or everyone was lying about how great sex could be. Her sisters and cousins had tried to tell her she’d simply had bad luck in finding bed partners. She just hadn’t slept with the right guy yet—the one who would rock her world. That might be true, but she’d never felt any of the sexual chemistry and physical attraction they’d told her she would feel. And it was starting to worry her.
But then...Monica couldn’t help remembering the guy she had met eight months ago at Zang Nightclub—Landon Chestnut. She still chuckled when she thought about the way he’d put Dusty in his place. And when he’d taken her hand, she had felt a jolt of sexual energy hit her, unlike anything she’d ever felt before. He’d been handsome, older and had a body that would put much younger men to shame.
She would admit to thinking about Landon a lot since then, and had hoped that whatever business had brought him to St. Paul that night might have brought him back again. So far it hadn’t. But then, maybe it had, and he hadn’t bothered looking her up.
“Don’t be surprised if we have a new roomie when you get back, Monica.”
For some reason, Monica sensed that her sister wasn’t all that thrilled with the idea, but didn’t want to be the one to object. Still, it was Kennedy’s house—she ultimately had the final say. “You’ll have plenty of time to break him in before I get back.”
Sebrina frowned. “Break him in?”
“You know, get him used to the way we do things. I won’t be back from the cruise until a week before Christmas. So put him to work. For example, I expect the tree to be decorated when I come back.” She grinned.
Sebrina didn’t seem to share her enthusiasm. “I can do that myself.”
“But why? Let him help you, Bree. That way he’ll learn what to expect, now that he’s living with the Bennetts. You know Christmas is a big deal to us. He’ll either fit in with the family, or we’ll send him running for the hills.”
“He won’t be here that long, in any case.”
Monica glanced up from folding her blouses. “What do you mean?”
“He’s only here for a year, working under the head of our neurology department. He was accepted into this once-in-a-lifetime mentorship program, where upon completion, his medical future will be pretty much set. In fact, I’ve heard that he’s being groomed to take over as chief of staff at a hospital in Florida in a few years.”
“Wow, must be nice.”
“I’m sure it is. I have to hand it to him, he’s already achieved a lot in his medical career. St. Paul General will be fortunate to have him for a year.”
Monica nodded. “You never did say what his name was.”
“His name is Parker. Parker Stanhope.”
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this, Zoe,” Landon said, glancing across the room at his sister who’d shown up at his house to see him off. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t be going anyplace and wondered if it was too late to change his mind.
“Don’t even think about it, Land,” she said as if reading his thoughts. “It’s my birthday gift to you. Besides, the cruise will do you good. Just think…twenty-one days away from all those investigations to sleep, read, relax and do whatever else you want to do. The most important thing is that you’ll have some time for yourself. You work too hard. And I worry about you.”
He knew why she felt that way. He hadn’t gone on what could be considered a real vacation trip in over six years. “It’s usually better for me that way, Zoe.”
“I know, but Simone would have wanted you to live your life.”
He glanced over at his sister, tempted to ask her how in the hell she would know what Simone would have wanted. But Zoe did know. She and Simone had been extremely close. After the first time he had brought Simone home from college one spring break, she had become a regular visitor to the Chestnut home. After all, she had been the only girl for him, and he never went far without her.
He’d been three years older than Simone, so he’d taken a job with the Atlanta Police Department while he waited for her to finish school. Then, after graduation, she had worked in her chosen profession as a social worker for a year while they’d planned their wedding.
A wedding that never happened.
“Land?”
He blinked