Page 55 of Wylder Ranch
“Nope. All Alex.”
My heart rate accelerates. I’m suddenly hot. Hotter than I already was, wrapped in a thick robe, lying in a steamy pool room. Of course, Alex noticed that I’m tired and stressed out, and he went out of his way to ask his sister to bring me here.
Because he’s kind, and generous and thoughtful.
And it doesn’t help the tugging in my pelvis that seems to be intensifying by the day.
“What’s it been like living with him? He’s not as messy as Miles, I know that much, but he’s never lived with anyone before, so I don’t know how housetrained he is.” Clemmie’s nose turns up in disgust. “He doesn’t walk around naked or anything, does he? Though,again, that’s more Miles’s MO I’d imagine.”
I laugh, though there’s nothing remotely funny about Alex naked.
A couple of times since our first morning, I’ve come down to the kitchen and caught sight of his bare back before he disappears into the laundry room to fetch a sweater. I have no idea why all his sweaters are downstairs, or what happens to them after he’s taken them off, but I haven’t wanted to ask in case he stops.
The sight of a still sleepy Alex, running fingers through his hair while he stands by the coffee machine, should be on Pornhub. And I’m a glutton for punishment because watching him, even for half a minute, has me wanting to climb him.
Something that’s a bad idea for so many reasons.
Even if I can’t remember what they are.
But I shake my head instead of telling his sister all that, because while I think Clemmie’s cool and all, I’m not about to divulge my sexual fantasies about her brother. “No, we’re good.”
“So you guys aren’t thinking of starting things up again?”
My mouth opens to respond, hoping one of those aforementioned forgotten reasons comes to me, only for her to keep talking.
“Sorry. . . sorry. I’m being nosy?—”
“No, it’s okay.” I wave her off while deciding what to tell her without opening a whole can of worms. “We’re keeping things as friends for Everly’s sake.”
Friends.
It’s such a benign word. Like the more you say it, the weirder it sounds because it’s morphed into something else so it’s no longerjustfriends.
“Probably a good idea.”
I hum, though it sounds unconvincing. “And we’ve got ourselves into a groove, but we leave in two days, and then I’ll have to find a new routine,” I add with a groan.
The excitement on Clemmie’s face drops, and I know how she feels. “But isn’t Alex going with you?”
“Yeah, to help with Everly’s things. He’ll stay for a few days, but we haven’t figured out how things will be on a more permanent basis.”
I know it’s a conversation we’ve both been avoiding.
Me, because I truly don’t know where to start. And, to be honest, I don’t know what I want.
“Well, I guess if you’re both happy being friends, it’s a million times better than Hendricks and Max’s mum. Plus, I have to say it’s nice to see Alex happy this time of year.”
“Because Christmas is coming?”
“Yup. He becomes more and more moody, before disappearing completely and returning at the new year with a fantastic tan. I’ve tried to persuade my mother for us all to go away for the holidays, but she likes to spend it at Burlington. Plus, there’s too much to do. Everyone has the day off, so we’re usually out with the animals?—”
“Alex disappears?”
She nods. “I mean, not like a magician or anything. But he doesn’t like to spend Christmas at Burlington because of our father’s death.”
I knew Alex hated Christmas because of what happened to his dad, but Ididn’tknow that he wasn’t in Valentine Nook for Christmas.
“Who does he spend it with?”
