Sharing a Beach House - Chapter 1

“What are you doing here?”

Alisha froze in the entryway of her weekend home. Well, not her weekend home, but her brother’s. But the place was supposed to be hers alone so she could relax and decompress.

Yet Tyler Evans stared back at her with wide, dark eyes, clearly waiting on an answer to his question. She’d just seen him yesterday at her brother’s wedding, and they’d even shared a dance…a dance that had felt way too intimate and still had her body revved up.

“What do you mean, what am I doing here?” she retorted. “This is my brother’s beach house, and he’s letting me have it for the next few days.”

Tyler crossed his arms over his bare chest, and Alisha had to concentrate to keep her eyes from traveling. The man might be sexy as hell, but that didn’t mean she liked him. He was her brother’s best friend and had enough women falling all over him—he didn’t need his ego boosted by her need to take in the spectacular view.

“Adam told me the same, since my beach house is being renovated at the moment.”

This was not happening. There was no way she was going to stay in the same home—no matter how massive this place was—with Tyler Evans. He likely had a woman here already.

“You must have the dates wrong,” she informed him, pulling her cell from her cross-body bag. “I have our texts right here to confirm.”

Tyler laughed. “I have texts, too, but I don’t need to prove anything.”

Alisha gripped her phone and stared across the foyer. “So, who’s leaving?”

“I’m not.”

“I’m not, either,” she told him. “Now what?”

Tyler blew out a breath and raked his hand over his stubbled jaw. “I have no clue, but this doesn’t have to be a big deal.”

“If you’d leave, this wouldn’t be a big deal.”

“Why are you being difficult?” he asked, propping his hands on his narrow hips.

Alisha hated that this man brought out the worst in her, but damn it. How could she concentrate with all that muscle on display? She’d always been attracted to Tyler…that was the problem. Not only was he her brother’s best friend, but he was too much of a ladies’ man, and he had zero intentions of settling down. Oh, he’d be a good time for a fling, there was no doubt about that. But taking that risk had never been an option. She wouldn’t ruin the friendship between Tyler and Adam. Plus, she highly doubted she was his type. Tyler had never even acted like she was on his radar. He liked his women tall, with model potential. At barely over five foot, she hardly qualified.

And why was she even letting her mind go down that path? She was not doing anything with Tyler, including staying in this house with him for the weekend.

“Listen,” he started. “Who says anyone has to leave? The house has eight bedrooms and plenty of space. We likely wouldn’t see each other anyway.”

Alisha cocked her head. “So what are you implying?”

Tyler gave a careless shrug. “Why don’t we just stay here together?”