He steps aside, his fingers clutching the door tightly, and I’m surprised it doesn’t crack the wood.
It feels like sweat is dripping down the back of my neck, and I instinctively graze my fingers against it to check. Once I realise it’s only slightly damp, I breathe a sigh of relief.
I move past Nathan into the apartment, my bare shoulder brushing against his chest, goosebumps dancing across my skin from the contact. It’s clear he notices, too, because he takes a sudden step back, bringing his hand to rub at the spot, the veins in his hand pronounced.
Poppy rounds the corner, dressed in a pair of pyjamas, her blonde hair pulled up into a messy bun.
“Sorry, I had a couple of unexpected visitors, but we can still go over the routine.” She laughs, gesturing to Nathan.
I arch an eyebrow. “A couple?”
“Yeah, Leo’s here. Evan’s son.”
“Oh,” I mutter, confusion wrapping around me and strangling me like a python. I crane my neck to look at Nathan, trying very hard to ignore how good he looks. His hair is wet, and it appears he just got out of the shower, water droplets dripping down his neck and catching the light from the bright lamp beside him.
I’ve seen him shirtless from a distance… but close up, he looks other-worldly.
My abdomen tightens.
“Look at her face!” Poppy suddenly bursts out into a fit of laughter, causing me to cross my arms over my chest defensively.
“My face is fine.”
“Unless you consider being the shade of a tomato as fine.” Nathan lifts his eyebrows—the rest of his face sullen—and I shoot a scowl at him.
“I thought you knew,” Poppy tells me, tilting her head and tapping her chin with her finger.
“If you two are fucking, please just don’t tell me. I can’t defend you if you admit it.” I dig my teeth into my bottom lip, hearing Nathan scoff from behind me.
“Mae, Nathan’s my brother.”
Shock hits me hard in the chest, and relief spreads through my veins. My reaction causes Poppy to giggle before gesturing for me to follow her into the living room.
It exudes a warm and inviting ambience, with a muted couch in the middle and an array of colourful throw pillows covering it, adding a splash of colour.
She settles down on the couch, places her feet on the wooden coffee table in front of her, and turns down the volume of the TV.
Nathan grimaces from the doorway to the living room. “Why is Mae here, Poppy? Leo’s sleeping in the next room.”
“Hello? Right here,” I grumble.
“Why don’t you go and put on a shirt and stop makingmyguest uncomfortable before you start askingmequestions inmyapartment?” Poppy remarks, gaining a glare from her brother before he trudges down the corridor, only to return a moment later with a navy T-shirt covering his chest.
I’m disappointed.
I was enjoying the show.
“Much better.”
My eyes flicker between the pair. They’re so different. Nathan’s tanned with green eyes. He has dark features. Poppy has fair skin. Her hair is a dirty blonde colour, and her eyes are icy blue. She’s sunny and bright, whereas Nathan is dark and sombre.
“Same dad, different moms,” Poppy clarifies after spotting me analysing them both, and I nod, blinking to clear my head. “Not that I would even consider our dad family.”
“We don’t need to talk about Dad.”
She rolls her eye at her brother, turning to me. “Nathan’s just grumpy because he and our father hate each other, but they have to pretend they’re the best father-son-duo in the NFL. In fact,” she nods at him, “when are you not grumpy?”
Exactly what I said.
