Free Loving Mr. July by Margaret Antone Page A

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geniality in this last year since I married into the family. Their
parents raised them well.”
    “Not that you’re biased or anything.” Cynthia
winked at her.
    Sharon inclined her head, gave a slight
shrug. “I confess to more than a little bias. But you’ve met their
mother, Marjorie, during your foundation dealings. You know what
I’m talking about.”
    Cynthia smiled. “Yeah, other than her
weakness for Louboutin shoes, she’s pretty much salt of the earth.
Must be those Midwestern genes.”
    “So knowing that, I don’t think Kurt would
blame you for being a victim.”
    “I told him about some of my poor choices as
a teenager though too.”
    “Who doesn’t make mistakes in their life?”
Sharon nibbled on her Danish. “He’s not so petty as to fault you
for that.”
    “No, he’s just a regular hero.” Cynthia said,
not quite masking the edge of sarcasm.
    Sharon cocked her head, gave her a
questioning look. “You sound mad.”
    Cynthia gazed longingly at the Danish,
thought about how long it would take her to run tonight to work it
off, and decided to pass, sighing. “Do you realize that you have to
run for almost half an hour, fast, to work that pastry off?”
    Sharon frowned at the sugary treat in her
hand and set it back on the plate. “That’s not why you’re mad,
Cynthia.”
    Cynthia blew out a breath. “He is a
good guy. I haven’t been able to really find fault with him. I’ve
treated him like crap, and he’s been surprisingly tolerant. I just
wish…”
    Sharon waited for her to finish, but Cynthia
couldn’t bring herself to say more.
    “You just wish he would see you as a woman,
don’t you?”
    Cynthia brought her gaze up to meet Sharon’s.
“Yeah,” she said softly. “I thought he was just another pretty boy.
He has women falling all over themselves to get his attention. I
figured he was big-headed.”
    “But he’s not.”
    “No,” Cynthia agreed, “he’s not. He’s kinder
than I expected. Richer than I expected.” She grinned at Sharon.
“And now that we’ve been working out, even better looking than
ever.”
    “And you’re attracted to him.” Sharon looked
thoughtful.
    “Oh honey,” Cynthia said, laughing ruefully
at herself. “I’m way past attracted. I was attracted the day I
first met him. I mean who isn’t?”
    Sharon’s brow wrinkled. “But you were always
so negative about him?”
    “Did you ever think, ‘the woman protesteth
too much?’” Cynthia asked, sitting back, and crossing her hands
across her chest. She smiled at Sharon. “I guess I’m better at
hiding things from you than I thought.”
    “A comforting thought, seeing as you’re my
business partner,” Sharon said dryly. “But yeah, I had no
idea.”
    “And I don’t want Blake to ever get any idea
either.”
    “Cynthia,” Sharon chastised her. “You know me
better than that.”
    “It’s just so embarrassing.” Cynthia looked
away, tried to blink back an errant tear. “Can you imagine, how
he’d feel if he knew? Then he would look upon me with
pity.”
    “You don’t know that.” Sharon frowned at
her.
    Cynthia nodded emphatically. “If you saw him
around me, you’d see what I mean. He walks around shirtless half
the time, sometimes just wearing boxers, like I’m not going to
notice. I mean I’m practically salivating, but does he pay
attention? No, it’s just thanks, what’s for dinner?”
    “He’s walking around shirtless and in his
underwear?” Sharon stared at her. “Maybe he’s trying to turn you
on?”
    “Hah.” Cynthia gave a mirthless laugh. “I
don’t think so. I’ve tried wearing my sexiest things. My killer red
dress, you know, the one you told me shows off my boobs? But does
he notice? No, I might as well be a stick of furniture. And then
there’s all the little touches.” Cynthia was on a roll now. “When
we’re at the gym, does he show me how to lift weights by
demonstrating like a regular person? No! With me, he’s got to wrap
his