Page 13 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“Oh, I noticed,” I say, my nose wrinkling. “You smell terrible.”
He steps forward and wraps his arms around me, pinning my own arms to my sides. “What was that?” he says. I can’t see his face with the way he’s holding me against his chest, but I can hear the smile in his voice. “Something about me smelling bad?”
I shriek in protest—he really does smell potent—and lean away, but who am I kidding? If I wanted to get out of his arms, I totally could. Instead, I stay pressed up against him, loving that he’s here, that we’re together.
I haven’t been looking forward to a summer in Silver Creek. Facing my mistakes, making things right, it isn’t easy work.
But Brody will be in Silver Creek too.
That can only mean I’m going to be okay.
Chapter Five
Kate
Something is different.
First of all, sweaty, smelly trail Brody is . . . delicious.
I don’t know how I feel about this. I have loved Brody as my closest friend nearly as long as I can remember. And in all that time, I have never felt that visceral tug deep in my gut, the spark of attraction like I did on the trail this afternoon.
The new muscles help. He’s broader than I’ve ever seen him, and he seems more comfortable in his body. But it isn’t just that. There’s something else that’s different about him.
Or could it be that the person who’s different is me?
When Brody steps through the doors of the Mexican restaurant just up the street from the tiny hotel we’re staying in, a small noise sounds in the back of my throat.
If sweaty, smelly trail Brody was delicious, freshly shaven and showered Brody is glorious. The kind of glorious that inspires poetry. I’m not a poet by any stretch, and even I feel like writing some. There should be angels singing right now. At least a pair of violins serenading us from the corner.
Wait. Hold up. Notus.There is definitely not anusthat needs serenading. These are strictly platonic, entirely physical observations I’m making right now.
Kristyn offers me a napkin, her expression dry. We’re already seated, having gone ahead to the restaurant to get a table and satisfy my craving for chips and salsa while the men showered and cleaned up. “You’re drooling, Kate,” Kristyn says, shaking the napkin. “Might want to take care of that before he gets to the table.”
My hand flies to my chin before I realize she’s kidding, and I scowl. “That was mean.”
She only grins. “You’re being incredibly obvious. Maybe dial it back a bit?”
I sigh and sink into the booth. “I’m just...”
“Feeling attracted to a really attractive man who is also a great guy? I know. It’s so surprising.”
“Shut up. We aren’t talking about some random attractive guy. We’re talking about Brody. This is entirely different.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Because we’re friends.”
“We went over this earlier, didn’t we? That’s how all good relationships should start.”
“We’rejustfriends.”
“Adding ajustdoesn’t make my observation any less true.”
“Buthedoesn’t see me that way. And even if he did, our lives are totally different. Totally—” My words cut off as Brody and Perry slide into the booth across from us.
I give Kristyn’s knee a nudge under the table, hoping she understands it to mean, “Don’t you dare say a word aboutattraction,” and smile at Brody. “Feel better?”
He nods. “Much.” He eyes the empty basket on the table between us, then smirks. “Hungry, Kate?”
