Free Full Circle by Jennifer Simpkins, Peri Elizabeth Scott

body was going to react every time she saw him it was going to be a long, torturous couple of weeks.
    “Heath,” she said, a little breathless. She instructed herself not to shift from foot to foot and give him the impression he had a strong effect on her. But then his scent, all man with a hint of soap, invaded her senses. All hope was lost. “Uh, what are you doing here?”
    His scowl turned into a half grin. “You’re the only woman I know who can make a holey T-shirt and gym shorts look downright sexy.”
    Oh hell…

Chapter Six
     
    Heath meant it when he told Ellie she made her casual attire look sexy. Legs up to there, a hint of pink lace visible behind one of those holes her shirt boasted. Her nipples were pale peach, large, and succulent. They topped those round breasts so tantalizingly. He blinked to clear the memory and focused on the issue at hand. “Is Mia here?”
    Ellie flinched at his tone before stiffening and staring him straight in the eyes. That was his girl. Well, not his girl any longer, but the take-no-prisoners girl he remembered from way back when. The girl who stood up to bullies and championed the underdog. He nearly apologized for his attitude, realizing he’d just fit the former category.
    “She’s here.” Ellie didn’t give anything away with her words, but her demeanor spoke volumes. She was pissed at him—and something else.
    Heath recognized the signs of arousal in women. He’d seen it often enough, and had been the cause on more occasions than he cared to think about, well aware of his man whore status back home. Ellie’s pupils had dilated and nearly absorbed the whiskey brown of her iris. He took another surreptitious look at where the T-shirt stretched over her breasts and was rewarded with the sight of firm nipples pressing against the material. His jeans were housing a monster poke of their own, and he hastened to speak again before his anger and lust merged and he said or did something he couldn’t take back.
    “I’d like to talk to her.” He pulled out his phone and texted Roy that Mia was safe.
    “Heath? Why are you here? Did you come to your senses at last and want to see Ellie? Alone? Because I can—”
    “I came to find you, munchkin.” Heath cut Mia off as soon as he realized the direction she was headed. Not that he hadn’t considered her implication when Ellie opened the door. But it wasn’t in the cards. He wasn’t going to go that route. “Our old man is upset you didn’t call and you didn’t answer your phone. There’s some guy wandering around out there.”
    “She saw him.” Ellie dropped that little gem into the conversation, and Heath’s big brother gene kicked to the surface.
    “Where? Did you call the police?” Maybe the fact he hadn’t shouted at his sister, his voice instead so cold and intense, the way he’d honed it because of the interactions in his career, elicited a reaction from both women. Mia paled and Ellie stuttered something about pepper spray.
    “No,” Mia squeaked. “He didn’t do anything.”
    Heath ran a hand through his hair and barely managed not to pull out a handful. “For sure. Wait until he does and then report him. Jesus, Mia. And surely you know better, Ellie.”
    “This isn’t like Chicago, Heath.” His sister continued to protest. “I’ll admit it spooked me, seeing him because he’s big and unkempt, but he—”
    “I know. He didn’t do anything .” Give him strength. “We’ll talk about it later. Or rather, you and Roy will talk about it. C’mon. I’ll take you home.” He glanced at Ellie who stood quietly watching them both, her lips pressed together tightly. “I told Melissa I wouldn’t be long.”
    In actuality, he’d left Melissa with a wave and a suggestion she and Renee chat while he went in search of his wayward sister. He was pretty sure she’d be at Ellie’s and didn’t want Melissa anywhere near her.
    Mia frowned but then shrugged. “I’ll get my stuff.”
    “Better you