Page 24 of Craving the Mountain Man
Then, finally, he nods.
"Okay."
"Okay?" I can't keep the surprise out of my voice.
"You're a grown woman, Cass. You don't need my permission." His expression softens slightly. "But you do deserve to be happy. Just don't let him retreat into that cave of his and leave you out in the cold."
I smile, heart swelling with love for this complicated, protective man who's been looking out for me my entire life. "I won't let him."
"You tell him?"
The question catches me off guard. "Tell him what?"
"How you feel. I can see it written all over your face, Cass. You're in love with him."
The words hang in the air, and I realize he's right. I am in love with Evan Mills. Completely, irrevocably, terrifyingly in love.
"Not in those words," I admit.
"Then maybe you should. And stop sneaking around like kids. It’s annoying.”
Chapter Twelve: Evan
Iknow it's coming the second Dylan walks onto the job site.
I'm elbow-deep in sawdust and insulation specs, trying to focus when my brain keeps drifting to the woman I left in my kitchen this morning.
I put the clipboard down, because this isn't a job-site talk.
This is brother mode, and Dylan Monroe in protective brother mode is a force to be reckoned with.
He's been building up to this for a good few days, I realize. Dylan leans against the workbench, arms crossed over his chest, eyes steady on mine.
"So."
"So."
The single word hangs between us, loaded with fifteen years of friendship and the unspoken rules we've never had to test before.
"You and Cass."
It's not a question. It's a statement of fact, delivered with the kind of calm that tells me denial would be pointless and insulting to both of us.
I don't answer immediately, because what do you say to your best friend when you've fallen for his sister? When you've crossed every line you swore you'd never cross?
He gives me a long, measured look. "You going to deny it?"
The question is fair. Expected, even. He's giving me a chance to deflect and lie and pretend like the tension crackling between his sister and me is all in his head.
"No."
The word comes out rougher than I intended, but it's honest. I'm done lying and pretending, what Cassidy and I have is not special.
He nods once, like he's relieved I didn't insult both of us by pretending.
"Good. Because you're both shit at hiding it."
Despite everything, that makes me want to smile.
