{"product_id":"unexpected-rush-isbn-9780425276815","title":"Unexpected Rush","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn the new Play-By-Play novel by the\u003ci\u003e New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eAll Wound Up\u003c\/i\u003e, a football hot shot and his best friend’s sister are breaking all the rules.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAll the Right Moves\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e For Barrett Cassidy, playing defense for the Tampa Hawks is a dream come true. And now he may have discovered his dream woman. Harmony Evans, once the sweet, gawky teenage sister of his best friend and teammate has grown into a smart, gorgeous woman with moves he finds hard to resist. But he knows he can’t get involved with his best friend’s sister—it’s guy code. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Harmony has always gone after what she wants with single-minded determination, from her independence to her education to her career in interior design. She never expected her youthful crush on Barrett to develop into something deeper. And she’s not about to let some ridiculous man rules or her brother stand in her way. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e When the chemistry is this combustible, lines tend to get crossed. And when Barrett and Harmony’s secret gets out, it just might be game over...\"Jaci Burton's stories are full of heat and heart.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eMaya Banks\u003c\/b\u003e, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Jaci Burton’s books are always sexy, romantic, and charming!”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eJill Shalvis\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Jaci Burton is a stalwart in the romance genre.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A wild ride.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eLora Leigh\u003c\/b\u003e, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author, on \u003ci\u003eRiding the Edge\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"One to pick up and savor.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, on\u003ci\u003e Surviving Demon Island\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Jaci Burton delivers.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eCherry Adair\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “Captures everything I love about a small-town romance.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFresh Fiction\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, on \u003ci\u003eHope Burns\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eJaci Burton\u003c\/b\u003e is the \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Play-by-Play series including \u003ci\u003eAll Wound Up\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eQuarterback Draw\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eStraddling the Line\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMelting the Ice\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eOne Sweet Ride\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThrown by a Curve\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePlaying to Win\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eTaking a Shot\u003c\/i\u003e, and the Hope series, including \u003ci\u003eHope Flames\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHope Ignites\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHope Burns\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLove After All\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eMake Me Stay.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eChapter One\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Men suck.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony Evans tossed her purse on the kitchen table of her mother’s house and pulled up a chair next to her best friend, Alyssa. It was Thursday night—family dinner night at Mama’s house. Everyone was coming over, as it always was at Mama’s. Right now she’d prefer to be sitting in the corner of a dark bar, nursing a dirty martini. She was going to have to settle for sweet tea because, short of death, you did not miss Thursday night dinner at Mama’s.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe’d already come in and kissed her mother, who was holding court in the living room with Harmony’s brother Drake and several of his friends, giving her time to catch up with Alyssa.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa laid her hand over Harmony’s and cast a look of concern. “Oh, no. Is it Levon?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony wrinkled her nose, preferring never to hear the name of her now ex boyfriend again. “Yes.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Did you dump him?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I did not break up with him. He gave me the classic, ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ speech. He’s doing so much international travel with the law firm, and he just can’t devote enough time to the relationship, so it wouldn’t be fair to lead me on when he knows he can’t commit. He went on with more excuses but it was all blah blah blah after that.” She waved her hand back and forth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa’s gaze narrowed. “What a prick. Why is it so damn hard to find a man of value, one who will respect a woman and give her honesty?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I have no idea.” Harmony pulled one of the empty glasses forward and poured from the pitcher that sat in the middle of the table, already filled with tea and ice and loaded with so much sugar she’d likely be awake all night. At this point, she didn’t care. She’d work it off in a gym session tomorrow. “All I know is I’m glad to be rid of him. It was bad enough his bathroom counter had more product on it than mine did.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa laughed. “It’s for the best, Harmony. What does a man need on his counter besides a toothbrush, soap, deodorant and a razor?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“According to Levon, there was stuff for his beard, trimming devices, facial scrub, moisturizer—separate ones for his face and his body. An entire manicure set for his nails, to use when he wasn’t off getting mani-pedis of course.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Of course,” Alyssa said, then giggled.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Oh, and the scents. Let’s not forget his entire rack of colognes.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa nodded. “The man did reek, honey.