Page 61 of Unbreakable Love

I gaped at my sister. The girl I loved more than myself laughed.

“It’s not dusty or rusty, and how did you know?”

“Please. You have virgin written all over you. Come to think of it” —she tapped her chin with her fingertip—“that’s probably why he was rude to you that first night. He was probably overwhelmed by your virgin pheromones, and you scrambled his senses.”

I definitely knew that was impossible.

“Can we stop talking about my V-card?”

“Depends.” She grinned with teeth. “You going to let him have it?”

I took a page out of her own book. “Only if he begs nicely.”

“Now we’re talking.” She got up from the couch, snagging her wineglass on her way. “Just make sure he says please and thank you.”

Sisters. Couldn’t live with them. Couldn’t live without them.

EIGHTEEN

GAVIN

I was at my door, waiting, as soon as I got the text from Penny a few minutes ago, asking if she could stop by. After texting her back, I gave my living room a quick scan and ensured it was clean. Not like it’d ever bothered her before, but this was different. Her entire reason for being here was different.

It had nothing to do with Josie, nothing to do with dinner or my family or being a good neighbor.

This was about us, hopefully, starting something. Something I knew at least I’d been denying since the moment I saw her. She was bundled up, winter coat wrapped up tightly around with her hood-lined fur pulled up to cover her head. With the boots on her feet and gloves on her hands, I cursed myself for the way I treated her earlier.

I’d kissed her on the porch. With the freezing weather and another threat of snow on the horizon, I hadn’t even considered she’d be cold. Hadn’t been cold myself until I’d climbed back into the heat of my truck.

I hadn’t gone there with the intention of kissing her, not like that. But as soon as I saw her, I couldn’t help myself.

Thank God she hadn’t said no.

Thank God she’d wanted it, too.

She hurried down the street, checking for cars, and as the wind hit, I bit back a laugh and stepped onto the porch. She’d changed from a pair of jeans and sweater earlier, and while I didn’t know what she wore on top, her pink and purple flannel pajama pants billowed in the wind where they were haphazardly tucked into her boots.

She hadn’t changed into something nice to come see me.

She’d thrown on whatever she had or was wearing while she hung with her sister.

Which meant when she reached my porch and glanced up, I was there, smiling down on her. “Hey.”

Her answering smile faltered with nerves and then almost blinded me with its brightness. “Hey yourself.”

“Want to come in?”

“I think we should get off the porch this time, yeah.”

I reached back and opened the door so she could go first. She stomped off her boots and stepped inside.

As she shrugged out of her coat and boots and gloves, I offered her my arm for balance and received a soft but still nervous thank you.

“I’m glad you’re here, that you came,” I told her once she was done and still holding onto my arm. “Want to sit? Watch a movie?”

“A movie?”

“Help me out here.” I chuckled. “It’s been a while since I’ve invited a woman into my home.”

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