Free Sinful Attraction by Ann Christopher

glint with manic determination. “I. Will. Not. Let. Judah’s. Leaves. Be. Eaten. By. Deer.”
    Oh, dear God , Claudia thought. “Good for you,” she said.
    More beaming from Summer. “We’ve got a wonderful lunch ready for you and the others. Oh, here they are now!”
    Claudia looked around. Sure enough, a black-on-black SUV, a rental much like the one Judah had sent for her, was now making its way up the drive, spewing gravel behind it.
    Claudia’s heart rate kicked into overdrive, and that was before the vehicle pulled to a stop in front of the porch. It was a small consolation that Summer was also atwitter with excitement and doing a poorer job hiding it than Claudia was. By the time the car doors opened, she had bounced down the steps, her arms wide in preparation for another round of hugging.
    “Welcome to the ranch,” Summer cried. “We’re so glad you made it through the stormy weather in Chicago. Judah can’t wait to see you again.”
    Claudia rolled her eyes even as she watched with rapt interest. Her competition already knew the potential client. Of course.
    Marcus got out the driver’s side and surveyed his new surroundings, his jaw tight. Though he wore a pair of black aviator sunglasses that blocked out any hint of his eyes, his head turned in Claudia’s direction and stayed there.
    The intensity of his attention was enough to freeze Claudia in place.
    He wore another pristine black dress shirt, but had traded in his pressed slacks for a pair of black jeans and hiking boots. On any other man, such a severe outfit would have made him look like a bad guy searching for a sheriff to kill, but Marcus was like the face of some high-end designer’s Western collection.
    Another man was getting out on the passenger side, Claudia realized. About the same height as Marcus, he was Caucasian, with the sun-kissed complexion of a man who spent a lot of time outdoors. His curls, not quite blond but not quite brown, ruffled in the breeze and brushed the collar of his weathered white denim shirt. Faded jeans and hiking boots completed his look.
    “Oh, my,” breathed Summer quietly as the men shut their doors and made their way up the walk. “They sure do make them nice in New York City, don’t they?”
    Yes, thought Claudia bitterly, wishing her cheeks weren’t quite so hot, they sure do .
    Just another one of the unfair facts of life, she supposed.
    “Summer?” Marcus took off his sunglasses, tucked them into his breast pocket and extended his hand. His gaze flickered to Claudia—yeah, he looked pissed—before latching on to Summer. Then he flashed that smile of his, a sight so breathtaking that Claudia almost expected Summer to look around, blink and say, Mountains? What mountains? “Great to finally meet you. Thanks for having us.”
    “We don’t bother with handshakes around here. We’re all family at Sweet Heaven,” Summer said, catching him in a hug and running her hands up his back and down his arms with more frank feminine appreciation than Claudia thought was necessary. Over the top of Summer’s head, Marcus’s smile froze in place and he shot Claudia a bewildered What the hell is happening to me? look. Claudia struggled not to laugh. New Yorkers, she knew, were just as enthusiastic about hugs as Brits were.
    “Appreciate that,” Marcus said, managing to look charmed even as he extricated himself as quickly as possible. “We’re thrilled to be here. Did you order up this weather just for us?”
    “Naturally!” Summer headed for the other man, who threw his arms open to receive her, his blue eyes glinting with mischief. Summer seemed not to notice. “Hello, Cooper,” she sang, pressing her cheek to Cooper’s broad chest. “I have the feeling you might have lied to me when you told me that your brother Marcus here was hideously scarred in a childhood accident and always wears a mask over his face.”
    Cooper let her go, stepped back and put a hand over his heart, looking as wide-eyed