Page 3 of Desiring My Brother's Best Friend

"They still deliver all the way out here?"

Bingo.

"Yep, and I'm starving," I say, stretching my arms over my head to show off some skin."I bet you are, too, after working hard all morning."

His eyes follow my movement, lingering on the sliver of stomach my shirt exposes. But he shakes his head as if to clear it. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll just go downstairs and start sketching some plans while we wait."

"Great!" I give him an extra bright smile before turning away. "I'll let you know when it arrives."

Downstairs, I call in the order, then slip off my shoes and pad barefoot over to where Owen sits at the kitchen island, drawing with pencil on a sketchpad. He looks up at me.

"Do you have any paper towels? I think I tracked sawdust on your floor."

"Oh, no worries. It's just gonna get dirty again anyway. No point in wasting a perfectly good paper towel on it."

He laughs. "If you say so. But if you change your mind, I can help."

I shake my head, my eyes sparkling. "I won't."

I go to the fridge and pour two glasses of lemonade, then slide one across the island. Owen takes a long sip before continuing his work. There's something about watching him draw, seeing how his mind works, that turns me on even more. He's focused and precise, putting all his attention into every little detail. It's sexy as hell.

We sit in companionable silence for a few minutes until the doorbell rings. I go to answer it and, a moment later, return with a large pizza, setting it down on the island.

"Don’t burn yourself. I can feel the heat through the box," I warn.

Owen gives me a crooked grin. "I like it hot."

I can feel my cheeks heating up at his double entendre. He must notice because he chuckles and goes back to sketching. I open the box and pull out a slice of pepperoni, biting into it. The rich, savory flavor explodes in my mouth, and I can't help but moan softly. Owen glances up at me again.

"This pizza is so good," I say, scrambling to explain myself. "I'm starving.”

He looks … intrigued. "Me too."

I finish eating my slice and take another long sip of lemonade. Across the island, Owen stretches his arms over his head, flexing his muscles. I watch, transfixed, as the tendons in his forearms and biceps stand out. He's so gorgeous, it's almost unfair.

"Tell me about your decision to buy this place. I always imagined you somewhere brand new and spotless."

I chuckle. "Well, I wanted to live outside the city. I like the quiet." I pause, thinking. "But more than that, I've always wanted to restore something." I look around at the house. "It's full of potential. All this beautiful woodwork, the ornate details. It's like a blank canvas."

Owen nods, looking around the room thoughtfully. "You have a real eye for it. This place is amazing."

"Thanks," I say, giving him a warm smile.

He turns back to me, his expression growing serious. "So why'd you call me? You know Jake would have jumped at the chance to help you with this."

"Because Jake is..." I search for the right word. "Inexperienced. And clumsy. And I wanted it done right." I look at him meaningfully. "You're the best."

Owen's face flushes, and I can't help but grin. It's adorable.

"Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence. But let's see if we can get the room cleared out before we make any grandiose plans for renovations," he replies.

"Fair enough. Can I get you a slice?"

Owen nods, and I pull out another piece, sliding the box over to him.

"How are you holding up?" he asks, taking a bite of the pizza. "Settling in, okay?"

I shrug. "As well as can be expected. I'm slowly getting everything off the moving truck and inside the house. It'd be a lot easier if I had a big, strong man around all the time to help me."

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