I pinch the bridge of my nose. This wasn’t the plan, but it exploded out of me. The derailed train barrels forward. “Oh faelords, did he tell you it was his house? Because yourboyfriendlives here, downtown. He only visits my cabin when he’s… entertaining.”
Good job, Ted. Way to be delicate about it.
Her jaw unhinges as she stares at me like I’m some kind of crazy person before those golden eyes flash with anger. “How dare you? First you rebuff a lovely cake I made myself, then next you barge in at my workplace and accuse me of sleeping with your brother?”
Holding up my hands, I get control of myself enough to talk in a more even tone. “I get it. JJ knows all the right things to say, unlike me. If you insist on carrying on with him, with whatever it is you both are doing, I just want to make something clear. I can’t have you coming over any damn time you want. I need a certain amount of peace and quiet. Carrying on your affair with JJ at my house is one thing, but it doesn’t mean there’s an open door policy. I don’t want to see you every morning, slipping JJ the tongue across the table from me.”
Oh witchtits, that thought actually makes me sick to my stomach.
A strange squawk escapes her throat. Goldie shakes and her brows furrow, as if I’d said something deeply perturbing.
Why the fuck does her open, shocked expression make me want to dip down and kiss her?
But I am not scum. Despite my brusque nature, I really am saying all this to protect her. “I know this may seem entirely out of line, but I need to warn you about your boyfriend. He may be my brother, but you deserve the truth. If you think he’s serious about you, you’re wrong. My brother is a revolving door of women. Seeing as you are my neighbor, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
There. That was what I came to tell her. Ever since she dropped that JJ’s her boyfriend, I couldn’t in good conscience let her think that without some more context. I should have written it down, so I didn’t go off on so many tangents, but when I stand in front of this girl, I lose all damn sense.
Goldie swallows hard several times, emitting strange groans before she seems to get control of her voice again. “I amnotsleeping with your brother.”
“You said he was your boyfriend,” I point out.
Her arms flap in exasperation. “I lied to get that guy out of my hair. I wasn’t actually referring to anyone.”
JJ’s not her boyfriend. She’s not sleeping with him.
My brain can’t compute fast enough before she continues.
“In fact, I should be pressing charges against him and you and your brother.”
“What?” Unfortunately, my brain is all too ready to reach horrible conclusions about the things JJ has done. He’s not Eli, but after all the shit I’ve pulled my youngest brother out of it, nothing surprises me anymore. And not in a good way.
I step into her space. “What did he do to you?” The growl that rumbles from my chest is pure bear.
So help me faelords, if he hurt this woman I will rip his dumb face right off.
Goldie tilts her head up to see into my face, some of those flaxen curls sliding off the back of her shoulders. It must be the heat in here. When did it become a blazing temperature in this tiny space?
Fuck, I want to kiss her.
“I… don’t know,” she says hesitantly. Then her gaze drops to my mouth as if she is also considering the taste and texture, like I’m doing to her. Shaking her head slightly, she puts her hands on my chest and pushes me back a step. The feel of her skin scorches through my shirt.
“I mean. I hope he hasn’t done anything,” she swallows hard two more times, her hands still on me. The heat from her touch shoots straight down my body.
She’s not making any sense. For fucks sake I’m about to give her mouth to mouth to help wet those lips if she can’t get her words out right.
Thankfully she removes her touch from me when she covers her face with her hands. “By the way, are you related to giants? What is he, seven foot?”
Just about, but I don’t get a chance to answer. Her eyes dart away as if she is having a hard time meeting my gaze.
“Don’t freak out because I already have a doctor’s appointment about this. It’s super embarrassing and I swear I’m not doing it on purpose. Believe me, I have no intention of being in your house, but I think I’ve been sleepwalking and breaking in.”
I blink once. Then twice.
“What?”
Covering her chest with her arms again, she looks anywhere but at me. “The last couple nights, I’ve fallen asleep in my bed, only to wake up in your house. The first time, I found myself in a massive broken-down bed that smelled like sex.” Her nose wrinkles. “With a guy I didn’t know, I’m guessing that would be your ho-bag brother?”
I don’t bother to correct her. JJ is a self-proclaimed slut and he likes it that way.
