Page 13 of Belong With Me

Nice and intimate. Great.

Luckily, I heard Logan’s truck on the gravel outside. Flicking my gaze to Van, I saw her smoothing her hair in the reflection of the oven. I turned my back to her, so she wouldn’t see the smile that was spreading across my face.

After setting the table, I headed towards the front door and ran right into our house guest. “Oomph,” she said as we collided.

“Sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” My concern about any injuries she may have sustained from the accident came forth the moment our bodies clashed. My hands went out immediately to her arms, needing to steady her.

“Are you ever going to put a shirt on?” she asked, although she seemed quite happy with my still-shirtless appearance as I caught her staring at my naked chest.

“And take away your opportunity to stare at me?” I bantered with her. Mind you, I also liked that she looked at me. Sienna was a beautiful woman, and those ice blue eyes of hers had me wanting to dive right in.

“Trust me. I’ll survive without staring at you.” A small smile danced over her lips, and for the briefest moment I wanted to lean down and kiss them. But then I realized I probably shouldn’t.

I shuffled through things to say to her, so I didn’t continue to just stare at her, imagining all the things I wanted to do. “I was just coming for you, actually. Can I have your keys? I’ll need them to retrieve your luggage when we go get the car.”

It was a cover, but she didn’t need to know that. Plus, I really did need the keys. It didn’t escape my notice that she locked the Beetle before we left it.

Her small smile slipped. “Yeah, sure. I threw them in my bag earlier. I’ll go get them.”

“Great,” I replied, thanking everything I could that there would once again be space between us. Just how on earth was this thing brewing already? It was as though all the sexual tension on earth seemed to settle between her and I.

“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Her tone was a little unsure. As much as I wanted her to come with me, since for some reason I didn’t want to leave her here without me, I knew it was a better idea that she remained here at the house.

“I wouldn’t be a proper gentleman if I made you go back out there after what you have been through today now, would I?”

“I guess not. I only have a few bags; they’re all in the trunk.” It was something I had already thought of. “I’ll get changed and give these jeans back to your sister once I have them.”

I wanted to tell her there was no rush. That Van wouldn’t want her to have to hurry out of them. That I loved seeing her still wearing my shirt. I loved knowing that Logan would see her wearing my shirt.

But I didn’t get that chance.

“Hello, Larsen family. Guess who’s here?” Logan called out as the door swung open.

Sienna’s eyes went from me to staring over my shoulder. I knew what she was looking at. Her eyes had found my brother from another mother who had just walked in the door. “Who’s that?” she asked softly.

An unsettling feeling slithered down my spine. One I didn’t like at all. “That’s Logan,” I informed her.

“Logan.” She repeated his name, and I didn’t like the way it sounded. My name should be the only one being spoken like that by those full lips.

“I’m the one who is going to rescue your car, sugar.” He came to a stop beside me and threw her one of the smiles he reserved for women he sets his sights on at the bar.

“My hero,” she murmured, offering him a shy smile of her own. As soon as I saw that happen, I’d had enough of the flirting. After all, I was the one who saved her from her car accident. Not him.

“Sienna, Logan’s the mechanic I told you about. If you’ve both finished flirting, why don’t we go have some dinner? Otherwise, we won’t finish everything till late.”

Without waiting for a response, I headed for the kitchen. I heard Logan’s boots on the floor behind me, so I knew he was following. The weight of his hand clasping my shoulder stopped me in my tracks. “You never said she was a stunner, Ry,” he murmured quietly, close to my ear.

“You never asked,” I threw back, shrugging his hand off.

“About time you arrived, I’ve got dinner on the table and it’s going cold.”

Savannah’s voice carried over from the dining table and I watched as Logan approached her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Looks delicious as always, Van,” he told her, and I noted her blush ever so slightly, not daring to move as she looked up at his much taller frame.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here? It seems rude of me to intrude on your family time. Honestly, I’m okay just grabbing a plate and eating in the room your sister showed me to.”

I turned to face Sienna where she stood just a couple of steps behind me. It was then I noticed her hands twisting in the hem of the shirt she was wearing. A sense of satisfaction washed through me again that she’d chosen to leave my shirt on even though she had borrowed a pair of Savannah’s jeans. It settled my irritation, just a little, allowing me to be a gentleman again. “Nonsense, darlin’. You come sit by me and help yourself to as much food as you want.”

Without even thinking, I took her hand in mine and we walked over to the table together. I let her hand go to pull a chair out for her, and once she was seated, I helped to scooch her in. Then I staked my claim on the vacant spot beside her. Sliding in, my elbow brushed with hers and she giggled. The sound of it spread warmth over my entire body.

I caught her looking at me from my peripheral vision and turned to see her smiling. I couldn’t help but think that it was something I wanted to see more of.

---