“Are you done yet?” Gramps raised his eyebrows. “We will make it work and I am fine. You don’t have to worry about me. Besides, you have a nice young man around now who loves to help.”
And just like that Gramps hit the head on the nail of the other thing troubling me.
“I can’t put any of this on Lyric. I’ve been leaning on him enough. It’s not fair to him.”
“How about you let me worry about what is fair to me or not.”
I swiveled around at the sound of the husky voice that dripped through every nerve in my body like warm honey. My eyes met Lyrics and I shook my head, forgetting for a second what I’d even been talking about.
Gramps chuckled. “I’ll leave you two alone.” He slid out the door and as he passed Lyric, he patted him on the shoulder. It was a good luck gesture if I’d ever seen one.
Those two had become thick as thieves.
I wondered if I should be jealous or worried, but all I felt was happy. I hadn’t seen my grandpa or Jett as animated and full of spirit since Lyric walked into our lives.
Or I guess it was more like I ran into his.
“Didn’t you know it’s not nice to eavesdrop?”
The delicious man stalked toward me in dark jeans that hugged his thick, muscular thighs and a coral-colored t-shirt that looked amazing against his bronzed skin. The guy had a permanent tan even in the winter.
My heart picked up speed the way it did every time he was around. When he stopped in front of me, he clucked his tongue a couple of times.
“You’re just itching for that spanking aren’t you Red?”
A slight moan escaped at the thought and his eyes twinkled. Evidently, we both liked the idea.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I did hear what you had to say when I walked up. Stop worrying about me and what is fair or not. I want to be here with you and I told you that I understood it was a package deal.”
He snagged me around the waist and drew me into him so our bodies were pressed tightly together and I sighed. It felt so right being in his arms. Then his mouth was on mine, coaxing, teasing, nipping until I opened for him and our tongues dueled in a war where we both walked away winners.
A throat cleared from the doorway and I looked over to see Jett standing there with the girl I’d met a few weeks ago, Patience.
“I’d say get a room, but you’re already in one. However, you could take it to yours and shut the door, Sis.”
My cheeks warmed. I snuck a peek at Lyric who was holding back laughter. Just barely. Then glanced back at my brother.
“I think I have some old photo albums around here somewhere with pictures of you when you were younger. Shall we show those to Patience?” I asked in a tone dripping with sweet sarcasm.
His friend or girlfriend—I didn’t know what to call her—giggled.
“Not cool,” Jett said.
“Payback, little brother.”
“Whatever. Is it okay if Patience and I go out and practice some songs, then she stays for dinner since we’ll be gone for a couple of days?”
I saw a sullen look wash over the girl at the mention of Jett being gone. I knew they didn’t see each other all the time so it shouldn't be a big deal but there was a look in her eyes that said differently and I couldn’t pin down what it was.
“Sure she can stay.” That got a small smile out of her and she whispered a thank you.
Patience was cute, polite, and a bitty little thing. She was also very quiet and I wondered what she was like around her friends and family, or if she was different when she sang.
“Thanks,” Jett called out as he grabbed the girl's hand and began to pull her away.
“I love the room,” she blurted just before she was out of sight.
A warm feeling ran through me at her acknowledgment and I looked around at the bedroom taking shape for my sister. It had been a spare room in our big old house with a bedroom set and not much else. Now it was becoming a child's safe haven.
