He flung open the door and guided me out before giving me time to lock the door. He took my hand before he marched down the stairs, taking me to his car and opening the door. Once inside, he shuddered and I giggled.
“This isn’t funny,” he barked.
“It’s kinda funny.”
“You’re an only child,” he pointed out, and I began laughing.
“Lacey can’t help that the walls in the building are really thin, and she’s always quiet by ten. This really isn’t something you need to talk to her about.” I tried to reason with him.
Ryan glanced at me, then back to the road, before he looked at me with suspicion and my eyes widened. Had I said too much? Was he growing suspicious about what Lacey was doing for work? Shit! Had I just outed her?
“She does this often? It’s a small town. Who the hell is she seeing?” He asked.
“I actually don’t know. I’m the neighbor that minds her own business.”
“Right, which is why you didn’t know she was my sister.” Then his eyes widened, “You didn’t know she was my sister! The walls are thin! You saw me leaving her apartment!”
“I’m sorry, I’m not following you.”
“Did you think I was the guy she’s seeing?”
“No?”
“You were jealous! That was why you acted weird that day before you and Meghan went to that one bar in Fairwood. You heard us moving furniture and when you ran into me in the hall you looked like a deer caught in headlights. Ew! You thought I was the guy?”
“I didn’t know she was your sister! You were making a lot of noise up there!” I defended myself.
“I’m simultaneously thrilled, because you were jealous, and appalled because you thought I was up there … doing things … with my sister!”
“You punched a guy for talking to me!”
“I punched a guy for being shitty toward you!”
“You and your little buddies drove all the way out to Fairwood because you wanted to check on me. You got jealous too!”
Ryan laughed, as he drove toward his townhome. Glancing over at him, a smug smile spread across his face. Reaching over, I placed my hand on his thigh and his hand dropped from the steering wheel to cover mine. A smile spread across my face at the dual stupidity that we were absolutely crushing on each other at the same time but were both too awkward or nervous to approach the other.
Chapter 25
Ryan
Entering my house, I tossed my keys into the black bowl on the entryway table before kicking off my shoes and moving to set Emily’s bag on the sofa. Looking down at the dark blue duffle, I froze. Oh, shit. I had been so freaked out by the noises coming from my sister’s apartment I didn’t even realize I had told Emily to pack a bag and I left zero room for argument.
I had intended to take everything slow, and not push her until she was ready. It would be best if she took the lead on deciding when we’d be ready to take our relationship further. I was absolutely ready, been ready. I’d been masturbating like a teenager for weeks - patiently waiting for the moment when I could lay claim to her.
She softly cleared her throat, and I spun to her. The corner of her mouth was tilted up and her eyes sparkled. My stomach flipped as images of all the ways I’d have her flitted through my mind.
“I, uh, I’m sorry,” I coughed out, “I was so freaked out I didn’t even realize I told you to pack a bag.”
“I know,” she said softly as she kicked off her shoes next to where I left mine.
“I should have asked. Oh you must think I’m a demanding jerk. Fuck, I have a guest room, you don’t need--” My rambling faded as she lifted a hand and placed it on my chest.
“I packed … the bag.”
She bit her lower lip and her eyes glittered as she gave me a heated stare. Heat spread through me as she stepped up to me, her head tilting back to keep her gaze on me.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to pressure you,” I whispered, as my cock twitched in my pants at her nearness.