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I think he owned more perfume than I do.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Never a good sign. See? You dodged a bullet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I did.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa lifted her glass. “Let’s toast to that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey clinked glasses. “To men we’re lucky to have not ended up with,” Harmony said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What are we toasting to?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony looked up to find Barrett Cassidy standing at the kitchen table. He was her brother Drake’s best friend and teammate, and since the guys both played for the Tampa Hawks football team, and Barrett also lived in Tampa, it meant she’d often see Barrett at Mama’s house for dinner. Along with several other members of the Hawks football team.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the nicest things about living in Tampa, as a matter of fact. She’d often thought it fortuitous that her brother had been drafted by the hometown team. It had kept him close to home all these years, and of course, one couldn’t complain about the awesome eye candy her brother brought home now and then.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEspecially Barrett. Most especially Barrett.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We’re toasting the end of Harmony’s relationship with a man who was absolutely not right for her,” Alyssa said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett arched a brow, then gave Harmony a sympathetic look. “Really. Sorry about that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony shrugged. “Nothing to be sorry about. Alyssa’s right. He wasn’t the man for me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Then I guess I’m . . . happy for you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe could tell this was uncomfortable for him. “Come on. Sit down and have a glass of iced tea with us.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I’m not sure I want to wade into these waters. Breakups are not my territory.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Oh, come on, Barrett. Surely you’ve dumped a woman before,” Harmony said, pouring him a glass. When he didn’t answer, she added, “Or you’ve been dumped.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe pulled out a chair and sat. She’d never realized before how utterly . . . big he was. He’d always kept his distance from her, preferring to hang with Drake, so this was the closest she’d ever been to him. Both he and Drake played defense for the Hawks. Like her brother, Barrett was absolutely pure muscle. But she never paid attention to Drake. Barrett, though? Oh, yes. Just watching the way his muscles flexed as he moved was like watching liquid art. She could stare at his arms for hours, but she tried not to ogle. Too much, anyway.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I’ve been dumped before, sure,” Barrett said. “And maybe I’ve broken up with a woman or two.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa leaned close to Harmony. “He’s downplaying being the one who dumped the woman.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I heard that, Alyssa.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I meant for you to hear me, Barrett. You’re just trying to be the good guy right now because we’re roasting the not so good guys.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett narrowed his gaze. “I told you I shouldn’t be sitting here. If you both want to bad-mouth my species—which you have a right to since some asshole broke up with you, Harmony—then I should leave. Also, I’d suggest something stronger than iced tea. It helps.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo maybe he had been dumped before. It sounded like he knew how to get through it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It’s okay, Barrett,” Harmony said. “Me getting dumped is definitely not your fault. I’m not as broken up about it as I should be, all things considered. So you’re safe here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBesides, looking at Barrett could definitely make her forget all about Levon and his prissy bathroom counter. She wondered how many items Barrett kept on his bathroom counter? She’d just bet not many.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe turned her chair toward him, determined to find out. “Actually, I have a ridiculous question for you, Barrett.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe turned his gorgeous blue eyes on her and smiled. “Shoot.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“How many items currently reside on your bathroom counter?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett cocked a brow. “Huh?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa laughed. “Very good question.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I don’t get it,” Barrett said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We’re conducting a poll about men and their bathrooms,” Alyssa said. “Indulge us.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett finally shrugged. “Okay, fine. Uh . . . soap, of course. Toothpaste and toothbrush. Deodorant. Maybe a comb?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony smiled when Barrett struggled to come up with anything else. She knew he was an absolute male of the not-so-fussy-about-his-grooming variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe finally cast her a helpless look. “I don’t know. I’ve got nothin’ else. Did I fail?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Oh, no,” Harmony said. “You most definitely passed.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“You should go out with Barrett,” Alyssa suggested, nudging Harmony. “He’s a nice guy, and he obviously doesn’t keep thirty-seven things on his bathroom counter.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett laughed. “Yeah, and Drake would kill us both. Well, he’d definitely kill me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe idea of it appealed, though. She’d had such a crush on Barrett when Drake had first introduced them all those years ago. And now? Hmm. Yeah, definitely appealing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What my brother doesn’t know won’t hurt him—or you. What do you say, Barrett? Care to take me out?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett was at a loss for words. Harmony was his best friend’s little sister.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnly she wasn’t so little anymore.