Playboy Doc's Mistletoe Kiss

Two pairs of brown eyes swung to look at him.

“Tell me what?”

He draped his arm back around her shoulders. “Don’t be shy, sweetheart. Tell her.”

Jess’s mouth popped open, eyes widening in horror.

”What?”

“I’m sure they’ve wondered where you’ve been the last couple of nights.”

“Dean …” The warning in her voice was unmistakable. But he’d come too far to turn back now.

“Jess and I have been going out.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. They had been going out to the pub, after all. Her sister didn’t need to know that Jess had turned him down flat as far as anything else went.

“Going out. You expect me to believe that?”

Anger pumped through his veins at the open disbelief in Abbie’s voice. Suddenly, he was very sure he was doing the right thing.

And if this little farce got out? Well, worse things had been said about him—at least from what he’d heard here and there.

Leaning down to her ear, he whispered, “I’ll explain later. Just play along.”

Out loud, he said, “It’s recent. We’re keeping it quiet. For now.” Another half-truth. Their going out had been recent. And he was pretty sure Jess wanted it kept quiet.

Jess didn’t agree. Or disagree. But a little of the sneer left her sister’s face.

“So what you said at the party … All of those texts Martin got wasn’t about you trying—”

Jess finally found her voice. “I’ve told you that. Many times, Abbie. Martin and I have been over for a long, long time. He loves you. Not me.”

So it was true. Jess had once been engaged to Abbie’s husband. And Abbie thought her sister still had the hots for him.

He looked at her with new eyes. If he had to choose between the sisters right here right now, there would be no question as to who he’d go with.