The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [160]
There was a moment of stunned silence, then Honey gasped theatrically. “Well, that bastard! How dare he?”
Shaking her head at her sister’s mocking outrage, Misty said, “You don’t understand.”
“I understand that you love him, sis. Isn’t that what’s most important?”
“No.” Misty dropped her feet into the water with a splash, then watched the ripples fan out until they disappeared. “What’s important is that two people love each other. But Morgan doesn’t love me. He likes to take care of people, and he thinks I need a husband because I’m pregnant. You’ve said yourself how old-fashioned he is. But that’s not good enough anymore. I’ve learned a lot through all this, most importantly that you can’t cut corners. If there isn’t love, then there’s nothing.”
“And you think Morgan doesn’t love you?”
Misty lifted one shoulder, not sure what to say. “I asked him why he wanted to marry me. He gave me a lot of good reasons, but not once did he say he loved me.”
“So ask him outright.”
Misty stared at her, appalled. “I can’t do that!”
“Why not?” Honey kicked her feet, too, splashing them both. “Morgan is a hard-headed man. Actually, he’s just hard, period. All over.”
“I know, I know.” Misty hadn’t been able to sleep at night, remembering how wonderfully hard Morgan was. She loved everything about him, but she was crazy nuts about his big, solid body. And after only making love with him twice, she was addicted. She didn’t think she could have ever gotten enough of him.
“Hard men are usually sensitive men.”
Misty snorted over that bit of nonsense. “Morgan is about as blunt as they come. He always tells me what he’s thinking or feeling, even if it embarrasses me to death.”
Honey looked at the sky and pondered that. “Well, then, don’t you think you owe him the same courtesy?”
She shuddered at just the thought. “I’m a horrible coward. Morgan’s made it clear from the first that he’s attracted to me. But that’s all.”
“How can you say that?” Honey frowned at her. “Morgan’s done everything he could to keep you close by. He even made up that ridiculous story about the two of you having an agreement.”
“You knew that wasn’t real?”
Honey smiled. “It was plain on your face.”
Bemused for a moment, Misty wondered if all his brothers had known he was just making up their involvement. Then she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. He kept me here because he was trying to take care of me—whether I wanted him to or not. He does that for everyone, Honey.” She turned to face her sister, wanting her to understand. “Morgan is about the most giving, caring man I’ve ever met. That’s why being a sheriff is so perfect for him. He loves taking care of other people’s problems. He’s a natural caregiver—though he’d choke if he heard me say that, and probably frown something fierce. He tries to hide his gentleness behind a big tough exterior.”
Honey waved that away. “I know. But still—”
“No. If he loved me, surely he would have said so.”
“Will you at least think about it? Maybe he’s not quite as tough or as confident as you think he is.”
The idea of Morgan being insecure would take some getting used to, but to appease her sister, she agreed to think it over. What would Morgan say if she blurted out that she loved him? Would he be embarrassed? Would he lie and say he loved her, too, just to keep her from embarrassment? She closed her eyes, not sure at all what his reaction would be.
“I was looking for you for another reason, too.”
Honey’s serious tone pulled Misty out of her contemplation. “What’s wrong?”
After a deep breath, Honey said, “Father wants to visit us. He called a few minutes ago.”
That was the very last thing Misty had expected to hear. Incredulous, she stared at her sister. “You must be kidding.”
“Unfortunately…no.”
Misty narrowed her eyes. “He wants to come here? To Kentucky?”
“Yes. That’s what he said. I’m supposed to call him back and tell him when it’d be convenient.”
A summons from her father wouldn’t have thrown her so badly. But a visit? It didn’t make any sense. Unless…“What are we being accused