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe and Drake had been friends since sophomore year of college and had bonded then. They’d celebrated when they’d both been drafted by Tampa. Both of them played defense, they’d been roommates in college, and they’d become friends. It had been that way ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe’d been coming to Drake’s mom’s house ever since college. Harmony had been just getting out of high school back then. She’d only been a kid. Now she was a woman, with a career of her own, and she’d just been dumped by some guy obviously too stupid to know what a treasure he’d had.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe was beautiful, with dark brown skin, straight dark hair that teased her perfect shoulders and those amazing amber eyes. She had the kind of body any man would want to get his hands on, curves in all the right places, and that sweet, kissable mouth . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd he had no business thinking about Harmony at all because there was a code—no messing with your best friend’s sister.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbsolutely not. No. Wasn’t going to happen.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe pushed back his chair and stood, looking down at Harmony as if she was Eve in the garden and she’d just offered him the forbidden apple. “I know the rule, Harmony, and so do you. I think I’ll go check out what your mom made for dinner tonight.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe might be tempted, but there was too much at stake. He was going to step away from the sweet fruit laid out in front of him before he decided to do something really stupid and take a taste.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause going down that road would spell nothing but doom.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eChapter Two\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter Barrett walked away, Harmony stared at his retreating form, confused as hell by what he’d \u003cbr\u003ejust said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What was that all about?” Alyssa asked, pulling Harmony’s gaze away from Barrett’s fine ass.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I have no idea.” She pushed back from the table. “But I’m going to find out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMama’s house was much bigger than the one they’d grown up in. First thing Drake had done when he’d gotten his initial pro paycheck was buy their mother a new house. She’d objected, saying she liked her old one just fine, but Drake had insisted her old house was crumbling down around her. He hadn’t felt right about her staying in it, and she had finally relented.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMama was a proud woman. She didn’t need anyone to take care of her. And for years, she’d been the one taking care of both Drake and Harmony. But their old house had been a wreck, so Harmony had been so glad Mama agreed to the new one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere was a crowd around her brother and Barrett right now, and the last thing she wanted was to nudge herself in the middle of Barrett and Drake. Drake was overprotective and had been since their dad died when Harmony and Drake were young. Mama had raised them alone, but Drake, being two years older, had put himself in some sort of parental role which had been ridiculous at the time, but after Dad passed, Harmony had felt lost and leaned on Drake for support. He’d been her closest ally and her best friend.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUntil she’d turned fifteen and had fallen madly in love with Kellan Smith. Drake had done everything in his power to squash that romance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn hindsight, a good move, but at the time she’d hated her brother for getting in the way of the love of her life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFifteen-year-olds often didn’t make the best decisions. Kellan had been fine looking, and had moves a young Harmony had never before been subjected to.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNor should she have been, since Kellan had been nineteen at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrake had cornered Kellan and threatened to not only kick his ass, but have him arrested. When Kellan had dumped her, she’d been devastated.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe hadn’t found out about Drake’s threats until later. And she’d been pissed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer brother had always been up in her business. Which she supposed had been fine when she was a teenager, but she was twenty-five years old now. Way too old to have him monitoring who she saw and who she didn’t.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd she still needed to know what Barrett had been talking about, so she waited until Barrett wandered into the backyard by himself with a beer in his hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe followed him, one eye on her brother, who was preoccupied with the television, laughing with some of the other guys from the team.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSatisfied Drake didn’t have his eyes trained on her, she slipped out the back door.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett stared out over the garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe stepped up next to him. “A little too noisy in there for you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe frowned at her. “What are you doing out here, Harmony?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Trying to get you alone so I can ask you what you meant by the rule.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe took a long swallow of his beer. “The rule. The guy rule.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSomehow she knew she wasn’t going to like this rule. “What guy rule?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe turned to face her, his body so imposing. She imagined he was quite threatening on the football field. But to her, he was just Barrett. Sexy, incredibly hot Barrett.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The unspoken rule about not messing with your best friend’s little sister.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe gave him an incredulous stare. “You can’t be serious.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I am.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I’m not a child, Barrett. I’m a grown woman who can make her own decisions. And you’re a grown man capable of making your own decisions as well.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe looked unmoved by her statement. “You’re Drake’s sister. That makes you off-limits.