Page 53 of An Endless Memory

I leaned against the door frame. “Impossibly handsome?”

She scowled at me, her mouth twisted like she was holding back a smile. “You’re the best-looking brother.”

“Dang. You’re making me blush. Can I record you saying that?”

Her lips twitched. “No, because you’ll play it back for them.”

“A few times.” I pushed a hand through my hair. My body was buzzing with the memory of her against it, her mouth on mine. She was soft and the way she’d opened for me—damn. I would not get a wink of sleep tonight while trying to keep my erection under control. “It’s getting late, and that little guy doesn’t believe in sleeping in. I’m not going to come onto you anymore, but it’s not because I don’t find you attractive. I’ve always thought you were cute, but I put you so far in the off-limits category I can’t just change the label and have it be okay. It’s important to me that you trust me.”

Her eyes had narrowed at the word cute. Did I fuck up trying to make things right? “Okay. Thank you.”

Goddammit. If I kept trying to make her see that I would fuck her in a heartbeat, I’d delve into creeper territory. She already couldn’t get rid of me for eleven months. I’d go to her grandma’s old bedroom, now my room, and try not to stroke one out on a floral quilt with a snake as a witness. “Night, Lily pad.”

“Night, Eliot.”

Lily

I was in the middle of cleaning out the dresser and closet from Cali’s room when I heard laughing and splashing. I pushed off the floor and peered out the window.

Could that guy get any more perfect?

I held out my left hand. A ring. Unnecessary and practical. I squeezed my hand into a fist. I loved it. More laughter filtered in.

Eliot had found an old plastic pool in the shop. My grandparents had probably used it for watering some of their animals, but Eliot had scrubbed it out and filled it with water from the spigot, thanks to the hose he’d also found in the shed. He’d already mowed the lawn, which took him all morning, and then he’d trimmed the weeds. Since he was doing the outdoor chores, I’d taken advantage of the time to make headway clearing out Grandma’s things.

Neither of us mentioned last night. Kellan had only gotten up once to nurse after the time he cockblocked me.

Would Eliot and I have gone that far? I feared I would’ve stripped my clothes off and told him to call me a lineman because I had been ready to climb him like a telephone pole.

The hot wave of embarrassment swept through me, only it left behind a steady beat between my thighs. Nope, that wasn’t embarrassment. That emotion didn’t make my nipples hard.

Oh god, I was so turned on. My hormones had made a big return in the last month. I felt like I could get pregnant by looking at Eliot.

I tied my hair up to get it off my neck, but I continued to spy out the window. Eliot had come in after he cleaned and sanitized the pool. He took Kellan back out with him. I thought he was kidding when he said he’d fill it, but he squatted by the pool and held Kellan up so only his legs could whack at the water. Cali was on her belly, bodysurfing.

Glancing behind me, I assessed the room. Cali now had space for more clothing when we could get to the store, and her closet was emptied out of old shoes, belts, and Sunday dresses Grandma hadn’t been able to get rid of and had stored in the guest closet. Cali’s new bedding was almost done in the wash. Tonight, she could go to sleep with the room feeling like hers. I owed Eliot just for getting her over the obstacle of sleeping in her own room.

Grandma’s room was next. I had made room in the closet. He said he hung a few shirts and pants up. I’d do the same in case we got inspected, or however Linda wanted to validate our marriage.

That was enough for today. The lure of outdoorsy fun trumped cleaning.

I went to the kitchen and made some lemonade. I found three big plastic cups that were probably older than me and poured them full. Then I shouldered the door open to go outside.

Eliot’s deep laughter carried through the yard. When he looked up, his eyes filled with heat, and he trailed his gaze down my legs. I was in old pink shorts and an even older college T-shirt. “I thought you could use some refreshment.”

He rose. Kellan kicked his legs, searching for the water. “Thanks.”

He downed his glass, his throat working. With his arm bent, his biceps bulged. Yeah. I’d have shed every stitch of clothing if he’d been into it last night. But he hadn’t. Despite what he claimed, I latched on to what he’d said before the kiss. He was a man who did the right thing for everyone else. Not for him. He didn’t want me to feel bad about rooking him into marrying me.

But hey, he thought I was cute.

Men had thought less of me, and I hadn’t been fazed. Carter had called me gorgeous, but then he called everything with boobs the same thing. When I heard him call Petunia the potbellied pig his gorgeous girl, I’d quit pretending that the endearment was special to me.

“Want a refill?” I asked when I took the cup from him.

“I’d better not, or I’ll be stopping every few miles to pee.” He smiled at the way Cali giggled and splashed around. “I told her we’d have to drain this in an hour before I leave.”

Cali popped her head up. “Can’t have a mosquitoes beading ground!”

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