Page 18 of Reckless

When I look up, my eyes connect with his across the table. “That’s… nice of you. Though I’m not sure I have anything worked out yet. No one seems to be hiring aroundhere.”

“Have you tried the Yellow Rose? Just opened up off the access road. I know the guy who runs the place.” He scoops the last spoonful of chili into his mouth, makes a growly noise, and points to the empty bowl. “That wasfantastic.”

“Tori made it. She’s a great cook.” Kat rambles on about my “eclectic cuisine” like I studied with Gordon Ramsay or something instead of the truth—that I like to veg out to cooking shows, and I have a big Mexican family that demands ten million tamales atChristmas.

Ethan tips his Corona at me. “Well, dinner was delicious. Chili is one of myfavorites.”

“You don’t say.” My eyes shift to my sister, who eats her second helping of cornbread and salad, not daring to touch the chili. “Interesting. My sister said she wasreallyin the mood for chili, and yet she hasn’t eaten onebite.”

Kat shrugs, her lips tilting up. “I started thinking you were right. That I shouldn’t eat anything thatspicy.”

“Gofigure.”

Izzy yawns over her plate of half-eaten chicken nuggets, and Kat motions for Brady to help herup.

“We’re going to get Izzy ready for bed. You two chat. There’s a fresh pot of coffee brewing and a cheesecake in the freezer, so helpyourselves.”

When did she make coffee? I honestly can’t tell if she wants me to work for Ethan or marry theman.

Brady picks up his daughter, and a second later, Ethan and I arealone.

He chuckles and takes a long pull of his beer. His dirty blond hair is disheveled and pointing in ten different directions, but Lord help me, it looksgood.

He’s still smiling when I level him with a stare. “Why are you being nice to me? What do you want?” I’ve been around the block enough times to know when something is off. “I’m not going to sleep with you, if that’s what you think you’re getting by having me movein.”

The smile slides off his face. “Jesus, Tori. Do you accuse every potential employer oflechery?”

My face burns, but I’m not ashamed of asking what I need to know. “Because I won’t have sex with you. Not even if you’re the last guy on theplanet.”

An annoying smirk quirks his lips. “No one said I was asking, darlin’. Besides”—his eyes pass over me—“you’re not mytype.”

For some reason, that irritates me more. “Well,good.”

“Good.” He rubs a rough hand over the stubble on his square jaw. “So we’re clear about that? No sex. Not even if I’m the last man on theplanet.”

“Not even then,” Iwhisper.

We stare at each other, his amused blue eyes studying my face like he’s seeing me for the firsttime.

His eyebrows lift, and then—I can’t help it—I laugh. We bothdo.

Before things get any weirder, I get up and start clearing the plates with a sigh. “I’m not good at jobinterviews.”

“You don’tsay.”

“Shocking, I know.” I’m not fool enough to think I had that one law firm internship because of my amazing people skills or grades. No, that came compliments of my sweet sister and her impressive Austin connections. She took me getting fired remarkably well back then, but she wasn’t pregnant when I called her crying because I had gotten axed for telling off one of thepartners.

Truth be told, I don’t want to disappoint Kat. It’s one thing to disappoint my parents. They’re used to it. But Kat? For some reason, she seems to think I have potential. It cuts me to the core to think of letting her down.Again.

The only thing that freaks me out more than truly displeasing my sister is a face-to-face encounter with aspider.

Don’t laugh. They’reevil.

I shiver at thethought.

A minute later, Ethan’s by my side at the sink. He grabs the bowls out of my hands and scrubs them down before handing them to me torinse.

He’s big. Way bigger than I am. Broad and tall andrugged.

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