Page 81 of Rebel Bride
A familiar pattern these days. This girl certainly knew how to surprise me.
Still wearing Aurora’s Motors cap, she turned toward me, sighed with her entire body, and moved forward with a couple of shopping bags. I’d ordered a gallon of milk and a ton of fruits and vegetables, so I rushed forward to take them from her.
“Sweet Lord, put your shirt on!”
Not what I usually heard from the mouth of any woman of my acquaintance (except Addy when she was fourteen and I spent the summer of my sixteenth year downing protein shakes, working out, and showing off my newly-muscled body). Now I was sent back in time to my horny teenage years—and in my own home as well.
“Lovely to see you, too. You’re working for Kennedy now?”
“Just temporarily.” She looked a little tired, and I couldn’t blame her. Her life had undergone a lot of upheaval recently.
“We were texting a few minutes ago.”
“Yeah, I was parked downstairs, psyching myself up. And then you texted, like it was a sign!” Sign sounded like sa-hn. Her attitude made me chuckle. Also, psyching herself up to see me? Was that good or bad?
“It’s not funny,” she added.
“Kind of is. The universe is throwing us together.”
Cue a not pleased Summer. “You’ve got these?”
“Sure, but could you come in and chat for a second?”
Without waiting for a response, I headed to the kitchen to unpack the groceries. If (a) I remained shirtless and (b) she didn’t say “kthanxbye,” then we had a chance at a conversation. I looked up over a Whole Food shopping bag to find her hovering on the threshold.
“I’m still on the job. I have to pick up dog food for Noah Boden’s Great Dane.”
“Snoopy can wait. Just a couple of minutes.”
She inhaled, muttered something under her breath, and followed me into my apartment. As I worked, I watched her checking my place out. It was a decent-sized two-bed condo in a nice building but probably had nothing on the luxurious penthouse where she once lived with Carter. She seemed especially interested in the photos of my family on the walls in the entryway.
“Need something to drink?”
Her eyes flashed. “Why? Do you think I’m suddenly parched at the thirst trap you’ve laid for me?”
“Maybe.”
“Oh, please provide me with electrolytes to replenish all the energy I’ve expended just looking at you, Hatch Kershaw!”
There was the Southern twang again. It came out when she was mad, stressed, or close to orgasm, which I knew because I’d witnessed all three.
I filled a glass from the Brita and handed it to her. Her gaze over my body was appreciative, so yay for shirtless.
“Thanks.”
“How are your new digs?”
She brightened. “Great. Your sister and Rosie are so kind. I don’t know where I’d be without them.” She peered up at me. “Without all the help I’ve had so far.”
I wasn’t looking for thanks. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for exactly. The word “everything” came to mind.
“Is Conor going to say something?” she asked.
“No. My brother is a lot of things, but he’s loyal to the family. He knows that mentioning our connection would cause ructions. He’d prefer to hold it over my head to piss me off.”
“Typical brother stuff, then.”
“Classic.” I smiled, and she smiled back. My heart did a zig-zag around the rink of my chest.
