Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 98134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
I sigh and pull the covers up to her chin, then flick off the light. “Night, Andi,” I mutter. I check to make sure the heat is on to keep it nice and warm for her. Then I double check the whole guest house, just in the event that some intruder happened to sneak in here, waiting to surprise her. They didn’t.
I make a few more excuses to hang around. I check the windows. All locked. I even look at the air filter and make sure the heater is running properly. Everything is just as good as it was a few weeks ago when I came out here to look it over.
I finally give her one last look, then pull the door shut as quietly as I can.
I make the trek back to the house and find Jake in the kitchen, waiting for me.
“Hey,” I say, trying to sound casual. “Where is everyone?”
“Karaoke. Liam invited everyone.”
“You weren’t interested?” I ask.
He folds his arms, muscles straining against his black t-shirt. “I’m keeping an eye on you.”
Frankly, I want to blurt the truth to Jake right now. I want to get this protective older brother bullshit out of the way and tell him I do like his sister. I like her, but I’m currently involved in some weird ass, confusing secret relationship that isn’t actually a relationship–a relationship that is supposed to be all about sex, even though getting a chance to sleep with his little sister is proving to be more of a logistical challenge than I pictured.
Coming clean to Andi’s brother isn’t something I’m going to do without making sure Andi is on board first, though. Even if the secrecy was my idea in the first place.
“Alright,” I say.
“Alright?” he asks. “Mind telling me your intentions? Can we at least be open about that?”
I run my tongue over my teeth. I don’t particularly like his tone, but Jake is also like a brother to me. He’s a teammate, a friend, and that also means something to me. It means he gets a little leeway when he’s acting like a prick and deserves to get shoved or punched. “I have no romantic intentions with your sister.” There. That is sort of true, at least. My intentions are sexual. Not romantic.
He locks eyes with me. “Why does she look at you like that, then?”
“Like what?” I ask, genuinely interested. How does she look at me? I wonder.
“Like…” he lets out a frustrated sigh and runs a hand through his dark hair. “She looks at you like you’re the answer to all her fucking problems. I don’t know.”
“Maybe because I’ve been nice to her and helped her out. Maybe she likes Frosty Harbor and knows I live here, so she’s hoping I’ll keep helping to integrate her to town. I don’t know, Jake. Take a fucking guess.”
He glares. “My guess is because she wants to sleep with you. To date you. Hell if I know.”
I shrug. “What if she does? Are you going to be a creepy asshole and tell your sister who she can and can’t sleep with?”
“I’m–” he hesitates, snapping his mouth shut. His jaw ticks several times before he speaks again, barely controlling his tone. “I’m just worried about her state of mind. You do remember she came here in the first place because she was running away from her wedding, right? So yeah, call me an overprotective asshole for wanting to make sure she’s not jumping into something too soon.”
I sigh. “You have a point. But shit, man. Making mistakes isn’t always… a mistake. Sometimes bad things happen and it seems like the end of the world. Then you look back on it later and realize it was just an opportunity.”
“Are you quoting fucking fortune cookies at me right now, Jesse?”
I can’t help laughing, and Jake smiles too. “I’m only saying I get it. I’m a big brother to a little sister, too. You don’t want to see them get hurt. To make mistakes. To feel regret. Any of that. But you also have to let them be who they are. Be there to guide them when they ask for it, but if you stick your nose in their life so hard and so often, they won’t go to you when they actually need help. I don’t know,” I say shrugging. “Just my experience so far.”
“Yeah. You’re not wrong.” He lets out a heavy breath and looks toward the guest house out the window. “I’ll try to be less of an asshole. And I’ll try to stop glaring at you. No promises, though.”
“Glare away, man. I can handle it.”
He smirks. “If my little sister did want to make a mistake and move on too quickly with some guy, I guess she could do worse than you.”
“Alright, alright,” I say, giving him a shove. “Quit being sweet with me or I’m going to think you’re about to grab my ass and kiss me.”