Page 67 of Forbidden Hearts
“I thought so.”
“You’re a dick.”
“And the rumors are true.” Rowan chuckles.
I’m going to kill him. I step forward, but my brother steps back, glancing toward Brynn.
“Your niece is going to be devastated if you hit her.”
He snorts. “Please, she has the meaner throw of the two of them.”
We circle each other, and Brynn yells, “Go for the ankles, Ash!”
Rowan moves his eyes away from me just long enough not to see me lunge, and I wrap my arms around him, tackling him to the ground. We roll around, each of us taking turns smashing the other into the ground, but eventually, I get control of the ball. He moves me onto my back, trying to grab it back from me, but there is no way I’m not giving up. I’m tired of losing.
I’m losing my mind, my head, my goddamn willpower. I will not lose this ball.
I push my hips to the side, tossing him over, and jump to my feet with the ball raised in victory.
When I turn to Brynn and Liv, they’re both staring at us. Olivia has her arms crossed over her chest, wide-eyed and confused. Brynlee, on the other hand, has her lips pursed, hand on her hip, and is tapping her foot.“Are you two done?”
“I got the ball,” I say slowly so Olivia can read my lips since I can’t use my hands.
“You also lost your minds. Idiots,”she sighs and turns to Olivia.“Let’s go inside and have some cake, leave these two to clean up.”
As soon as they walk off, Rowan sweeps my legs out from under me, and I fall on the ground with a loud thud. “Fuck! That hurt, you stupid bastard.” I turn my head to look at where he’s sprawled out on the grass next to me.
“Maybe you’ll remember that next time you dig your thumbs into my elbow.”
“You deserved it for the bullshit earlier.”
“What? When I made you think Phoebe was here?” His voice has way too much glee in it.
“I didn’t care if she was here, it just caught me by surprise.”
He sits up, and I do the same, now that I’m sure my tailbone is still connected. We both groan. My hand moves to my shoulder, and I try to rub the pain away while Rowan pushes on his back, stretching and wincing. “We’re fucking old.”
“Speak for yourself.”
“Well, since I’m the youngest and I’m saying that I’m old, that makes you decrepit.”
I flip him off.
“So, what’s up with you and the nanny known as Phoebe?”
“Nothing.” It maybe would have worked if I’d said it less forcefully and not as quick.
Rowan lifts one side of his mouth. “The rumors are true then?”
“I have no idea what the rumors are, but I’m sure they’re not true.”
He manages to get to his feet and extends his hand to help me up. I grip his forearm and take the aid. “They’re saying you fell on each other, or for each other. I didn’t pay attention until I heard your name.”
“It was on. She fell, I fell, it was an awkward situation, and that was that.”
Rowan’s demeanor shifts to being a bit more serious. “I see the way you look at her.”
“I don’t look at her any way.”
