Page 111 of There's No Us Without You
So is she.
Emerson wraps an arm around her shoulders and kisses her temple. “No shit. Pretty sure Will and I have been telling you that since you moved in.”
“Yeah, but you two don’t count. You’re biased.” Eden takes a sip of her beer, the white froth lingering on her top lip until she swipes it away with her tongue.
I almost hate how attracted I am to her. With Emerson, I’ve had years to suppress my need for him. With Eden, it’s like learning to walk all over again.
Grinning, Emerson pokes Eden in the ribs, making the beer in her glass slosh over the sides when she squirms, trying to swat him away.
I swallow down my groan and attempt to ignore the way my heart reacts to them being playful.
Tyler nudges Eden with his elbow. “If your sauces are anything like those brownies you make, then I’m not surprised. Pretty sure I’d kill a man for one.” He winks at her then, getting one in return as though they have some secret society bullshit going on between them.
Just remember, he’s your brother and you can’t kill him.
How the hell am I supposed to get used to this?
I pour a diet coke for Emerson when he declines the beer and slide the glass over to him. Our fingers touch when he wraps his hand around the glass, and when his eyes meet mine, my heart slams against my ribcage.
Fuck. I’m a walking head-case at this point. He doesn’t even need to speak; one touch from his fingers and I lose my shit.
I snatch my hand away and discreetly adjust myself. Surely I can keep it together for a few more hours.
It’s Monday night, so it’s a little less crowded. April and Tommy are working the bar, so I busy myself with counting the money in the till while keeping an eye on my people.
Eden takes a long sip from her beer, slams it back down, then jumps from the stool and grabs Tyler’s hand. “Let’s go dance.”
Tyler’s eyes widen, his gaze flicking to me before he nods and climbs from the stool to trail behind her. They disappear into the crowd moments later; the only thing visible is the top of Tyler’s head.
Emerson slaps Carter on the back and glances around. “Where’s your hot date?”
Carter shrugs. “She’ll be here.”
Lifting my focus from the money in my hand, I raise an eyebrow. “Carter has a date?”
“Why is that so hard to believe?” All I get is his narrowed eyes on me.
“Because you’re annoying as fuck.”
“Funny,” he says, shaking his head. “Women still have sex with you, and you’re an arsehole.”
“What’s your point?”
“My point is?—”
Emerson slaps Carter in the chest. “You want to live to see your date?”
“Whatever.” Carter throws down the rest of his beer then slams the glass back down. “Threaten me all you like, but it’s you two who should be concerned. I’ve seen the way you both stare at Eden like you’re about to get down on one knee and propose.”
Emerson snorts his drink through his nose, and coughs as he smacks his chest. When he composes himself, he nods at me. “Do you want to kill him, or should I?”
A slight smirk lifts the corners of my mouth. “You hold his wrists, and I’ll take his ankles.”
“Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Carter says, fixing his gaze on me. “I’m not some piece of meat, you know. I do have feelings.”
I lift a shoulder. “You’re not my type, anyway.”
“Please,” he says, waving a hand. “I’m everyone’s type.”
