Paging through, I realize that corners are folded down and notes are written in light pencil marks.
George’s copy.
Did he mean to leave this for me?
No. Can’t be.
He must mean for Shawn to have it. Or he thought he was getting the guest bedroom and left it here for himself.
I set the book down, fingering the spine. Reluctant to let go.
But I force myself to, zip up my bag, and head out to the kitchen for my frittata.
And I come upon a sweaty, shirtless George guzzling water.
“Holy hell,” I mutter before I can stop myself.
He sets down the glass, then starts at the sight of me.
“Hey, uh.” He glances down at his bare, glistening chest, then back up at me. “I went for a run.”
“Sure. Makes sense.”Stop staring at his nipples.
Only, they’re perfectly round, and his chest has the lightest dusting of brown hair, and I’m immediately transported back to that motel room bed, when a sleepy George pressed that exact chest against my bare legs. He was so warm and clingy. The palms of my hands ached to touch him then, the same as they’re tingling to do now—
“How does broccoli and cheddar sound?”
I yelp and reflexively clutch my left boob to keep my pounding heart in place as I glance over to find an equally shirtless Shawn in front of the stovetop heating a cast-iron pan.
“Oh my god, when did you get here?” I try to regulate my breathing.
He quirks a brow at me. “I’ve been here the whole time. You know this is my place, right?”
Of course I know that. But I’m not about to explain that I was so distracted by George’s naked torso that I wasn’t even aware there was another person in the room.
“Did you both encounter a shirt thief?” I snap, feeling crabby that there’re so many chests in my eyeline.
“Only the weak wear shirts,” Shawn taunts. “We are strong men. The elements don’t affect us.”
“You whine like a baby when I turn the thermostat up two degrees,” I point out.
“I’m going to take a quick shower.” George grabs a duffel bag and strides past me. The scent of his sweat mixed with his cologne hits me and short-circuits my brain.
“Broccoli and cheddar?” Shawn asks again, bringing me back online.
“Yeah. Good. Tasty. Yum.” And then I drop my hand, realizing I’m still holding my boob.
My brother gives me a bemused look, and I have to admit that maybe I’m not fully functioning yet. It’s only that George went to use the guest shower. The one I was in. Where I was naked. And now he’ll be naked, too.
It’s almost as if we were naked in there together…except that doesn’t make any sense and I’m losing it.
“You’re always extra weird when you’re hungover.” Shawn snorts and goes back to preparing me breakfast.
I hold back my retort because he doesn’t deserve to get bitched at for presenting me with a hot George first thing in the morning.
Although, I could lovingly torment him…just a little bit.
“Did you go running, too?”
