It was pretty damn hot. He cleared his throat, and Andrew gave him a wide-eyed look. Dean raised his eyebrows.
Andrew flinched. “And I’m sorry.”
Liana rolled her eyes. “Maybe start with that next time.”
“There won’t be a next time.”
“I’m sure that’s not true,” she said softly. “We all let our emotions get the better of us from time to time.”
“I’m sorry, too,” West said, but he wasn’t looking at Liana. He held out his hand toward Andrew. “I was being a dick.”
They shook, then Liana slapped her hand on top of their clasped fingers. “One more hand before bed?”
“Nah,” Andrew said, shoving back from the table. “I’m out, if that’s okay.”
“Sure thing. Hey…tomorrow we’ll kill it, right?”
He held out his fist for Liana to bump against. “Kill it dead, boss.”
“That’s better.” She wiggled her index finger and he ducked his head so she could kiss his cheek. “Love you, stupid.”
He laughed and tugged on her ponytail.
Dean felt a totally irrational stab of jealousy. Second time in two days. Danger.
West started to deal another hand, but then he took a second look at the stack of chips in front of Andrew’s chair and grabbed the four twenties from the centre of the table. “Hey, you…” he swore under his breath. “This might be why you don’t have more money, you idiot. You walked away from the table with the highest stack.”
“Oh.”
Liana met Dean’s gaze across the table as Andrew doubled back, and they both burst into laughter.
“I think it’s bedtime for everyone,” she said.
Dean started packing up the poker set. “Yeah.”
West shook his head and clapped Andrew on the shoulder as they both headed to their bunks.
Liana took her time moving around the common space. Long enough for West and Andrew to both get tucked in, their bunk partitions closed.
The living room was open to Dwayne in the driver’s seat, but he was playing music, and suddenly, they were pretty close to alone again.
Not really alone, and after what happened the other night, he knew there was a world of difference.
I want to touch you,he thought as he they stood a few feet apart. It physically hurt, how much he wanted her. His palms itched and his chest felt tight.
“How did you know Andrew’s problem was with West?” she asked quietly, her eyes drifting sideways to the couch.
He sat in the middle of it, carefully scoping the line of sight from the driver’s seat and the bunks. The corner of couch was probably pretty private. He gestured toward it with his hand, and she took the hint, settling herself right in the corner so he could slide in next to her.
“Because West parked his ass right in the centre of the storm. I can’t tell you how many times Jake did something to Matt, then sat innocently at the kitchen table while Matt raged around and took it out on Sean. It took me a long time to realize it was Jake being an asshole.”
She frowned. “Your brothers?”
“Yeah.”
“Why…you mean after your mother died? Did it all fall to you?”
“Not all of it.” Just ninety-five percent. “My father’s not…maternal.”
