They glanced at each other again, and information passed wordlessly and seamlessly between them. It was a sister thing, I knew. It made me a little jealous I’d never had one.
“So you love Bryce.”
“Yes.”
June raised a skeptical eyebrow. “What do you love about him?”
“Well he’s bright. Handsome. Generous. He makes me laugh, constantly, even when I don’t feel like laughing. And of course he’s built like a—”
“We know that part,” Kate interrupted. “Go on about the other stuff.”
I took another sip of my coffee. Not only to get my bearings, but to disarm them a bit.
“Bryce is hardworking. Ambitious. And he never stops moving, which is right up my alley. I’m a lot like him in that regard. It’s like no matter what time of the day or night it is, Bryce’s motor is always running. He puts it in idle to sleep maybe, but it never, ever stops.”
Melanie laughed and nodded. Apparently my description of her brother was hitting the nail on the head.
“It gets annoying sometimes,” I admitted, “that he never sits still. But since that’s what happens with me, we’re kinda good for each other. We mellow each other out, especially at the end of the day. We calm each other down.”
They were still watching me, still waiting. Letting me go on, until I either said something wrong or was done.
“Most of all I love that he’s always happy,” I told them. “He’s the most cheerful person I’ve ever met — the type of guy who could bring anyone’s day up. And it’s not a fake happiness either. I’ve seen fake happy. Bryce’s good mood is the real deal, and he has the uncanny ability to inject optimism into even the shittiest situation.”
Silence. Sideways glances. Then:
“Fuck,” said Kate. “That last part about the optimism was dead on.”
Melanie laughed. “I know, right? He’s annoyingly optimistic.”
“But that other part too,” said June, “about being real not fake.” She looked directly at me. “He said the same thing about you, actually.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes. He told us ‘this world is full of people who are full of shit’. But not you. Bryce said you were no-bullshit. And that’s what made you special to him.”
“Actually,” Kate butted in, “he said you were anti-bullshit.”
I had to chuckle. “So like I cancel out existing bullshit?”
She drained the rest of her coffee and nodded. “Exactly.”
I sat there for another moment or two, while the other’s exchanged glances. Eventually, they all rose at the same time.
“I guess you’ve got our blessing for now,” June smirked down at me. “But that can always change.”
I smirked back. “I’ll be careful.”
“Good. It’s not an easy thing I’m sure, splitting your attentions between three people. But if this is what our brother wants? If that’s his thing?” She shrugged. “Who are we to judge.”
“Lucky you,” Melanie winked.
They turned to leave, obviously without me. I leapt to my feet. “Wait. Where are you going?”
“To the beach.”
I blinked. “And what about me?”
“Oh you’ll find your way back,” Kate smiled, as June and Melanie giggled.
“Our brother said you were very resourceful.”
Forty-Four
KARISSA
I found Bryce where I always found him: in the gym, doing crunches. He was always doing crunches, no matter where he might be. He did them in the living room, the kitchen, the hallway. He did them in the bathroom once, while I was showering, just to keep a conversation going.
“Oh hey,” he said, after finishing his latest set. Looking me up and down, he smiled. “You’re sweaty.”
“Yeah,” I said, a little snarkily. “You have your siste—”
“Me too,” he said, pulling his shirt up to his chest. His two rippled columns of magnificent abs were all pumped and glistening. “See?”
“I… ummm…”
He nodded toward the back bench, in the corner of the library. “Wanna get more sweaty?” he grinned. “Together?”
I swallowed, totally distracted as he pulled his shirt over his head. Bryce’s beautifully cut body had my mouth watering. Among other places.
“You’ve done it on the bench before,” he said, his voice going low and sexy. “Camden told me.”
I nodded, remembering our after-workout workout from a few nights ago. Holy shit the things Camden had done to me on that bench…
“He said the bench was great,” Bryce growled, his body only inches from mine. His hands slid around my waist. They settled over my ass and squeezed. “He said you felt incredible, straddling him on— wait, what?”
All of a sudden he looked confused. Like something had just registered, a minute late.
“What were you saying about my sister?”
His words broke me out of my happy little trance. Unfortunately.
“Sisters,” I corrected him. “All three of them. Together.”
His confusion remained for another second before his eyes went wide with acknowledgment. “Ohhh…” he said, covering his mouth with his hand. “Oh shit.”
“Yeah,” I smirked.
“Damn Karissa, I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I should’ve warned you they might—”
“Kidnap me?”
His face was half apology, half grin. He shrugged, and it was such an adorable shrug I couldn’t even be mad at him.
“Ply me with really good coffee?” I continued. “Abandon me five miles from the house?”
“Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “They do shit like that.”
“Well maybe you shouldn’t have done it to them,” I shot back playfully. “I heard a few stories. Things you pulled on their boyfriends.”
Bryce shrugged again, blowing a lock of blond hair out of his face. “Well I’m the older brother,” he said. “That makes it my right. Hell, when you have sisters it’s actually a requirement.”
“I hear you,” I smiled, leaning into him. “And I think it’s cute.”
I opened my palms and laid them right where I wanted them: on his hard, quivering stomach. I could feel the tension, from all those delicious repetitions. I could feel heat, through the well-earned sweat.
“Still want me to show you how to use that bench?” I teased, sliding into him.
He laughed. “You’re going to show me?”
“I’ve got a few exercises, yeah.”
“Do they require these?” he asked, pulling
