Page 28 of Study Buddies

Kyle’s voice was muffled again, and I didn’t hear his reply.

Out of loyalty to Lucas, I stayed there with him for a while longer, but after a few minutes I had to go get another trash bag.

Two steps into the main room, I stopped dead. Kyle sat on a heavy wooden trunk near the base of the stairs. His legs were spread wide, and the top button of his faded blue jeans was open.

It was easy to see why his voice had been muffled before. He was rubbing a white towel over his dark hair.

And that was all he was wearing, the jeans and the towel.

Holy.

Crap.

His chest was completely bare. Just tan, taut skin over sculpted muscles. My limbs felt heavy as I stared at him, grateful that his eyes were cast down as he dried off.

God. He was gorgeous. Had I ever seen abs like that, except perhaps on a man in a movie? Every ridge of Kyle’s stomach was pronounced and defined. And his pectoral muscles looked like they’d been carved out of stone.

Shit. I needed to stop staring before he—or Lucas—caught me, but I couldn’t drag my eyes away. His biceps… god, they were powerful without being overly bulky, like the arms of Hailey’s roommate, Grant. Kyle just looked… strong. There was no other word for it.

Oh wait, yes there was: hot.

He looked strong andhot.

His body was that of an athlete, that was for sure. His muscles weren’t just for show. I wished I’d seen him swing a bat tonight and hit a line drive—whatever that was.

And god, how much would those muscles ripple if he went up to bat shirtless as he was now?

A throat cleared, and I glanced to my left to see Jayden staring at me, a hint of amusement in his eyes. But it had also been a warning. To get hold of myself, and he was right.

Quickly, I continued on my original errand, to get a new trash bag from the box by the stairs.

I was embarrassed that Jayden had caught me staring, but it would have been way worse if Lucas had. I was pretty sure he would’ve felt betrayed.

Or if Kyle had. He would have been smug as hell. I hadn’t known him all that long, but I knew that much to be true. He stood up, tossing the towel on a nearby box and looked me over. “Hey, Victoria.”

I nodded, not looking at him as I reached the box of trash bags.

Then the air seemed to still, and I turned, seeing Lucas standing in the doorframe. Uh-oh.

I’d only seen the two stepbrothers interact a few times since Wednesday morning, but it always went the same way, with Lucas getting angry and Kyle staying cool and aloof—likely because he knew it infuriated Lucas.

If you’d asked me just a week ago if the kind, smart, slightly nerdy guy from my study group could ever lose his temper, I would’ve told you no. But that was before I’d seen Lucas around Kyle.

But Kyle’s gaze was still on the clutter. He raked his fingers through his damp hair. “Why don’t you just rent a truck over the weekend and haul all this stuff to the dump?”

Jayden jumped in before either Lucas or I could, explaining about how there were family heirlooms in the mix.

Kyle looked doubtful, so I took a shot at filling him in on the plan. “If we can clear enough space for at least an air mattress, Lucas could have his bedroom back. And if Jayden wouldn’t mind sleeping down here, I could sleep on the sofa.” I wasn’t a fan of staying down here surrounded by a half century of clutter.

“You’re not sleeping on the sofa,” Lucas said, his voice tense but resolute.

“Yes, I should. Jayden slept on it last week. It’s my turn.”

Jayden shook his head. “No, it’s not. As the only woman in a houseful of men, you’re the most in need of privacy.”

“And me. I need my beauty sleep.” Kyle shot me a wink, but I couldn’t meet his gaze—likely because mine kept straying to his impressive chest.

Lucas scowled. “We get it, you’re not a team player.”

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