Free Shayla's Story (The Mathews/Clemmins Family Series) by Beverly Preston

for a month to get her to go to
Europe with me. Now, she wants to stay longer and take part in the travel arrangements.”
    John stood at the
water’s edge, his feet buried in the black sand while talking to two of the
other jumpers. There were enough hard bodies and sex appeal between the three
men to make any woman within eyesight stop and ogle, but Shayla couldn’t take
her eyes off John. It wasn’t only his striking looks capturing her attention;
his confidence and genuine ease of his smile filled her with warmth.
    Hiding behind her
sunglasses, she stared on as he shook the water from his hair and ran his
fingers through the short thick strands of silk. Each well-defined muscle took
its turn center stage. Shayla crossed one leg over the other, hoping to ease
the jolts of thunder striking her inner thighs. Chill bumps rose high on his
skin, constricting his dark nipples when the breeze hit his wet body. Her
breath fractured when he shifted slightly and exposed a full frontal of his wet
trucks clinging to his body.
    “Can’t say I blame
my little sister. There is something special about European men,” Tracy
interjected, enjoying the beachside view.
    JC jogged back with
a smile plastered to her face. “He’s HOT!” she boasted, flapping a piece of
paper with his number written on it. She leaned in closer to Shayla, peering
toward the men standing along the border of the incoming surf.   “Which one do you think is cute?”
    Shayla’s mouth
opened and closed. The scorch of embarrassment climbed up her neck. Shit! Her hungry gaze and smirk fell to
the sand. Both girls snickered and shook their heads as if they’d seen it a
million times. Shayla had no doubt the Mathews house was the high school spot
for sleepovers. The entire family hit the gene pool jackpot.
    They spent the late
afternoon meandering down cobbled streets of the quaint village. The close
connection between John and his sisters was unlike anything Shayla had ever
encountered between siblings. They genuinely enjoyed each other and their
humorous camaraderie kept her laughing.
    Their father died of
a heart attack a year before their mother met Tommy, and John filled every inch
of the head of household position. As they perused the streets, men who took
notice of his sisters or Shayla were tolerated, but John’s mere presence kept
any strangers at bay. There wasn’t one catcall or indecent gesture, not even so
much as an unwanted prolonged stare. He didn’t act like a bulldog bodyguard,
but his rugged exterior carried a presence of sureness and conviction, strong
enough to dominate any male. His sisters seemed used to his powerful persona,
but it sparked a new sense of safety for Shayla.  
    John led them
through the streets with ease, constantly placing his hand on the small of her
back. He did this to his sisters as well, but as the afternoon wore on, his
hand lingered longer and longer on Shayla’s back. She found herself comforted
by his touch, almost leaning into him when they spoke. The rough calluses on
his palms snagged at the material of her shirt. Shayla reached for his hand,
rubbing her thumb over the scratchy surface of his palm. “Tommy mentioned you
were in construction. What do you do?”
    “I’m part owner in
my dad’s construction company.” He remained still, allowing her to hold his
hand. The crescents of his lashes shadowed his cheeks. “These are from mountain
biking.”
    Her thumbs continued
to turn circles over the coarse skin. The setting sun deepened the fresh bronze
coloring on his face, accentuating the vibrant green of his eyes. She found
herself mesmerized by the color and texture of the skin on his neck. “You took
over the company after your father died?”  
    “Yes, but it wasn’t
quite that simple. I’ve worked for my dad as far back as I can remember.” He
smiled with a sense of pride. “I had to earn my spot at the top. The other
partners bought my mom out after he died, and I worked hard to prove