Page 29 of Ask Me Something

Getting up, she gave me a hug which I hadn’t expected. Luckily, she didn’t notice my awkwardness, but instead looked excited to have me here. She was tall like her brother and had turned into a natural beauty.

“I got in late last night. I was telling your brother only a few days ago that the last time I saw you, there were braces on your teeth. Now you’re all grown up and beautiful.” I meant the compliment sincerely.

She blushed prettily and resumed her seat. “I don’t know about beautiful, but I am almost twenty-two.”

Her self-deprecation reminded me of myself in my early twenties: in college, away from home, and feeling weird in my own skin.

“I didn’t know you and my brother had gotten together. I think it’s great, though. I always wondered if you would.”

Oh, shit. I realized she was under the wrong impression. Or maybe the correct one, but considering nothing had happened yet, I amended her assumption. “Uh, we’re only friends. I drove in last minute, and Brian slept downstairs.”

As if on cue, he opened the basement door on the far side of the kitchen. He was adorable, all rumpled from sleep.

“Hey, Kenzie. Hey, Sasha. Help yourself to coffee. I’m going to grab a shower, and then we can go into work.”

Kenzie’s face fell with Brian’s words.

Oh hell. I hadn’t meant to leave his sister alone today by insisting on going into the office. “Brian, you don’t need to come in with me. I’m probably only doing a half day, and you should hang out with Kenzie.”

He looked between the two of us and stretched his arms up, affording me a glimpse of his abs. “How about we go in for a few hours, and then Kenzie can meet us for lunch? You wanted to go to the mall for a dress or something, right Kenzie?”

My eyes inadvertently remained glued to his stomach. By the time they journeyed back up to his face, he was smirking at me.

“Yeah, I’d like to get a dress for the wedding and maybe some shoes. I don’t suppose I could convince you to come with me, Sasha, maybe after lunch?”

“Uh, sure.” I didn’t know how I could say no.

“Kenzie, she may not want to—”

I gave Brian a pointed look. “No, I do, really. I love fashion, and I’d be happy to go with you.” I might not know Kenzie very well, but I did love shopping. And it would be an opportunity to get to know her better.

She smiled. “Cool. Does that mean I get to drive your car today, big brother?”

He walked by and mussed her hair on his way to the stairs. “Sure. No problem.”

I was thankful for the Keurig machine and made myself a cup of coffee. Meanwhile, I thought about how many guys would’ve freaked at the thought of their baby sister driving their brand new Lexus. But he hadn’t batted an eye. He was laid-back that way. So how could he be dominant in the bedroom? Maybe he only thought he was. It could be that nice, easy-going Brian merely didn’t say please or thank you during sex.

Kenzie’s voice brought me out of my thoughts. “I suck at clothes big time. I brought a dress that I wore in high school, but it’s kind of juvenile. I’d like something, I don’t know, a little more grown-up.”

I was still thinking about Brian’s defined stomach. “Of course. It’ll be fun.”

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