Page 39 of Gentle Fox

I had hoped to be out of Owen’s house before she arrived for this very reason. I was supposed to be steering away from drama, not adding to it.

“Where she slept before I had the bedroom furniture delivered. In my bed.”

I didn’t need to see his face to hear the frustration in his tone. Owen didn’t want to be a part of the conversation any more than I wanted them having it about me.

That didn’t stop me from listening in though. I was invested in hearing what they had to say.

“But there’s nothing going on, huh? You used to be a better liar than this, big brother.”

Gah! There was nothing going on, I wanted to scream.

“Believe me, it’s completely platonic.”

“Uh-oh. Why do I get the feeling that you’re not happy about that?”

I wanted to be a fly on the wall in the kitchen. I would give anything to see the look on Owen’s face. He never let himself get flustered around me and something told me it would be one hell of a good look on the man.

“Because I’m not. I want something more but Annalee’s not sure she plans to stay in Willow Creek. She’s not the kind of woman I can do casual with, so until she makes up her mind, I’m going to keep up the status quo.”

That stung. I had heard him say it before but hearing the defeat in his voice was enough to make me want to come to a decision sooner rather than later. I wasn’t one to lead a man on.

“I never thought I would see the day.”

Gracie’s disbelief pulled me right back into the conversation I was listening in on.

“See what?”

“See my big brother fall in love. I thought all hope for you was lost. Glad to see it’s not.”

Was Owen in love with me?

And why did hearing that make me so damn happy?

Shit?! Did I feel the same way?

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Owen

“I didn’t say anything about love.”

Gracie scoffed at me. It didn’t matter how much older than her I was or the fact that I didn’t get to spend any time with her growing up, she knew me better than the rest of my family and didn’t have a problem calling me out on my shit.

“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.”

Oh great. Just what a man wants to hear.

“Remind me why I agreed to you moving here?”

Gracie gave me her dazzling smile. The same one that worked on our parents her whole life. Being the baby had its perks.

“Because you love me and saying no to me is not something you’ve learned to do yet.”

The little wrench was too smart for her own damn good. I was tempted to swipe the smirk off but I never would. She was right and saying anything otherwise would be a lie. I didn’t make a habit of lying to my family.

“I better go see if Annalee is hiding in the shower. She likes to take long ones when she can’t face something.”

The first day she stayed in my house was burned into my brain. And it wasn’t just because I saw her naked. I thought I was going to have to bust down the door to drag her out of the bathroom that day.

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