Page 16 of Spooking the Mountain Man
Kelly scrambles out of bed, looking around frantically for her clothes. I toss her the t-shirt I was wearing yesterday, and she pulls it on over her head just as Tyler's voice echoes through the house.
"Kelly? Callum? You guys here?"
"Upstairs!" Kelly calls, her voice slightly higher than usual. "Give me a minute!"
I'm pulling my shirt on when Tyler's footsteps start up the stairs. Kelly looks panicked, her hair still mussed from sleep and my t-shirt hanging to mid-thigh in a way that clearly broadcasts what we've been doing.
"Bathroom," I mouth to her, pointing toward the en suite. "Fix your hair."
Kelly nods and disappears into the bathroom just as Tyler appears in the doorway of the guest room. He takes in my rumpled appearance, the obviously slept-in bed, and raises an eyebrow.
"Morning," he says mildly. "How'd you sleep?"
"Fine." I try to sound casual, but I can hear the roughness in my own voice. "Power went out during the storm last night."
"Yeah, I saw the crews working on the lines coming into town." Tyler leans against the doorframe. "Where's Kelly?"
"Bathroom."
As if summoned by her name, Kelly emerges from the en suite looking slightly more put together. She's managed to smooth down her hair and wash her face, but she's still wearing my t-shirt and nothing else, and Tyler's eyes narrow as he takes in her appearance.
"Hey, Tyler," Kelly says, trying for cheerful and missing by about a mile. "You're back early."
"Job finished ahead of schedule." Tyler's gaze moves between Kelly and me, and I can see the exact moment he puts the pieces together. His expression goes carefully neutral, which is somehow more terrifying than if he'd started yelling.
"I should go get dressed," Kelly says quickly. "For real clothes, I mean. Not that this isn't real, but you know what I mean."
She's babbling, which is never a good sign. Tyler steps aside to let her pass, and she practically runs down the hall to her own room, leaving me alone with her brother.
Tyler doesn't say anything for a long moment, just stands there looking at me with an expression I can't read. Finally, he pushes off from the doorframe and steps into the guest room, closing the door behind him.
"So," he says conversationally. "That happened."
"Tyler."
"How long?"
"How long what?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Callum. How long have you been sleeping with my sister?"
I could lie. I could tell him it just happened, that it was a one-time thing brought on by the storm and too much proximity. But Tyler knows me too well, and besides, I'm tired of pretending I don't have feelings for Kelly.
"Last night was the first time," I say. "But I've wanted her for years."
Tyler nods slowly, like this confirms something he already suspected. "Since she turned eighteen?"
"Yeah."
"And you never said anything."
"She was off limits. You made that clear."
"I did." Tyler moves to look out the window, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "I also said if she wasn't my sister, I'd think it was sweet. The way you look at her."
I remember that conversation, the night Tyler got drunk and told me he knew about my feelings for Kelly. I'd assumed it was a warning to stay away from her.
"Was it a test?" I ask. "Asking me to stay here?"
