Vaughn was still trying to process the information that he needed to staff the place and oversee things until he could find a good replacement for Barbara.                                   

He glanced down at his watch. “I have about fifteen minutes before I’m meeting with a designer and a construction project manager to discuss renovations.”                                   

“Well, hallelujah!” Barbara did praise hands and quickly scanned the room. “Lord knows this place could use it.”                                   

Vaughn chuckled, glad the woman didn’t oppose taking a wrecking ball to the outdated floor plan and antiquated decor.                                 

“Think we’ll have time to squeeze a quick tour in before they get here?” he asked.                              

“No, I don’t.” Barbara nodded toward the door.

Vaughn followed the woman’s gaze to a pair of sexy, tan-and-black leather booties with a stacked heel and side buckles stepping through the door attached to a pair of shapely legs. The creamy brown skin shimmered and glowed.                                  

Dayum.                                   

Vaughn hadn’t returned to Willowvale Springs to find a hookup. But the woman who sashayed toward him—hips swaying in a black, midthigh-length blazer dress that perfectly accented her Coke bottle shape and thick thighs—could definitely get it.                                   

“It’s good to see you again, Vaughn.” The woman placed a palm on his chest and leaned in and kissed his whiskered cheek. Her voice was slightly husky and oddly familiar. Her vibrant scent—like pomegranate, lilies and something spicy—lingered as she pulled away.                                   

“I’m sorry but do I know...” His voice trailed off as he studied the woman’s gorgeous face, taking in the familiar mischievous dark eyes, button nose and cheeky grin. “No...no way.” Vaughn covered his mouth and shook his head. He turned toward Barbara who was more than amused by the exchange. “There is no way that this is little Allie Price.”                                   

“It is. Only our little mischievous squirt had the audacity to grow into a lovely and incredibly talented young woman.” Barbara beamed as if she’d raised Allie herself.                                  

Then again, in Willowvale Springs, you didn’t just belong to your parents. You were claimed by the whole damn town.

“Well, I can certainly see that.” Vaughn laughed. He held out his arms to give his childhood best friend’s little sister a proper hug. “It really is great to see you again, Allie.”                                   

He hugged her, trying his best to shut down his dick, which stirred in response to Allie’s buttery soft curves cradled against him.                                   

Refer to Rules #1 and #2. Not gonna happen, bruh. Not in a bajillion years. So calm the fuck down.                                   

Vaughn pulled out of Allie’s lingering hug, cleared his throat and shoved a hand into the pocket of his rag & bone jeans. He diverted his gaze slightly, so as to at least give the pretense he was making eye contact with the stunningly gorgeous Afro-Latina woman who’d once been that adorable little snaggle-toothed girl who’d had an innocent crush on him. Because the thoughts he was having about her now were anything but innocent.                                   

“So are you here to introduce me to the designer and the project manager?” Vaughn rubbed his chin.                                   

“That explains why you wanted to take pictures of this old place.” Barbara shook a finger at the younger woman, her eyes twinkling as if Allie was a naughty teenager who’d played a trick on her. “Vaughn hired your family to handle the renovations. Well, we simply couldn’t be in better hands. Been watching the work you’ve been doing over at the horse stables where I board my Molly. Your family does some amazing work.”                                   

“Thank you, Ms. Barb.” Allie sifted her manicured fingers through her shiny, curly, shoulder-length tresses, tugging them over one shoulder.

Vaughn squeezed his free hand into a fist, aching to run his fingers through her hair. His eyes met Allie’s again. It had been accidental. Yet, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from hers.                                   

The phone rang, and it seemed to shake them both from the awkward moment.                                   

“I’d better get that,” Barb said. “If either of you needs anything, just give me a holler.”                                  

“Will do. Thank you, Barbara,” Vaughn said. He shifted his attention back to Allie. “So...the designer and the project manager...”

“You’re looking at her.” Allie held her hands out, the way she often did when she’d put on some sort of show for them as a kid.                                   

“So you’re the interior designer?” Vaughn frowned as he folded his arms, resting his chin on a closed fist as he studied her.                                   

“Yes.” Her reply was less cheery with a hint of indignation this time.                                   

“Okay. Great,” Vaughn said, only slightly sarcastically. “What about the project manager?”                                   

“Again...you’re looking at her.”                                  

“Wait...” Vaughn dropped his arms at his sides and stood to his full height. He wasn’t particularly tall, but he was at least half a foot taller than her. “You’re handling both jobs?”                                   

He realized that he was a local boy and no longer a member of one of the world’s bestselling bands. But he expected to get at least a little star treatment.

Rey knew that this job was important to him, that he needed the place to look its absolute best, and that he was on a tight turnaround. And what did he do? He’d sent his little sister to play both designer and project manager.                                   

Well, he was going to have a few choice words with his childhood best friend as soon as he sent little Allie packing.                                   

“Look, I appreciate your time, and I don’t mean to be rude. But I made it clear to Rey just how important this job was and that I’m on a really tight schedule. So if he’s not taking this seriously—”                                   

“That’s it.” Allie cursed in Spanish and slapped a nearby high-top table. She set down her colorful tote bag. Allie folded one arm over her chest and massaged her temple with the other. “Why is it that every good-looking man has to go and open his big fat mouth and completely kill the illusion?” she muttered. “This is pretty disappointing behavior from a man who has written some truly empowering ballads for female artists. Not to mention that you actually referred to yourself as a feminist in that Rolling Stone article.”                                   

That article interview had been at least ten years ago. Did she really remember that?                                   

Vaughn wouldn’t let Rey’s gorgeous little sister with her killer body and glowing brown skin sidetrack him. Maybe he’d been a little brusque, but he was still the customer, wasn’t he?

“If this is how Price Construction treats their clients, maybe it’s better if I go with another firm.”                                  

Allie snorted and cocked one hip. Which wasn’t helping his attempts to not notice the delicious curves she’d acquired over the years. His cheeks and forehead felt as though they’d suddenly burst into flames.                                  

“Suit yourself, pal.” Allie snatched her bag off the table and glared at him. “But good luck finding anyone else around here to handle this project on such short notice. There’s been a construction boom in the area. All of the other contractors in the region are just as slammed as we are. Rey sent me because I’m the best person to handle the design job. I’m also handling the project management because we are completely booked. If you’re too sexist, pigheaded and generally chauvinistic to recognize that you are incredibly lucky to get to work with me, then you don’t deserve the designs I’ve been working on day and night for the past three days. I’d say good luck, but we’d both know I don’t really mean it.”                                  

Allie turned on her heel and strutted her fine ass toward the front door.                                   

Vaughn groaned and cursed under his breath. “Allie...wait!” He followed her, grasping her hand before she could escape.

He could swear a bolt of electricity traveled up his arm and exploded in his chest. It was the kind of instant attraction he hadn’t experienced in a long time. A feeling that this jaded old rocker suspected he was incapable of anymore. But those butterflies eventually led to heartbreak and worse, they’d blown up his career.                                   

Maybe you couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks, but he was damn well going to try. He had no intention of making the same mistake twice.                                   

Allie swiveled around, her dark eyes filled with fire as she glared at him expectantly.                                  

Little Allie Price had grown up to be fucking beautiful, smelled like heaven, and had full, lush lips that sent erotic fantasies about their feel and taste spiraling through his brain.

But gorgeous or not, friend or not, Vaughn needed this job done fast and done right. And whatever happened, he most definitely would not make a move on the still annoying little brat who’d apparently morphed into an incredible goddess.