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Unbelievable. What is this, medieval times? Who comes up with this shit? Do you guys get out a notebook in the locker room and make lists?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe didn’t smile. “This is serious business, Harmony. And no, we don’t make lists. It’s an unwritten, unspoken rule. Every guy knows it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf her eyes rolled any harder, they’d roll clear out the back of her head.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It’s a stupid rule.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Nevertheless, it’s there. And I’ll honor it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore she gave herself a headache, she walked off, back inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa joined her. “What did he say?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe poured herself another glass of iced tea, still wishing it was that dirty martini, because this day was getting more bizarre by the minute. She took several sips of tea and leaned against the kitchen island. “It’s some moronic man code about not getting involved with your best friend’s sister.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa gaped at her. “What? That’s dumb as hell.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Which is what I told him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Did you also tell him you’ve had a crush on him since the first time Drake dragged him into the house, back when they were in college?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I most certainly did not.” She’d never told anyone—other than her best friend—about her years-long crush on Barrett.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“You should tell him. Maybe that would change his mind.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I don’t think so. And don’t you tell him, either.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa made crisscross motions over her heart. “Your secret goes to the grave with me, sister. You know that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSaid crush had ebbed and flowed over the years. She’d been nineteen the first time she’d laid eyes on Barrett. She’d taken one look at tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed Barrett and had fallen instantly in lust.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEven though he’d been a few years older than she was, she hadn’t cared. No other guy had existed for her after that. Barrett had been nice to her, though he had largely ignored her, as older guys did to nearly invisible teens.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStill, her crush had endured.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring her college years she’d found other guys who actually noticed her. Then she’d replaced her fantasy of Barrett with real men.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike Levon.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe snorted.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What?” Alyssa asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Just thinking about my journey in the man department over the years.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Oh. Yeah. You’ve chosen some true keepers, Harmony.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony pursed her lips. “It’s not my fault. I’m smart, I’m kind, I’m generous, I’m funny, I’d like to think I’m a proud, damn fine-looking woman, and I’m hot as hell.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hell yes,” Alyssa said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“And yet for some reason I keep attracting these losers.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlyssa gave her a look of commiseration. “It’s not like I’m dating winners of the year, either. It’s hard to find a good man.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey looked at each other and grinned.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“And good to find a hard one,” they said simultaneously, then laughed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Too bad Barrett is off-limits,” Alyssa said. “That man is the definition of hardbody.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony didn’t believe in off-limits. She wasn’t giving up just yet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChapter Three\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett stood outside, thinking.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThinking and watching Harmony and Alyssa inside in the kitchen, both of them talking and laughing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot that he was paying attention to Alyssa. Alyssa was pretty and had a banging body. But it didn’t seem to matter, since his gaze was focused on Harmony, on the way she put her entire body into it when she laughed, the way she tilted her head back, exposing the soft column of her neck, the way she reached for Alyssa’s hand when she had something important to say.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe woman had expressive body language. It wasn’t the first time he’d caught himself watching her, noticing her hair, the way she walked, the subtle curve in her hips or even her slender fingertips. And then his mind would wander to those fingertips and her hands, imagining her wrapping her hand around his neck while he explored her mouth, or raking her pretty fingernails down his bare chest or using her sweet soft hands to stroke his—\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJesus. Had he really paid attention to all those things? He had been, for a while now. And then she had to go and ask him to ask her out on a date. It was like she’d read his mind, as if she’d known all the fantasies he’d been having about her lately.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhich he had no goddamned business having.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause of the rule.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrake was his best friend. They’d been like brothers both on the field and off. He’d never step on that friendship by touching his kid sister.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut that was the problem, wasn’t it? Harmony wasn’t a kid anymore, and hadn’t been for a long time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe just hadn’t noticed she’d grown up—until recently. He wasn’t sure when it had happened. Maybe earlier this year, at the New Year’s Eve party Drake had thrown at his mom’s house.