He’d also wanted to prove to himself that looks weren’t everything—and they weren’t, as long as the woman in question had a healthy respect for others, their occupations, and dress. This woman looked down her nose at Charlotte’s choices. Scratch her off his list of wife candidates.
Along with the other half dozen women he’d spoken to or been cornered by tonight. After he’d left Charlotte in her shop, he’d gone home to take a long, cold shower and mentally distance himself from the one woman he wanted, so he could hit on the women he didn’t.
Backass logic, but then Roman figured this baby scheme was a backass plan to begin with. He looked across the room and spotted his mother. Raina was resting in a chair, deep in conversation with Eric Fallon, the family doctor. He hoped his mother hadn’t exerted herself by coming out to a party so soon after her trip to the hospital.
Someone ought to check on her and have a word with the doctor. He excused himself to Terrie. An idea in mind, Roman walked up to his brother and, without a word to Charlotte, grabbed Rick by the shoulder. “I think you ought to check on Mom. She looks kinda pale and she’s been sitting in one place most of the night.”
Rick inclined his head toward Roman. “Check her yourself. Can’t you see I’m busy?”
“She doesn’t listen to me. Because I’m not normally around, she thinks I’m fussing too much.” Which was true—as far as it went. Raina didn’t listen to anyone, all three of her sons included. But if it got his brother’s hands off Charlotte’s back and waist, Roman would consider the half-truth worth telling.
“Take a hike,” Rick shot back.
“I think Roman’s got a point.”
Charlotte’s soft voice hit Roman in the gut, but he ignored the burning sensation. “If you’re the one who Raina will level with, go make sure she’s okay,” she said to Rick.
“She’s sitting with her very own doctor, for Pete’s sake.”
Point to Rick, Roman thought and met Charlotte’s gaze. If she knew he wanted only to relieve her of his brother’s company, she wasn’t letting on. In fact, when she looked at him, her normally warm eyes were cold as ice.
He’d wanted her anger. On some level, he’d courted it intentionally so that he could more easily put her behind him and go on with his mission. But talking to the women in this town had left him empty inside. And his feelings for Charlotte were as strong as ever.
How the hell could he find another woman to marry—and sleep with—when the only one he desired drew him back to her over and over again?
“Rick, please? If Roman’s worried, he obviously sees something worth checking on.”
When Rick didn’t move, Charlotte spoke. “Tell you what. You two talk. I’ll check on Raina.”
Before either brother could react, Charlotte disengaged herself from Rick’s grasp and sauntered over to the other side of the room, far away from either Chandler brother.
“You’re lame, pathetic, and obvious,” Rick muttered.
“So are you. And it’s not like you’re interested in anything more than a good time, so keep your goddamn hands off. She deserves better.”
Rick studied his brother. “I like women’s company. All women, and there’s not one in this town who doesn’t know the score. They don’t get involved if they’re looking for more. I enjoy them, they enjoy me, and no one gets hurt.”
“Especially you?”
“Including me.” Rick shrugged, but the flicker of pain flashed in his eyes.
Roman immediately regretted the pointed barb he’d shot his brother’s way. No one deserved to be used and hurt the way his middle brother had. Especially since he had everyone’s best interests in his heart at the expense of his own.
“Rick …”
“Forget it.” He brushed away Roman’s concern with his easy Chandler grin.
Roman groaned. He knew he’d overreacted. He wasn’t worried that Charlotte wanted anything more from Rick than a friendship. But rational knowledge didn’t mean Roman wanted to watch Rick’s too-friendly touches on Charlotte’s skin.
“Any chance you could enjoy someone else’s company?” he asked his brother.
“Why? Because she’s yours?”
When Roman didn’t respond to the bait, Rick stepped back, appraising him with the cop look that said, I’m figuring things out. “You’re the one in the market for a long-distance wife, little brother. If you’re so worried about Charlotte deserving better, seems to me you’d better take your own advice.”
“No shit,” Roman muttered.
“Back off. You’re hurting her with mixed messages.”
Roman knew Rick better than anyone, and he recognized that his brother was looking out for Charlotte’s best interest, and pushing Roman in the right direction at the same time. Rick didn’t care if Charlotte went into Roman’s arms or away from them as long as neither Roman nor Charlotte got hurt. It was his brother’s protective nature at play. The same protective nature that had gotten him in trouble once before.
But much as Roman hated to admit it, Rick had a good point. Roman was sending out mixed messages. Charlotte had spent over ten years avoiding him and then, when she finally took him up on his overt signals, what did he do? He rejected her out of self-preservation—at her expense.
Rick slapped Roman on the back. “Now that we’ve cleared that up, I think I’ll set your mind at ease and check on Mom.” He turned and headed for Raina and Charlotte, leaving Roman to choke on his own words, the taste of them sour in his mouth.
After another half an hour of attempting to interest himself in the single women of Yorkshire Falls, Roman knew he was failing miserably. And all because of the green-eyed woman who’d bewitched him from day one. Then there was his middle brother, who was hanging around Charlotte, baiting and aggravating Roman—intentionally, no doubt. If Rick was looking to get a reaction, he was too damn close to succeeding.
Especially when Roman turned toward the door in time to see
