THE BENNETTS' CHRISTMAS (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family #6) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,26

looking for a keeper. Besides, we’re only pretending to be a couple to keep all the women throwing themselves at him at bay.”

“That many? Must be nice to be him.”

They both laughed at that. Moments later, Kelly added, “But seriously, Monica, I hope you don’t think all men are like Mr. Perkins.”

Monica had to admit that at one time, maybe she’d thought that way. But that was before Michael had come into their lives and she’d seen how happy he and her mother were together. He treated her mom like a queen. And then there were the guys Kennedy and Victoria had married. Haddison and Cortez were good men who adored their wives. So Monica knew there were some good ones out there. She just wasn’t ready to find hers yet.

“I’ll admit that knowing what a jerk Mr. Perkins is has made me cautious. But then, I think any woman should be careful before giving her undying love to a man, don’t you?”

“Yes—and you can call me a die-hard romantic all you want—but a part of me wants to believe everybody has a soulmate. And I think you might have found yours.”

They talked for a while longer, before Monica ended the call. Unfortunately, she was still wide awake. And she couldn’t help considering her sister’s words. Kelly, the ‘have-all-the-fun-you-want’ girl and confirmed bachelorette, thought Landon might have been put in her life for a purpose.

She hadn’t mentioned anything to Kelly about Landon’s fiancée getting killed just days before their wedding. Monica had seen the deep pain in his eyes when he’d told her. It was apparent that even six years later, he was still in love with his Simone. She had a feeling he was even more reluctant to get into a serious relationship than she was.

Still, as she shifted to a more comfortable position, she admitted that it was rather nice that he had asked her to spend time with him while they were on the cruise. And she couldn’t think of anyone she would rather hang out with. Regardless of what she’d told her sister, she knew that Landon was a really nice guy, and if she had been in the market for a serious relationship, he would be at the top of her list. Unfortunately, she wasn’t looking for that right now. But that did not mean she couldn’t enjoy the time she spent with him, and if it turned into a holiday fling, well, that was okay too. More than okay, in fact.

Monica sighed. Right across the hall, Landon was probably in bed, too. Was he asleep or awake like her, thinking about their evening together? Had he enjoyed it as much as she had?

And was he looking forward to spending more time with her as a supposed couple for the remainder of the cruise?

She was definitely looking forward to it.

CHAPTER NINE

Sebrina

SEBRINA HAD JUST FINISHED rinsing out the coffee cup to place in the dishwasher when she heard the doorbell. Moving toward the door, she called out, “Who is it?”

“Parker. Parker Stanhope.”

Whoa, Sebrina thought, stopping in her tracks. She had to see the man who owned a voice like that. It was deep, husky and rich. The sound spread across her body, and she could actually feel her pores opening up and soaking it in.

Looking through the peephole, she got her first look at him—Dr. Parker Fitzgerald Stanhope, the new neurosurgeon at St. Paul General Hospital. The boy-wonder who was on a professional trajectory that few doctors could even dream about. But then, all one had to do was look at his resume to see why everyone was talking about him. She’d heard it was downright remarkable, especially for someone his age.

The fact that he had been part of the President’s Goodwill Medical Team at twenty-five—where he’d performed emergency brain surgery when an aneurysm nearly took the life of the crown prince of Belgium—was just one of the extraordinary things he’d accomplished so far. But those in the know said that was only the beginning.

Still, Rae’jean had stressed that even with all the acclaim, Parker Stanhope was a down-to-earth, all-around great guy. Knowing how protective Rae’jean was of her family, Sebrina believed her. Her cousin would not have recommended Parker as a housemate for her and Monica if she hadn’t thought he would fit right in.

As she continued to watch him through the peephole, a part of her wondered if maybe he would fit in too much. Because at that moment, she wouldn’t have been surprised