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey always liked to congregate here. Mainly to keep Mama Diane company, and hell, Diane liked a good party as much as anyone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat New Year’s Eve Harmony had worn some slinky silver dress that clung to her curves, revealing cleavage and skin, and she hadn’t brought a date that night.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeither had he, which meant he’d been scoping out the single women at the party.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe hadn’t meant to scope her out, but when he’d walked in the kitchen and she’d been bent over the dishwasher, revealing silken legs and sexy thighs, all he could think of was spreading her legs and . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe jerked his attention away from the window, realizing he was standing out in the backyard with a fucking hard-on.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat the hell was wrong with him? He could still remember the day she’d gotten her braces off. She’d started late and she’d told him high school with braces had been a nightmare. She’d been so excited, and had told him she couldn’t wait to show whatever boyfriend she’d had at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe’d been barely what? Nineteen? Barely legal. He hadn’t paid attention to her. He just remembered smiling at her and telling her she looked pretty.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe was more than pretty now. She was a knockout.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd he was never, ever going to touch her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDowning the last swallow of his beer, he went back into the house and grabbed another from the fridge. Fortunately, Harmony and Alyssa had exited the kitchen, so maybe he could avoid her the rest of the night.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe made his way into the living room, where Drake and some of the other guys were playing video games. First he stopped at the dining room table to kiss Mama Diane’s cheek. She was chatting with one of the neighbors.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe patted his cheek. “Where’d you disappear to?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Out back. Your vegetable garden is looking healthy.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“And don’t think of running off with my tomatoes.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe laughed. “You know me so well, Mama Diane.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Yes, I do. You hungry?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Always.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“You boys are always hungry. Dinner will be ready soon.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Thank you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe winded his way over to the sofas where there was a fierce game of war going on. At least on the television. Drake was in the middle of the action, killing aliens along with Bubba Sinclair and Lionel “Mean Man” Taylor, both part of the Tampa defense. It was almost always defensive players over for dinner on Thursday nights when they were in town.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDefense was king. It’s why he’d always loved being part of a defense. Keeping the other team from scoring was what he did best.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd all these guys were beasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe loved them as much as he loved his job.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe couldn’t wait for the season to start. Tampa was going to kick some ass this year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett watched the battle until a skirmish was completed. During a break, Drake leaned back on the sofa, tilting his head back. “You want in on this?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“No, I’m good.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Afraid I’ll kick your ass?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett laughed. “I think you know better than that.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Oh, I do, do I? Get said ass over here and let’s see who’s better.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“You all turn that off now,” Mama Diane hollered. “Dinner’s ready.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn an instant, the game was turned off, and so was the TV. They all gathered in the oversized dining room at the huge table—one of Mama Diane’s few requests once she’d acquiesced on the new house.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was stuffed pork chops tonight, one of Barrett’s favorites, along with green beans, amazing mashed potatoes and baked apples.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett made it a point to sit next to Drake, and as far away from Harmony as possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe shot a smirk in his direction when she took her seat at the opposite end of the table, as if she knew exactly why he’d chosen that spot.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe could think what she wanted to. The farther away Harmony stayed, the better.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe concentrated on his food, and the conversation about this season.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Where’s that fine boyfriend of yours, Harmony?” Mama asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony lifted her chin. “We broke up.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What? Why?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony focused on her dinner. “From what he told me, it was more about his business, and he didn’t have much time to spend with me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett watched Drake lay down his fork. “Wait a minute. Levon broke up with you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Yes, Drake. He broke up with me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What the—” Drake, ever mindful of the no-cursing rule in Mama’s house, restrained himself. He picked up his fork and waved it at Harmony. “I need to have a talk with that man. Tell him how to appreciate what a fine treasure he had in you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony leveled a glare at Drake. “No. You do not need to interfere. It’s over between Levon and me.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Did he hurt you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“He hurt my feelings. That’s about it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Then I’ll have a talk with him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“No, you need to leave it alone, Drake.