Page 20 of Tempt

“He had amazing hands,” Julian adds, all dreamlike and I hide my smile.

Watching the three of them carry on and tease one another is fun. I’ve never really had super close friends that I have this type of closeness with and to be honest I’m a bit envious of their relationship.

“And he does still work there,” Julian squares his shoulders and gives her an assured look. “I called Tuesday and asked if he did and if he was working today.”

“Of course you did,” Grace snickers.

The ride is filled with laughter and jokes and though I’ve not been around them long it's strange, but I feel like I always have been.

CHAPTERTWELVE

Garrett

“You do realizeyou are working in the friend zone, right?”

I toss the bag of feed into the back of the truck and turn around to face my brother. Pulling off one glove I pull the rag from my pocket to wipe the sweat off my forehead.

“What?” I finally ask, fully prepared for a round of shit from him. The guy is always giving me a hard time and laughing when he gets me going.

I don’t know why I let him get to me so easily.

“You’ve spent all these years waiting around and now here is your chance to make things between you and Kyra change. Instead of making your intentions known you’re sitting on the sidelines, offering yourself up as her bodyguard. You’re hanging out in the friend zone.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Believe me,” he nods. “I’ve been there with Maddi, and it sucks. You are just there, watching movies, going for coffee, laughing and sharing food like friends do, if you keep this up without making a move that opportunity will pass, and you’ll be sitting around watching her with another guy. That shit sucks, believe me I know.”

Were Kyra and me in the friend zone?

“Make your move little brother, before someone else beats you to it.”

The idea of that irritates me.

“Things have been a little crazy,” I tell him. “We got this dumbass rolling around town making comments just shy of threats. Miles is an asshat who is probably blowing Phil’s dad and won’t do a fucking thing about it. The last thing Kyra needs is me making some unwanted move that will most likely kill any possible chance I have with her.”

“Okay fine,” he shrugs. “Sit around and continue being thatpalshe relies on. Keep offering yourself up to be her babysitter and making yourself unavailable to be anything more. But don’t come crying to me when she tells you that she’s met a guy and that guy is not you.”

“She’s not even dating,” I tell him, feeling my blood pressure rise.

“And you know that for sure?” He is such a dick. “Just because she isn’t going out on the town, doesn’t mean she isn’t chatting it up with some guy and building a connection.”

“You’re an asshole.”

“I’m also right, and you know it.” I don’t give him the satisfaction of agreeing. “Stop wasting time little brother, stop being the buddy and be something more.”

Mike offers me a knowing smile, his lip tipping upward like he’s some type of genius who has given life altering advice. Maybe he’s right, but damn it, I hate that.

* * *

Me: You home?

I sit in my truck, my phone balancing on my thigh as I stare at it, willing her to respond. As the minutes tick by I feel my stomach growing tighter and tighter and I start tapping my finger on the steering wheel.

My brother's words lingering in my mind and then the crazy idea of what Kyra could be doing right then starts driving me insane. Was she on the phone with some guy? Was she at her house and was he with her?

Silently cursing my brother for all the shit he’d pumped into my head I reach up and start my truck, backing out of Gemma and Bud’s driveway.

Forgoing the normal path I take home; I drive in the opposite direction and swing out and around through Lily’s Mae’s neighborhood.

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