Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
I jump up and hug him. “You mean you’re staying for the whole tour?”
“Yup.” He laughs. “I’ve got all my rooms booked in all the hotels, so I’m here for the duration.”
“Isn’t that great, Jesse? Maddie?”
Maddie’s smile widens. Jesse’s is nonexistent.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Maddie finally says. “The more the merrier.”
Our drinks arrive, and I take a sip of the smooth bourbon. “Mmm. Delicious. What do you think, Jesse?”
After his sip, “Decent.”
I can’t help a laugh. “It’s nearly as good as Peach Street, in my opinion.”
He grunts.
Maddie finally turns to him. “Jess, what the hell is wrong with you? You had what I assume was an enjoyable dinner with Bree—”
“Dinner was perfect,” he says.
“Right, so what’s eating you?”
I know damned well what’s eating him, and Maddie probably does as well. Why she’s playing dumb is beyond me. But what can Jesse say? It’s not like Dave said he came here to be with Maddie. He came because he needed a vacation—a well-earned one.
“Dragon,” Jesse finally says.
Okay. Maybe I’m on the wrong track. He did just find out yesterday that Dragon’s not coming back. Even though he has a replacement drummer who’s more technically accurate than Dragon, Derek doesn’t have that unnamed thing that makes Dragon’s percussion shine.
If Dave’s appearance were bothering Jesse, he’d say so. He’s never one to mince words.
He downs his bourbon quickly and rises. “I’m hitting the sack.”
I rise as well.
“No, Brianna. Stay here and talk with your cousin. I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do.”
“A lot of catching up?” I shake my head. “We’ve only been gone a week.”
But Jesse doesn’t reply. He simply throws a few five-pound notes on the table and leaves.
I take the money. “I’ll return this to him.”
“I see what’s bothering him,” Dave says. “Two of his sisters are engaged to Rake-a-teers, and he thinks I’ve come after the third one. Go with him. Tell him that’s not what this is about.”
“I will.” I rise and glance at Maddie.
And that beaming smile that filled her whole face with beautiful light?
It’s gone.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jesse
Jesus fuck.
David Simpson? And Maddie? Seriously?
I breathe in deeply, trying to ease the tension that’s turned my body into stone.
I made my peace with Brock and Rory.
I even made my peace with Donny and Callie, and I’ve gotten to the point where I’m glad I did. Holding on to a high school rivalry is ridiculous and immature.
I’ve made my peace—sort of—with Brianna’s age, with the fact that she may not be able to commit to what I want to ask of her.
But Maddie? Really?
I have to let her go to a Steel too?
I laugh at the absurdity of my own thoughts. I don’t want my littlest sister with a Steel, but I’m with a Steel.
Good going, Jess. You’ve become a hypocrite as well as an idiot.
I return to my room and close the door. Five minutes later, a loud knock.
I don’t have to wonder who it is. I already know. I open the door to Brianna standing in the hallway. She doesn’t look happy.
She walks right past me and then glares. “What the hell was all that about?”
“He came here for one reason, and let’s not pretend he didn’t.”
She whips her hands to her hips. “Then you’ll be happy to know he told Maddie and me both, point-blank, to tell you not to worry. This is a vacation to him. A vacation with Brock, who he’s the closest to of all our cousins. They’re practically the same age.”
“Bullshit. Did you see how he was looking at her?”
“That’s just Dave. He’s a flirt. He looks at all beautiful women that way.”
“Not you.”
“For Christ’s sake, Jesse. I’m his cousin! Of course he wouldn’t look at me that way.”
“I know.”
I’m being ridiculous, and I know it. What is it about the Steels that irks me so? Is it their money? Their privilege? Their generosity? The fact that two of my sisters fell in love with two of them?
The fact that I fell in love with one too?
Fuck it all.
I grab Brianna and kiss her.
Hard.
Hard, delving my tongue into her mouth and taking her with a kiss.
She responds, of course. I knew she would.
I lean into the kiss, until—
I rip my mouth from hers. “I can’t. Not like this.”
She touches her lips. “Like what?”
“I feel like I take you in anger a lot. That’s not who I am, Brianna.”
“I love who you are. If you need to lose yourself in me to ease whatever you’re feeling, I’m here for you.”
I draw in a breath. “Do me a favor. Don’t let me do that to you anymore. I’m a better man than that.”
She smirks. “You’re a wonderful man, Jesse. But truly, what is there to be angry about? Dave isn’t here to woo Maddie, but what if he were? Would that be so terrible? Would it be the worst thing in the world for the Pike family to blend with the Steel family?”