THE BENNETTS' CHRISTMAS (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family Book 6)

by Brenda Jackson

  Her gaze then traveled back to his face. He was too handsome for words. She should have known he’d be good-looking. His uncle Grady had been. Sebrina could remember the first time that Grady, who’d been engaged to Rae’jean at the time, had come to the Bennetts’ family reunion. It had been years ago, and Sebrina had been in her early teens. All her cousins had gone on about how cute Grady was. Now, those same cousins would likely think the same thing about Grady’s nephew.

  “I like it. It’s spacious and I love the blue walls. Then again, blue is my favorite color.”

  She blinked, realizing he’d spoken. He was looking at her, and she figured he had caught her staring again. Clearing her throat, she said, “I’m glad. Blue is Kennedy’s favorite color as well. This was officially Kennedy’s room, though she rarely slept in here.”

  “Why?”

  A smile touched Sebrina’s lips. “It was more fun for her to sleep upstairs with us. It was like an ongoing sleepover, the kind we’d have when we were kids.”

  “I understand that you, Kennedy, Victoria and Monica were really close growing up.”

  She nodded. “I guess Rae’jean told you that.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, Rae’jean told me.”

  She saw the fondness in his eyes when he mentioned her older cousin who she thought of as an honorary aunt. It was obvious that he and Rae’jean had a close relationship, even though Grady and Rae’jean never married. But then, she knew that Grady and Rae’jean had remained good friends. Rae’jean was even a friend of Grady’s wife and was the godmother to their kids. Sebrina had thought that entire situation odd until she’d asked Rae’jean about it. Her older cousin had told her the whole story. She wondered if Parker knew it.

  He raked his fingers though his hair. “Uhmm, I drove straight here and didn’t have the chance to grab anything to eat. Is there a place close by where I can pick up something?”

  “Sure. There’s a sandwich shop on the corner. I go there all the time.”

  He nodded. “Have you eaten lunch yet?”

  His question surprised her. “No.”

  “Care to join me? I could use some insight into what I should expect when I get to the hospital.”

  She could understand that. Every hospital was different. “I’d be happy to join you.”

  “Thanks.”

  Then neither said anything for a moment, but just stood there looking at each other. She wondered if he could feel the sexual energy flowing between them. Maybe joining him for lunch was not a good idea. But then, she had never been someone who would let her attraction to a man overrule her common sense, and she wouldn’t start now. She began backing up slowly. “I just need to change my clothes. I’ll be right back.”

  “Take your time.”

  Sebrina turned and almost ran out of the room, swinging the door closed behind her.

  Parker drew in a deep breath. P arts of him were still recovering from what had passed between him and Sebrina Bennett. There was a definite attraction at work here. In fact, he suspected it was a whole lot more than that.

  Rae’jean had told him all about her younger cousins—Sebrina, in particular, because they shared the same profession. Rae’jean’s exact words had been...“You’re going to really like Sebrina. She’s a great person...”

  But she hadn’t told him how beautiful Sebrina was, or that she possessed a smile that could turn a man’s brain to mush. He shook his head. And, as a neurosurgeon, brains were his specialty. When she had opened the door with a smile, looking super-sexy in a pair of leggings and an oversized t-shirt, he’d nearly swallowed his tongue. There was something about the way she had looked at him with those gorgeous brown eyes that made him glad that he was a man. With just one encounter, every muscle in his body ached with desire.

  Ached?

  Parker rubbed his hands down his face. He needed to pull himself together. He’d seen beautiful women before, and over the years, he had dated quite a few. But nothing had prepared him for the onslaught of wanting he’d felt for Sebrina Bennett the moment he set eyes on her. He really liked her short, stylish haircut, and the way her curls capped a beautiful face that was a perfect honey brown. She had a cute nose, and rounded chin. Her oval shaped dark eyes were framed by thick ebony lashes and bordered with perfectly arched brows. Then there were those lips. Whether she knew it or not, they were hypnotic, sensual and outright seductive.