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrake looked over at Barrett. “I’ll be having a discussion with Levon.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe one thing Barrett knew about Drake was that he was extremely overprotective of Harmony. Yet another reason he would never get involved with Harmony.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot to mention the guy code.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFortunately, the conversation soon turned to football.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Look, we started out strong last season, and finished weak,” Drake said. “We’ll have to do better even before this season starts. Drafts and free agency helped, and we’ve all worked hard getting our bodies ready during the off-season.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Everyone’s healthy this year,” Mean Man said. “That’s gonna work to our advantage.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett nodded. “I’m ready. We’re all ready. We’re solid going into summer workouts.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m itching for the upcoming season,” Mama Diane said. “I can hardly wait for the games to start. How about you, Harmony?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony nodded. “Absolutely. Wouldn’t miss it. I expect you guys to be good this year.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We’re always good.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShe shot a look over at Barrett. “Prove it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe guys all laughed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“She’s looking at you, Barrett,” Drake said “There’d better be some takeaways.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett met Harmony’s gaze. “There will be.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I’m counting on a strong defense this year,” Mama Diane said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe conversation continued over dinner—and after—when the guys piled into the kitchen with the plates and bowls to clean up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe one thing everyone understood was, if you came for dinner, you were responsible for cleanup.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMama Diane and the crew were used to cooking for large crowds. When he’d first started coming over here, he asked if it was an imposition to add him in. She’d told him she’d come from a large family and always wanted one of her own, but after her husband passed away, she’d never remarried, and she’d had Drake and Harmony to look after. And then Drake had gotten into sports and all his friends came over as kids, then high school, then college and pros, it had been a dream come true for her.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut she’d taught them right way that it was their responsibility to do the dishes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was the same thing at his house, so it was a rule he understood well.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd since Mama Diane and her sisters were great cooks, no one complained.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter dinner, everyone piled back into the dining room for pie. Multiple pies, actually. Strawberry rhubarb pie, apple pie, pecan pie and cherry pie.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett chose the apple pie. With ice cream, because pie without ice cream was practically a sin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter he’d had his fill, he rinsed his dish and put it in the dishwasher, then hung out in the living room with everyone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“How’s the house coming along?” Steve asked him.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I close on it next Tuesday.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDrake turned to him. “Have you decided yet what you’re going to do with it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe shook his head. “I haven’t hired a contractor. It’s a great house in a perfect location. It just needs a complete gut job and a total remodel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony shifted away from the conversation she’d been having with Alyssa. “I didn’t know you bought a house.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Yeah. I’d been looking for a while. Found this place on the water, but it’s older so it needs a lot of TLC.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“What it needs is a bulldozer,” Drake said with a laugh.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBarrett laughed, too. “You’re right about that, but the location was perfect. It’s right on the water and has a boat dock. The property is in great shape and the dock is solid. It’s just the house that needs some work.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A lot of work,” Drake said.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Okay fine. A lot of work. I need to find a contractor.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Harmony could help you with that,” Mama Diane said. “Have you forgotten what she does for a living?”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe’d honestly never paid much attention, other than it had something to do with mini blinds or shutters or paint or something. “Um . . .”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHarmony rolled her eyes at him. “I’m an interior designer, Barrett. I own my own company. And because of that, I have contact with a variety of contractors.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe’d had no idea. “No shit.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Language, young man.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Sorry, Mama Diane.” He turned his attention back to Harmony. “No kidding.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“No kidding. Why don’t you take me by your house, and I can assess your needs? We can go from there.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWell, shit. The last thing he wanted was to spend any time in close proximity to Harmony. Especially alone. Not after what had happened earlier. “I don’t know.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMama Diane leveled a frown at him. “Are you insinuating my baby girl here\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302891311333,"sku":"NP9780425276815","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780425276815.jpg?v=1767743240","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/unexpected-rush-isbn-9780425276815","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}