Page 11 of Tempting

“Who’s living like a monk?” comes from a groggy voice in the living room.

Both our heads spin to the couch where Callen is lying, one arm thrown over his face, half asleep, but apparently awake enough to be listening to our conversation.

Gordie pops up from the floor and takes his good old time wandering over to Callen. My fat pup uses all the effort he can muster to push all his rolls up next to Callen before basically nut-punching him while he makes himself comfortable and crop dusts the whole room.

Guess he told him.

“Fuck, Gordie...” Callen sits up and jerks away from the smell. “You’re dog’s fucking gross, man.”

“You’re on his couch,” I remind him and add my hockey bag to the pile. “What the hell are you doing here anyway? Shouldn’t you be at practice, or I don’t know... maybe at your own place?”

“Air conditioner is broken. They’re sending someone up later today to fix it, but it’s too damn hot in there. Especially after a brutal practice,” he tells me like it’s the most normal thing in the world to go sleep on someone else’s couch. Guess I should be grateful he’s not in my fucking bed. “So who’s living like a monk? And I’m gonna need you to tell me exactly why either of you would willingly forgo sex. It’s basically the greatest gift the world has to offer... Well, after football.”

Callen chugs the family football Kool-Aid big time.

I’d call him one of the great football players of our generation. Well, not to his face. The fucker’s ego is big enough already without the boost. Technically, he’s my dad’s generation, not mine. He’s what we like to call an oopsie-baby. Something the whole family still teases him about as often as possible. Especially considering he may have been conceived on the kitchen table as my Uncle Murphy walked in, catching Grandpa and Grandma in the act.

Grandpa has coached the Philly Kings for close to three decades. Dad retired from the team a few years ago and is still known as the best quarterback the NFL has ever seen, and now he’s the quarterback coach. Then there’s Callen. He’s been carving a name for himself for years. Another Sinclair at the top of the game.

And that’s just the family associated with the Kings.

Can’t forget the uncles who are retired Hall of Famers too.

What can I say... we’re a family of overachievers.

Hockey vs. football is an everyday argument at family dinners.

Leo moves into the room and tosses me a bottle of water. “Yeah, Nix. Why the hell would you be living like a monk when you could have your pick of any woman in the city? I’m sure there’s a few Callen hasn’t already sampled.”

Callen shrugs, and I throw the water at his head.

He catches it easily with one hand.

Fucker.

“I’m not a monk, asshole.” I drop into the chair across from Callen and kick my feet up, irritated with my jackoff brother. “Just because I’m not as in your face about it as you two fucks doesn’t mean I’m celibate. It means I don’t need the world to know what I’m doing. I’d rather not have the Kroydon fucking Kronicles reporting on me once a month, thanks.”

“Sounds like somebody needs to get laid, if you ask me. Could this have anything to do with the hot date you’ve got Saturday night?” Leo shoves Gordie off the couch and takes his spot. “Because Kenzie Hayes is smoking fucking hot, Nix. And she’s a doctor.”

“The hell?” Callen looks from Leo to me, like he couldn’t possibly have heard him right. “You got a hot date with Kenzie you forgot to tell the class about, man?”

Oh yeah. He’s pissed.

Now the question is—why?

“You got a thing for Mac you failed to mention, Callen?” I lean back in the chair and watch and wait. People can say whatever they want aloud. It’s the nonverbal cues that’ll tell you everything you really need to know though.

Callen’s shoulders tighten, and his face pinches.

He might be pissed or possessive, but I don’t think it’s either.

He’s being protective.

Interesting.

“You two are worse than the twins, you know that, right?” I clench my jaw, already over this shit. Definitely regretting mentioning it to Leo. “It’s not a hot date. I’m helping a friend out. That’s all.”

Not sure I believe it, but maybe they will.

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