  But it wasn’t only her face that drew him in. She had high round breasts that tempted him to touch. And her small waist, with just the right curves, would make any man take a second look.

  He’d have to make sure his best friend, Evan Maples, didn’t visit any time soon. Evan loved beautiful women—all beautiful women…often at the same time. And there was no doubt about it, Sebrina Bennett made one hell of an alluring package.

  Still, the last thing he needed was to get involved with a woman right now. The only reason he was in St. Paul was to secure his future in medicine. That was the only thing he should have on his mind. He’d been lucky to get a chance to train for a year under Dr. Miller at St. Paul General. Parker’s long-term goal was to one day move to Tampa, Florida.

  Dr. Robert McIntyre—a renowned neurosurgeon, and head of the neurology department at Tampa General, as well as one of the most renowned neurosurgeons in the world—had agreed to take him under his wing, so to speak. McIntyre would be retiring in a few years and Parker wanted to be in the best possible position to be a contender for his replacement. In a pool of over a hundred neurosurgeons, Dr. McIntyre had selected Parker for a special medical mentorship program.

  The first thing Dr. McIntyre had strongly recommended was that he work alongside Dr. Miller here in St. Paul for at least a year, before moving to Tampa to work with him. Dr. Miller was another renowned neurosurgeon, and to be part of his team was a high honor. Dr. McIntyre had worked out all the details and made all the arrangements. All Parker had to do was to move to St. Paul for a year and take the position. He hadn’t wasted any time leaving Boston.

  His phone rang and he picked it up, recognizing the ring tone. Speak of the devil. “Hey, Evan.”

  “Are you there yet?”

  “Just got here.”

  “So how is it?”

  “It’s a nice set up and the weather isn’t too bad,” Parker told him.

  “Give it a couple of weeks. I bet it will be just as cold there as it is in Boston.”

  “Probably, but I’m not afraid of a little snow.” There was no way that he could be when he’d mostly lived where cold, harsh winters were normal. That’s why knowing that one day he would be moving to sunny Florida was appealing.

  He and Evan Naples had met years ago in medical school and had become the best of friends. Up until now, their career paths had pretty much taken the same course. Evan had his eyes set on becoming head of the neurology department in a Dallas hospital, and there was no doubt in Parker’s mind that he would get it.

  “Have you met your housemates yet?”

  Ah…there it was. The real reason Evan had called. He’d known Parker would be sharing a house with two women. “I met Sebrina when I got here. She’s a heart specialist at the same hospital I’ll be working at. Her sister Monica is away on a cruise and won’t be back for a while.”

  “And?”

  “And what, Evan?” he asked, like he didn’t know.

  “What does this Sebrina look like? If she favors Dr. Rae’jean Bennett Garrison, I’m ready to meet her.”

  Parker shook his head. “She doesn’t really favor Dr. Garrison, although she is a very beautiful woman.”

  “How soon can I come visit?”

  “I’m not sure if I want you to.”

  Evan laughed. “That didn’t take long.”

  “If and when you ever meet her, you’ll see why,” Parker said, grinning, not surprised his best friend had figured things out so quickly.

  “Man, I’ve never known you to act territorial.”

  Evan was right. He’d never been po
ssessive when it came to women. “I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

  “Well, I can’t wait to meet her. And I will be meeting her, Parker. However, I promise to keep my hands to myself.”

  “You’d better.” Parker couldn’t believe he was saying these things to his best friend, all about a woman he’d met less than an hour ago. He’d have to deal with his attraction to Sebrina soon, or he’d blow this once-in-a-lifetime chance at the hospital.

  No sooner had he ended the call with Evan than he heard a knock on the bedroom door. “Yes?”

  “I’m ready, Parker.”

  “I’ll be right out,” he called. She might be ready, but he wasn’t sure that he was.

