannon going off, so strong was its impact.
    Being rejected by the arrogant man once was one thing. But after yesterday’s aborted kiss, my God, she must be the biggest fool on the planet. He’d probably been waiting since last summer for a chance to knock her off her pedestal. And fine—touché. But Lindy had been foolish enough to let him get to her. Much as she hated to admit it, her heart ached. She’d started to fall for him, and now he knew it. The humiliation of it nearly choked her.
    “I’ll call you.”
    Flipping onto her back, she pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, desperate to stem the flow of her tears. The faint crunch of gravel reached her as he pulled out of her driveway. A sob nearly escaped, but she choked it back, along with her vulnerability. She’d die before she’d let that man make her feel like dirt. No one could hear the ache in her chest; feel the burn of her shame. And no one needed to know just how deeply she’d fallen for the jerk.
    A feminine howl of complaint penetrated Lindy’s depressing thoughts, and she glanced down to see Bianca gazing soulfully up at her. Binks leapt onto the bed, purring her little heart out as she butted her head against Lindy’s hand. Lindy swiped away her tears, then gave Bianca the petting of a lifetime, needing the comfort only her furry best friend could provide.
    “Three more months, Bianca. Then it’s back home to L.A. For good.”

 
    Chapter 8
     
    “So where are you off to?” Matt asked as he set Lindy’s nonfat espresso macchiato to-go on the counter. Lindy pitched a five dollar bill down and snatched up her drink.
    “I have to make an appearance at the plant, meet the new manager, and give dad a progress report.”
    Knowing better than to argue with her, Matt accepted the money and rang up her coffee. “Someone’s in a mood this morning. What’s up?”
    “Nothing.” She hooked her purse over her shoulder, careful to avoid eye contact with her perceptive older brother. Not that anyone could’ve missed her pissy attitude. Lord, she couldn’t wait to get back to real life—which thankfully was on the other side of the country. Mayberry’s small town charm and appeal had definitely started to wear off.
    He eyeballed her in that annoying, ‘you never could lie to me’ brotherly way. The look that had never failed to draw the truth from her. “Something happen