Free Sleepless in Savannah by Rita Herron Page A

together on the construction. Chase Holloway, our brother-in-law, is the architect. My sister, Maddie, has a decorating service and furnished the interiors."
    "It must be fun to work together. Sophie..." She itched to mention that she and Sophie had worked together, but remembered her promise not to talk about the Diva act. Pooh on Sophie for making her lie. "Uh, Sophie's show... I saw Chase and Maddie get married on Sophie's show."
    "Yeah, they did." Reid gave her a wary grin, then shifted in his seat as if she'd produced a rope to hang him.
    The M-word must be taboo, too. Hadn't Sophie mentioned that he and his brother had a bachelor pact? Well, he needn't worry. Marriage was the last thing on her mind. Lucy didn't intend to settle down; she didn't want to limit herself to one man. Although Sophie wanted that security; it was the very reason she'd bought the house. Hadn't she said something about having a thing for Lance? It certainly didn't sound as if her sister was happy with him the night before. And Lucy didn't want her sister settling down, especially in Savannah, so far away from her.
    "Maddie and Chase live in that one," he said, stopping his Tahoe in front of a long, winding drive that led to a smaller Southern plantation home.
    "Oh, my stars, it has sleeping porches. I wonder if they use those in the summer."
    He shrugged. "I imagine so."
    "How romantic."
    Reid grinned. "They can hear the water from the river on their back porch."
    "Yum."
    Reid laughed and angled his head toward her. "So are you moving here, Lucy, or only in town for a visit?"
    "Just here for a visit," Lucy said. "I live in Vegas."
    "Really? I've always wanted to go there. You gamble a lot?"
    "Not really, I..." Er, she wasn't supposed to mention the act. "I hostess for a club in the city."
    "I've heard it's a wild town. All those nightclubs and showgirls."
    If he only knew... "Yeah, I love it. All the lights, excitement."
    "We have excitement around Savannah, too."
    Lucy toyed with her gold loop earring. "Is that so?"
    Reid's lip twitched. He was probably a player, but he was sexy and easygoing, her kind of guy.
    "Really." He reached out and twisted a strand of her hair around his finger. "Maybe I could show you around."
    Lucy leaned into his hand. "I'd like that, Reid." After all, Sophie had warned her not to talk about the Diva act, but her sister wouldn't care if she had a little fun with Reid Summers, would she?
    * * *
    It was nearly midnight when Sophie finally made it home. She dragged herself from the limo, tipped the driver, who hauled her suitcase to the front door, and fished her keys from her purse with one hand while she visually inspected the premises for intruders, as she always did when she arrived home. Force of habit from living in low-rent, low-class neighborhoods her entire life.
    Everything seemed in order, although barring the kitchen light, the house was dark and Lance's Blazer still sat in the driveway. Drat. If he had seduced Lucy, she'd kill him with one of his own tools.
    What if Lucy seduced him? Could she really blame Lance for giving in to her vixen sister?
    Shuddering at the possibility, she pushed open the door and barreled inside, clomping her heels as loud as she could to alert them that she had arrived. Swallowing her pride was one thing; actually having to witness the man she wanted—correction: had wanted—naked in bed with her sister was another.
    Clip-clop. Clip-clop . "Lucy, I'm home!"
    She dropped the bag by the steps, hesitating at the bathroom when she noticed the new tiles. Wow. Lance had made noticeable strides in the renovations already. Excitement budded in her chest, and she knelt to examine the work, running her hand over the sleek white ceramic. Jazzy loped in, turned up her nose, and rubbed against Sophie as she scratched the cat's back.
    "Hey, baby, I can't wait to see the house finished. All my life I dreamed of having a real home, with a white picket fence, a walk-in closet...." She let the