“I say you give it until tomorrow.”
“I have a son to take care of, Liam. I can’t just lay around at home.”
“You won’t be. You’ll be laying around at my place, and I’m going to take care of Gavin.” I open my mouth to protest, and his lips quirk as he blasts the radio to drown out my voice.
“Real mature,” I yell, but secretly, I like this nurturing side of him. I was right. One day he’ll make a good dad. What frightens him about that, though? Why doesn’t he want kids of his own someday?
I turn the music down. “Tell me about your sisters?” I ask, wanting to know more about his life, even though I should be keeping a measure of distance.
He taps the steering wheel, and I try not to look at his big hands, try not to think about how they’d feel on my body. “They’re all older, and very annoying.”
“Do they have kids?”
“Yes, Tanya is the oldest sister, and has a girl, Robyne, and Krista is the middle sister and has a boy, Josh. He’s around Gavin’s age, I think.”
“You think? You don’t know how old your nephew is?”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure he’s going on five.” He shoots me an adorable grin. “Then there’s Bethany. We were the closest growing up. She has a newborn son. I think his name is Jax.”
“You think!”
He laughs. “Just messing with you. So, she has Jax, and a daughter, Melody.”
Hearing about his siblings warms me inside, and I sink into my seat wanting to hear more. “They’re all close.”
“We’re all pretty close. I just haven’t been around much lately. I grabbed the skates earlier, but Mom wasn’t happy that I tore out of there.”
My stomach squeezes. “Am I keeping you from—”
“No.” He casts me a quick glance and smiles, like he’s trying to soften the harshness of that one word.
“What about your folks?”
“Mom is a nurse, and so are Tanya and Krista, and Dad is an engineer. Bethany stays at home with her kids.”
“Where did you get such mad hockey skills?”
That makes him laugh. “Are you secretly watching my games?”
“No, I just heard Gavin say something like that the other day to Holden.”
He snaps his fingers like he’s down on his luck. “Dammit, here I was hoping I was secretly your favorite.”
“Sounds like you grew up in a great family. Did you have any pets?”
“We had a dog named Hank, and a guinea pig named Butterscotch.”
I laugh. “I’m not sure I can remember all the names. Then again, it’s not like I’ll ever meet your family.”
He casually rolls one shoulder. “You might, you never know. They’d probably love to meet you and Gavin.” He chuckles. “They don’t normally like my choice in women.”
“Bunnies?” I ask and can’t help but wonder if he brought any to a Sunday barbecue at his folks’ place.
“Yeah.”
I shift, a bit uncomfortable, and not because of my sore ankle. “If I’m keeping you from—”
“You’re not,” he says quickly, and turns the music up again, putting an end to my protest. He sings along to the music, badly, and I can’t help but shake my head and laugh at him. I glance over my shoulder to see Nina and Cole following in their SUV. Soon enough we pull into Liam’s big driveway, and I reach for my door.
“No, you don’t,” he says and touches my arm again. My God, I wish my body would get itself under control. He’s Gavin’s big brother, not my big daddy. As soon as that thought enters my head, a laugh bubbles out of me, and Liam goes still.
“What?” I ask.
“You didn’t bump your head, did you?”
“No, I’m fine. I was just thinking about something my friend Emma said.”
“Care to share?”
“If I do, will you let me go home?” I ask, even though I kind of secretly don’t want to.
“No.”
I fold my arms like a petulant child. “You know, this could be construed as kidnapping.”
His brow lifts. “Your point?”
“You’re kind of annoying.”
“I’m the youngest of four, remember. I perfected annoying before the age of two, and if you want to argue, we can argue. I’m good at that too.”
I close my eyes and shake my head, and his laughter follows him out of the truck. A second later, he’s at my door, scooping me into his big, strong arms. Big, strong arms? My God, did that thought really just go through my brain? Not even Nina would use such a corny line in her book. Seriously though, how is it possible that this guy can reduce my maturity to a fifteen-year-old girl, lusting after the hottest jock in school?
He holds me in his arms, as Cole pulls up beside us. I squirm a little, really wanting him to let me down, when a groan catches in his throat. Not just any groan. Okay, so yeah, it’s true, I’ve been walking around with a ‘beaver-can’t do’ for a very long time now, but I still remember what sound a man makes when he’s in agony—sexual agony, that is.
“Can you not squirm like that, please?”
“I think you should put me down.”
“Can’t.”
“Sure you can.”
“Can’t. There are children in the vicinity, and ah, holding you like this.” He briefly closes his eyes. “Look, I’m just going to be honest here. Having your body next to mine like this. It’s turning me on, okay? I know you’re my little brother’s mother…wait, that’s not coming out right. Let me try again. You’re Gavin’s mother, but you’re gorgeous, and I’m a guy with a big fucking boner. I should probably apologize, but I’m not going to.”
As my body burns with want, I swallow, really loving his honesty. “Any woman’s body against you arouses you?” I ask, my voice deep, hoarse…needy.
“No, but yours sure as hell does.”
Heat moves into my cheeks and my skin warms all over, and I’m
