Missing Linc, Kori Roberts [romantic novels to read .txt] 📗

private hell. He looked at his cousin;

the sincerity and concern were palpable on Pedro”s face and in his voice. In an instant, Linc”s

irritation faded away.

“Look, it”s nice to know you care, but you don”t need to be worried.” Linc tried to keep

his voice light, his expression neutral, so that Pedro wouldn”t see the truth he wasn”t willing

to admit to anyone behind his words. “It”s like you said, Mitch and Tomi are good people,

and I enjoy being with them, but I know this isn”t going to last forever. And when they”re

gone, I”ll move on to someone else like I always do. Really,” he insisted, when Pedro still

didn”t look convinced. “It”s no big deal, okay?”

Pedro studied him for another moment before he sighed and nodded. “Okay.”

Linc smiled, trying to change the subject. “Now, are you ready to tell me the real

reason why you”re here in my office bothering me so early?”

“That”s right.” Pedro”s mood lightened. “I wanted to make sure you were coming next

Tuesday.”

When Linc looked at him blankly, he said, “Don”t tell me you forgot.” Linc still didn”t

respond, and Pedro”s expression turned incredulous. “You know, La Noche de San Juan, one

of our family”s favorite holidays that we celebrate every year with a big party and lots of food

down at the beach.”

“Of course I remembered.” It was a blatant lie, and they both knew it, but Pedro

seemed willing to overlook it.

“Good,” Pedro said. “You can even bring Tomi and Mitch if you”d like.”

“Thanks, man. I will.”

Pedro stood, stretched. “Well, I gotta run. I”ll see you next week.” He walked toward

the door. “Hey.” He looked back at Linc. “Do me a favor and go easy on Lorna. I know she”s a

pain in the ass and she talks a lot of shit, but she really cares about you — and not just because she wants to fuck you, either.” Pedro chuckled and walked out the door without

waiting for Linc”s response.

*

Linc stared at his computer, seeing nothing, his brain refusing to focus on anything

other than the two people who had occupied his every waking thought since he met them

nearly two weeks ago.

Pedro”s observation about him was right. In the privacy of his office, Linc would admit

that he had it bad for them. He felt himself sinking deeper and deeper into Mitch and Tomi,

and he made no effort to do anything about it. Since he”d met them, Linc had spent nearly

every day with them, every night wrapped in their arms. It had gotten to the point where he

could barely sleep without them next to him.

The sound of female voices suddenly caught his attention. One he easily recognized as

Lorna. It was the other voice, however, that made him nearly leap out of his seat and all but

sprint down the hallway toward the lobby.

As he got closer, Linc could hear Lorna in full guard-dog mode, ready to attack anyone

who tried to gain access to him without her consent. Typically, that included every woman

who ever asked for him, unless she was seeking the company”s services.

“Tomi?” She practically spat out the word. “What kind of name is Tomi for a woman?”

“Well, I —” He heard Tomi try to speak, but Lorna cut her off midsentence.

“There”s no Tomi on Mr. Castillo”s calendar.” Linc reached the lobby in time to see

Lorna standing less than a foot away from Tomi, her arms crossed in front of her body, her

tone confrontational, the look on her face filled with disdain. “You know, Mr. Castillo is a

very important man. He”s too busy to waste his time talking to just anybody.”

“Relax, Lorna.” Linc felt a smile tugging at his lips in spite of Lorna”s less-than-polite

behavior. “She comes in peace.”

Tomi turned at the sound of his voice, smiling brightly at him, relief evident on her

face. “Hi.” She spoke softly.

“Hi, yourself.” He was grinning like an idiot, but Linc didn”t care. Tomi had that effect

on him. The mere act of being in her presence was more arousing than it had any right to be.

It amazed him the way his body responded to her, as if he hadn”t seen her in days instead of

hours. At that very moment, he felt himself hardening at the memory of waking up this

morning with those lips wrapped around his cock.

Out of the corner of his eye, Linc saw Lorna looking back and forth between them, her

expression far from pleased. Linc ignored her.

“Come on.” He grasped Tomi”s arm and led her back down the hall toward his office.

“We can talk in my office.”

Linc barely closed his office door before he pulled Tomi into his arms. “Now I can greet

you properly.” He kissed her the way he”d been dying to since he saw her standing in the

lobby. She moaned and molded herself to him, her body fitting perfectly against his. He

backed up until he was resting on the edge of his desk with Tomi standing between his legs,

her forehead resting against his.

“So, that was Lorna?” At Linc”s nod, she said, “Wow, she”s a lot nicer — and a hell of a

lot less scary — over the phone.”

Linc laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. “Don”t worry about Lorna. She”s a little

protective of me, like a mama bear, but otherwise, she”s harmless.”

Tomi snorted, and her tone remained doubtful. “Be careful; some mama bears are

known to eat their young.”

Linc erupted in laughter. “So,” he finally managed to say, “where”s Mitch?”

“He went on one of those all-day tours.”

“You didn”t want to go with him?”

Tomi looked guilty. “I told him I wasn”t feeling well.” Linc frowned; his hand immediately went to her face, brushing her hair away, and

cupped her cheek. “Are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah.” She smiled. “I”m fine.” At Linc”s confused look, she said, “I just told him

that so I could have some time alone to look for a wedding gift for him. That”s why I”m

here.” She looked slightly desperate. “I don”t know where to go, and I don”t have a lot of time

left before the wedding to get a gift. I was hoping that you could tell me