by Lynn Carmer
“What are you talking about? What was touched by the gods? Oh my gosh, you mean his dick, don’t you? Really? Can dicks be pretty?” Dacey stretched her legs forward on the carpeted floor.
“Oh, yeah,” Caelen, Brynn and Athena shouted, whispered and sighed.
“Huh. My limited experience was lights-off. I’ll have to take your word for it.”
“All right, ladies. I’m going to have to get going soon. Unlike the rest of you, I have responsibilities,” Athena announced as she popped up from the white couch.
Caelen froze, still remembering what The Devil had said about Athena in her big house, all alone. She was dying to pry out every detail from her stoic sis, but now was not the time. They were all emotionally drained from the confrontation with Ms. Belle’s grandson, and physically pooped from the class and party. To cover up the pause, Caelen said quickly, “Why didn’t you just bring Fitzy with you?”
“Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is too wild right now for visits. He’s still a puppy. The house training is pretty well taken care of, but he would’ve chewed everything in sight.”
“Oh, but he’s just so ca-yute with dose wong, wittle ears of his.” Dacey always launched into baby talk when she mentioned Fitzy, aka Fitzwilliam, aka Mr. Darcy. The Bassett Hound’s name changed depending on each sister’s love, or in Brynn’s case obsession, with Jane Austin.
“Okay, wait. Before you go, we have one more order of business to take care of.”
“What?” Athena asked suspiciously. She’d become much more accepting of the school, but was still wary of participating too much.
“We have to pick another topic for our class next Friday, and we have to pick a sister to do it,” Dacey announced.
“Brynn said she’d do it,” Caelen chimed in.
“What?”
“That’s right. Don’t you remember? We were talking about Dare and how involved you were in my whole relationship and how your meddling could have broken us up? Remember how you said you would make it up to me, any way you could, and then you volunteered to go next?”
“No.” Brynn looked mortified, her cheeks blushing neon red. “No, I don’t.”
“Hmmm. Well, that’s how I remember it. And if you really think about it, any self-respecting sister would immediately offer to help the sister whose life she almost ruined.”
That’s right, Brynn! Payback’s a bitch.
“I don’t even, really, have anyone I could ask,” Brynn mumbled, her gaze suddenly transfixed on a speck of dust on her costume.
“I’m sure you can figure it out. And, please, keep in mind that I’m being really kind by not making you explain what you meant by: I don’t really have anyone to ask. Just like I’m not making you all spill the beans about what The Devil was talking about earlier today.” Caelen perused the room with only Dacey facing her with a clear conscience. “You remember? All the ominous tidbits of gossip he’d collected?”
“Hell to the no. I’m not going into any of that. Just say yes, Brynn.” Athena shouted, rooting around for her backpack.
“Oh, all right. But I’m doing this under duress,” Brynn grouched.
“Cool, it’s settled. Now all we have to do is pull a technique from the tin full of index cards.” Dacey popped off the floor and raced over to Ms. Belle’s desk. “Athena, aren’t you going to wait and see what it is?”
“Nope. I’m sure I’ll be getting a call from one of you before I get home. I’m outey. Fitzwilliam awaits.” Athena breezed through the door without a backwards glance.
“Brynn, you want to do the honors since this will be your gig?” Dacey shook the tin under her nose.
“Well, I sure as hell don’t want Caelen to do it, now that’s she’d decided to arrange my whole life.” Brynn shot daggers with her eyes, the scratch-free shield of her glasses no protection against the glare.
“It doesn’t feel good, does it?” Caelen asked with a sweet smile.
“I was trying to help. You’re just being mean.”
“I am not. Quit stalling and pick.”
Dacey bounced on her bare toes as she held the box out to Brynn. Baby B sighed deeply, plunged her finger and thumb through the small box, sifting through cards until finally settling on one.
All three girls held their breath as Brynn flipped the card over and read, “Sex Toys.”
Note from the Author
I hope you enjoyed Caelen and Dare’s story! If so, there’s more where that came from. The second book in the Charm School Series will be out soon. In that book, Brynn, the shy – but not as shy as everyone thinks – sister, will be tasked with teaching her own class, Sex Toys! Is she up to it? You betcha! And wait ’til you meet her hunky hero! Let’s just say he’s the strong, silent, and super-sexy type. I love this series, and I hope you do, too. Let’s get to know the Calvo Quads together.
My all,
Lynn.
Contact Me
If you have any questions about this book or any of the others—or maybe you just want to drop a line and say hello, please contact me at:
[email protected] or pay a visit to my website:
Lynncarmer.com or come find me on:
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Acknowledgements
I want to thank Kelsey Maxwell and Lucy Grace Gorman, two amazing writers and beta readers. They were such a big help with this book. Next, my warmest and deepest thanks goes to Mae South, editor extraordinaire! I am so excited to continue to develop our working relationship! Thanks, Mae! But I really have to give a super-special thank you, thank you, thank you, to the amazing author Ilyana Knight for going the extra mile on this one. She edited, counseled, cheered, scolded—You name it, she did it!—and I am eternally grateful. Thanks, chica!
I can’t forget to mention the love of my life and the luckiest man in the world, my husband. Thanks, babe! Love ya.
And to my fans, I hope you enjoy my fashion-forward, Pop Tart-obsessed heroine and the rough-around-the-edges firefighter who loves her.
About the Author
Lynn Carmer is a talker, a writer, a reader, a teacher, a procrastinator, an avid fan of all things “reality,” and a devourer of all things “sweet.” She has lived on both coasts and everywhere in between. All the crazy characters that live inside her head have now broken free and are running amok. The result? Six steamy, funny romance novels. She has dabbled in a few different genres. Think sexy gargoyles turned to stone; star-crossed lovers living on the planet of fire and ice; and hilarious contemporaries that reference pop culture and quite a few ’80s and ’90s movies and music.
Here’s to hunky heroes and hot-blooded heroines!