  Sebrina had been right—this place was great. She’d directed him to a nice neighborhood café that was within walking distance. He bookmarked the place in his mind—he’d definitely be back. On their way to the café, they’d passed numerous store-fronts that were decorated for Christmas. Even the light poles on the streets had been transformed into candy canes. There was no doubt about it—the entire area was definitely into the Christmas spirit.

  The weather was cold, so they’d both worn heavy coats and gloves. She also had a cute knit cap on her head. He’d heard snow was on the way, but that was okay. Before heading out here from Boston, he’d made sure he had a new set of snow tires put on his car.

  As they walked, she’d told him about the neighborhood, made up mainly of a community of beautiful older homes. Most of the original owners had moved out and the young up and coming professionals had moved in. There was rarely any crime in the area, and she contributed that to the neighborhood watch program in effect. On one side of their place lived a couple of attorneys, and on the other side, there was an engineer and his wife who was a teacher. Across the street lived the owners of one of the clothing stores they’d passed. Everyone was friendly and pretty much minded their own business.

  Once they entered the cafe, she was greeted by many of the staff. It was obvious she was a regular. She removed her coat to hang it up, and he saw that she had changed into a pair of jeans and a pullover sweater. He tried not to stare but couldn’t help himself. She had looked cute in her leggings but the outfit she was wearing now clearly emphasized her curves and nice backside. He was suddenly really glad he’d told Evan not to visit.

  After they were seated and had placed their orders, Sebrina told him that she worked the night shift at the hospital and usually dropped by the café after getting off work, even if it was just to grab a cup of coffee. She was sure he would enjoy lunch, but suggested he check them out for breakfast as well. She thought the café served the best breakfast in town.

  While they were waiting for their meal, their discussion turned to what they had in common—the hospital. He’d be starting out on the day shift, shadowing Dr. Miller for a while. He had heard St. Paul General was a great place to work and was eager to meet everyone.

  After the waitress brought their drink orders, Sebrina told him about the house they now shared, how Kennedy’s parents had bought it more than thirty years ago, intending to have a large family. That was why it was so big, with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Sadly, Kennedy’s mother died in a car accident when Kennedy had only been twelve.

  Michael, Kennedy’s father, had decided to move to Atlanta to be close to the family when Kennedy had been thirteen. He chose not to sell the house, just in case he moved back one day. He never did and had given Kennedy the deed to the house when she’d graduated from college.

  “So, why did four girls decide to move in together?” he asked, trying not to notice how perfectly her mouth fit on the straw as she took a sip of her soda.

  “It was something we decided to do when we were just teens, although we had no idea at the time Kennedy’s father would make it so easy for us by giving Kennedy the house. We all went to different colleges, but we’d made a pact that we would all come back home and enjoy the single life together. At the time, home was Atlanta.”

  She took another sip of her drink, then continued saying, “There was supposed to have been six of us, but two of my cousins, Lauren and Cody, got married right after college. That left the four of us.”

  “I can’t imagine six women under the same roof,” he said, taking a sip of his own drink. Seeing her mouth on that straw was causing another ache.

  She chuckled and he even liked the sound. “It would not have been a problem. We all got along.”

  “So, now it’s only you and your sister Monica living there, since Kennedy and Victoria got married, right?”

  “Yes. But now, you’re there, too, and I want to officially welcome you.”

  “Thanks.”

  He truly hoped she meant it and wasn’t bothered by him moving in. Rae’jean had claimed it would be an ideal situation, but he wanted to make sure Sebrina wasn’t just being polite. “I hope I won’t cause you and your sister any trouble.”

  She waved off his words. “Of course, you won’t. We probably won’t see much of each other, anyway. I work nights, so when I get in, you’ll either be leaving or already gone. You’ll likely see more of Monica because she works nine to five at the newspaper. But you’ll like her—she’s easy to get along with.

  Parker wondered why the thought that he wouldn’t often see Sebrina bothered him. He didn’t have much time to think about it, though, because the waitress delivered their meal.

