Free The Street Where She Lives by Jill Shalvis Page A

of her, the best part. “I can’t.” Her heart got stuck in her throat because she knew. He was destined to go.
    And she was destined to stay.
    â€œYou’ll come,” he said confidently. But they didn’t speak of it again because shortly after that Rachel caught the flu—a nasty bug that dragged on and on, weakening her, tiring her.
    After watching her throwing up every afternoon at four o’clock on the dot for a week running, Ben took her to a clinic. “Does she need antibiotics?” he demanded of the doctor, squeezing her hand as they waited for an answer.
    â€œNope.” The doctor shook his head. “What you’re cooking isn’t contagious. It’s a baby.”

CHAPTER SIX
    T HE PHONE WOKE Melanie Wellers at what felt like the crack of dawn. Opening her eyes, she stretched lazily…and came in contact with a warm, hard, undeniably male body.
    Oh, yeah, nice way to wake up.
    Those male arms tightened on her, and a low growl sounded in her ear. “Mmm, you feel good.”
    Yes, yes she did. She always felt good with a nice warm body to strain against.
    Jason, no, Justin…yes, Justin, she remembered with a fond sigh, had so gallantly offered her a ride home from the bar last night where she’d gone after work in need of a stiff drink.
    Her boss had been a son of a bitch all day, she had bills coming out the wazoo and she hadn’t gotten the raise she’d counted on. And yet Jason—damn it, Justin —had promised to make it all go away for a night.
    Lord almighty, he’d kept his word.
    The phone kept ringing, and it started to grate on her nerves. “Gotta get that, sugar,” she said, slapping his bare ass playfully as she stretched across him for the cordless on the nightstand.
    Then she caught sight of the time. Ah, shit! Late for work, again.
    Can you see me now, Dad? With a sardonic twist of her mouth, she glanced heavenward. Or maybe sheshould be looking down toward hell, as that was a far more likely place for her father to have ended up. Late for work, Dad, and proud of it. Roll in your grave over that one.
    Hoping it wasn’t her boss, she grabbed the phone.
    â€œAunt Mel?”
    A smile broke out onto her face, and only part of it was relief. “Hiya, Emmie, baby.”
    â€œAre you busy?”
    Mel glanced at the extremely gorgeous, extremely naked man in her bed. He rolled over and shot her a come-get-me smile, making her laugh. “A little. What’s up? How’s your mom?”
    â€œThat’s what I wanted to tell you, she’s good. She’s great. So great you don’t need to take any time off this weekend to come down here, we’ll be fine.”
    Mel’s relief became tinged with something a little sour. She was the older sister and, stupid as it was, she had this bone deep need to be needed by Rachel.
    Rarely happened.
    Still, for weeks she hadn’t taken a spare breath, going back and forth from Santa Barbara to South Village, and not only had it crimped her social life, she really needed to rack up some extra hours at work. “Are you sure?”
    â€œPositive. Mom says do what you have to do, we’re fine.”
    â€œYou got a nurse, right?”
    â€œThings are really, really fine. So, uh, we’ll just see you next weekend. Or the weekend after.”
    â€œNext weekend for sure…” Melanie narrowed her eyes and paused. As the Queen of Liars, Cheaters and Manipulators, she could smell a con a thousand miles away. “You didn’t say, Em. Did you hire a nurse?”
    â€œYeah, it’s, um, working out just great. Really great.”
    Apparently tired of waiting, Justin ran two hands up Mel’s legs, slow and lazylike, toying with what he found between them.
    Melanie’s eyes crossed with lust. Did she really want to grill her niece when she had this gorgeous man ready and willing to worship her body?
    Then that gorgeous man slid a finger