Page 10 of North

I swing my legs out of bed and head to the kitchen to find Rafferty scrubbing the sink. It’s adorable the way his tongue sticks out the side of his mouth when he’s concentrating. He’s invited Tempe over for dinner tonight and if I’m reading the situation right from the vibes I’m picking up from both of them, I think thingsare heading to a new level.

He glances up at me, his face softening in that brotherly way that always makes me feel like a kid, even though I’m a grown woman.

“Morning,” he says, setting the sponge down to grab a mug from the cabinet. He pours a cup of coffee and passes it to me. “I’m surprised you’re up so early after your wild night out with Tempe.”

I snort at the implication. “It wasn’t wild and I was back home and in bed long before you even got in from your game.” The Titans had an out-and-back game against the Florida Spartans, and Tempe and I watched from a downtown Pittsburgh bar. Rafferty got home long after I was in deep sleep and I didn’t even hear him come in. “Tempe and I had a nice, quiet evening watching the game. She’s great, by the way, since I haven’t said it directly. I approve.”

“Approve of what?” Rafferty’s brows shoot up, a flicker of hope in his eyes that makes me laugh.

“Of her. She’s cool. Down to earth. Good sense of humor. You should lock that down before someone else does.”

Rafferty squints at me, but without any real heat. “What’d you two talk about?”

“Stuff.” I sip my coffee, trying to look as enigmatic as possible just to annoy him.

He leans back against the sink, crossing his arms. “Farren…”

“Relax,” I say, laughing. “We talked about you, obviously.”

“Such as…”

I smirk at the way he’s trying to play it cool. “She likes you, bro. You need to run with it.”

“Really?” he asks with no effort now to temper his eagerness for more knowledge.

I nod, setting my mug down. “Yes, really. Now isn’t the time for you to be too casual. If you’re interested, you need to let her know.”

“I have,” he says in a low rumble of feeling. “She knows.”

The tenderness in his expression makes my chest ache in that annoying, sentimental way. I’ve seen Rafferty with plenty of women over the years, but it’s different this time.

I bump his shoulder as I move to rinse out my mug. “How about we get this place cleaned up so she isn’t turned off by your bachelor pad ways?” I tease, and give him a friendly nudge with my hip when he looks slightly panicked. “You’ll be fine. Just don’t overthink it. And for the love of God, don’t say anything stupid.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

The rest of the morning is spent helping Raff clean up his condo, which honestly doesn’t need much. Ichange out the linens in his bedroom and the guest rooms, teasing him the whole time about how much effort he’s putting in to impress Tempe.

By the time I’m done, I’m restless. I need to get out of here, and I already know exactly where I’m going. I shower, take my time with my makeup and hair, and don my sexiest lingerie.

Grabbing my backpack, I head for the door. Rafferty’s standing in the kitchen, looking like he just stepped out of a J.Crew catalog in his jeans and long-sleeve shirt. He’s so put together, so steady. The perfect big brother.

“Where are you going?” he asks, his brow furrowing.

“To hang with a friend,” I say, slinging the backpack over my shoulder.

“What friend?” His curiosity is sharp, but there’s no suspicion.

I turn and give him a pointed look. “I happen to have friends here in the States as well as other countries, Raff. Why you think I wouldn’t is beyond me. Hello, I’m the social butterfly from hell.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “Fine, don’t tell me. Just… be safe, okay?”

I grin, going on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Always.”

As I step out of the condo, the cold Pittsburgh air hits me, but I don’t mind. I take a deep breath, my pulse quickening as I order an Uber. I contemplate textingNorth to let him know I’m coming over but then that wouldn’t be any fun. I want to see the surprise on his face and I want to see it morph into lust when he realizes what a gift he’s got on his doorstep.

♦

The car dropsme off in front of North’s house, and I step onto the curb, pulling my backpack over my shoulder. The air is crisp, the kind that makes you feel alive.

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