Page 67 of Off Limits

I can see his shrug in my mind. “It happens sometimes. You happy?”

“Sohappy. It’s like my dream concert!”

His deep chuckle works through the phone straight to my heart. “I know. I had a feeling you’d be happy regardless, with the thoughts going around of who it would be, but when I saw the official announcement, I knew you were going to flip.”

“Aren’t you excited? Music’s like the first thing we bonded over.” For some reason, I feel a need to remind him of this often.

“I’m screaming on the inside.”

“It’s going to be so fun! Oh, I have to figure out what to wear.”Chelsea can help.

“Can I make some suggestions?” His voice is low and taunting.

“I have to beclothed,Lochlyn.” It’s not hard to know exactly where his mind goes.

“Oh, okay. Never mind, then.”

“Your suggestions are welcome after the concert.”

“Even better.”

“Maybe I’ll go shopping with Chels.”

“What are you going to tell her?”

“The truth.”

“You’re going to tell her we’re dating?” He just won’t stop teasing me tonight, and I can tell he’s not serious by the lilt in his voice. While I know he’s planted firmly in camp tell Chelsea, he understands I’m not and respects my decision. One of my arguments is that he’s her brother, and theyhaveto have a relationship even if it all blows up. She and I don’t.

“No. I’m going to tell her that you told me about an epic concert and invited me to come up for it. She knows we like the same music. She won’t think anything of it.” I walk over to my desk and start fidgeting with the various trinkets. Now that I’ve seen Lochlyn’s apartment, I can imagine him sitting in his chair, feet on his desk as he leans back.

“What about when you tell her you’re staying the whole weekend?”

“I figured I’d just tell her I wanted to see campus again and that the concert is late Saturday, so I’d need to stay the night.”

“And when she asks about sleeping arrangements?”

“Your ass is on the couch, babe.” I make a small clicking noise with my mouth to give my sentence more emphasis.

“Why do I always have to end up on the couch?” he huffs out teasingly

“You really think Chelsea wouldn’t call and scream at you for having me sleep on the couch when Wes is around?” I freeze on my trek around my room and look out the window in the direction of the Reynolds’ house. I can’t really see it from my room.

“Wes is a nice guy.”

“Yes, he is. And you’re her brother and she barely lets you be in the same room as me.” Overdramatic barely covers it, but there’s only so much to be done or said. Once Chelsea is set, it’s futile to try to change her mind.

“Ah yes, but I’m her handsy, sex-crazed brother whose only goal is to corrupt girls.”

“Well, you are handsy and sex-crazed. And you did a pretty good job at corrupting me. So, I guess she’s not wrong.”

“These hands are certainly missing you.”

“I’m missing those hands more.” The conversation has taken a very sharp turn and I have to clench my thighs together.

“Two and a half weeks seems really far away right now.” There’s tightness in his voice, and I can image the widening of his eyes, how the blue iris all but disappears as his pupils dilate.

“Yeah, it really does.”

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