  Over lunch, she asked how often he saw Rae’jean. Although Parker and Rae’jean lived in Boston, they’d worked at different hospitals—Rae’jean had worked at Boston University Medical Center for years, and Parker had been at Boston Harbor Medical Center.

  “Usually just on Sundays. I have a standing invitation to drop in for dinner. She and Ryan are wonderful people.”

  She nodded. “They are simply the best. I was glad to see them and the kids at Kennedy and Victoria’s double wedding in June.” Rae’jean was the mother of two handsome boys, ages twelve and ten, and a daughter who was eight.

  “Rae’jean said the wedding was really nice.”

  “It was. It’s always great when we can all get together. There’s a family reunion planned at Christmas this year, and I can hardly wait. It’s hard to get everyone home during the summer, unless it’s for a wedding or funeral. Although most of the family came to Kennedy and Victoria’s wedding, our Cousin Agnes refused to count that as a family reunion. She had promised my great-grandfather, Poppa Ethan, that she would keep the family reunions going, and she intends to do just that.”

  Parker nodded as he finished the last of his meal. “She must be a character. Still, she’s not wrong. Family is important. Rae’jean and Ryan take a two-week cruise with the kids every summer. I admire their dedication to the kids. They’ve always got them involved in something. The boys are into soccer, and they’re really good. I’ve gone to several of their games,” he said of Rae’jean and Ryan’s sons, Rhett and Russell. “And Royal takes piano lessons and dance. She’s definitely a daddy’s girl.”

  Sebrina nodded. “And how are your parents? Do you get to visit them often in Maine?”

  Parker didn’t say anything for a minute. If she knew his parents lived in Maine, that meant she likely knew even more about them. He wondered if Rae’jean had told her family about how rude his mother had been when his uncle Grady had taken her home to meet his sister and her husband—Parker’s parents.

  He was an only child and while growing up, he and his family had lived abroad a lot, because his father had been the sales manager of an international company. Parker had loved learning about the different cultures and had returned to the States in his junior year of high school.

  “The folks are fine. I saw them Labor Day weekend.” Deciding to change the subject, he said, “Lunch was good, Sebrina. Thanks for suggesting this place.”

  “I’m glad you liked it. When do you start at St. Paul General?”

  “In a couple of days. Although I wasn’t officially supposed to start until after New
Year’s, I thought it would be a good idea to learn the lay of the land.”

  She smiled. “Dr. Miller will appreciate that. They’re short-handed on the day shift.”

  “That’s what I heard. And I’m ready to help in any way that I can.”

  There was a lot he wanted to know about Sebrina, but his main question was how she felt about interracial dating. Then he caught himself and drew in a deep breath. What he really needed was to put the brakes on. First of all, he had just gotten to town and would be sharing a house with Sebrina and her sister. The last thing he needed was to give into the lusty thoughts he’d had since meeting her.

  Rae’jean would if he messed around with her cousin, not that he would. And he didn’t want to do anything to make Sebrina or her sister feel uncomfortable with having him there. But he had to admit, keeping his hands to himself wouldn’t be easy.

  What he should be doing was getting everything together to start work at the hospital in a couple days. That meant taking one entire day to do nothing but sleep. Although he had taken numerous breaks and checked into hotels along the way, the twenty-hour drive from Boston to St. Paul had been mentally and physically draining. And he was starting to feel it.

  “If you ever get restless in the evenings, Parker, there’s a nightclub on the next corner. It’s pretty nice and has a live band on the weekends,” she said, breaking into his thoughts. “On Tuesdays, they host amateur night with local talent and their hot wings are the best.”

  Parker smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  The waitress came with their check and he reached for it. Sebrina tried pulling it from his hand and their fingers brushed in the process. In an instant, a spike of heat tore through him and from the startled look on her face, he knew she’d felt it too.

  “I’ve got this,” he forced himself to say, as he stood to dig his wallet out of his back pocket.