My comment was meant to be light-hearted, but Fallon’s smile dropped at my words.
Brown eyes searched mine. I wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but I prayed to God she found it. ‘You’re not an arrogant prick. In fact, I think that’s the furthest thing from the truth.’
Her words were spoken so softly I wasn’t sure I’d heard them correctly. But the sincerity swirling in her eyes told me I had. I don’t know what it was about Fallon, but every time she draws close and drops those ten foot high walls surrounding her, a part of me starts to fall. Like I have one foot on the edge of a cliff, and any second now all it would take is a single gust of wind to send me tumbling.
Her lips parted. My head lowered, not able to stand itone more fucking moment, when the front door opened and closed with a bang and my brother rounded the corner.
Fallon gasped and leapt back. But since she was standing so close to the cooker, her back hit the still hot frying pan and she let out a yelp.
‘Fuck!’ I slid a hand around her waist and spun her away from the hot surface.
George stood frozen—his hands holding two styrofoam cups—mouth hanging open.
‘Am I interrupting?’ he asked slowly, eyes darting to me then to Fallon who had stepped away from me and folded her arms across her chest, the movement hiking up the end of the t-shirt she wore. He immediately glanced down and took in what she was wearing.
‘What the fuck are you doing here?’ I snapped—instantly feeling guilty for my tone.
George arched a brow at me. ‘I got you coffee. Didn’t expect you to have… company.’
Fallon looked like she desperately wanted the ground to swallow her up.
‘I’m gonna get dressed.’ She flashed a small smile to my brother who continued to stare at me like I’d grown an extra head.
She slipped out of the kitchen and dashed back to the bedroom.
The moment she was out of the room George put the coffee cups down and raised his eyebrows expectantly.
‘What?’ I lifted one of the coffee’s and opened the lid, exposing the thick, creamy foam. Doing my best to avoid his eyes that prickled my skin.
George opened his mouth, closed it and repeated that motion several more times. Clearly not sure which question to ask first.
‘Okay… let’s take it back a few paces.’ He leaned against the counter, arms folded across his chest.
I groaned. ‘Let’s not.’
‘Two weeks ago, you came to me and told me you’d fucked up with Fallon. You wouldn’t tell me what kind of fuck up, but knowing you and having eyes, I can make the leap.’
Turning my back to the truth of his words, I rummaged through my cabinets until I found the sugar. I’d lived in this house for nearly six months and barely knew where anything was.
‘And then, last week, you tell me that everything has gone back to normal. Whatevernormallooks like for the two of you. And now she is standing in your kitchen, wearing your shirt and looking like you just fucked her into next month.’
‘Watch your mouth,’ I said, grinding my teeth together. Grabbing a utensil, I scooped two teaspoons into the coffee and stirred. George wrinkled his nose. ‘Since when do you put sugar in your coffee?’
‘It’s for Fallon,’ I said without hesitation. Whatever he might think about the gesture, this time it was purely in the interests of self preservation. If she didn’t have caffeine first thing in the morning, neither one of us would make it out alive.
His mouth opened again, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand. I knew everything he was about to say. All the questions he was going to level at me. Questions I had no fucking answers to.
‘Just let it go.’
‘You really want to carry on like you don’t have a woman you’ve only known for-‘
I whacked him in the chest, shutting him up when I spotted Fallon coming out of the bedroom. Dressed in a pastel pink t-shirt and black leggings. How did I findeverything this woman did sexy? It didn’t make sense. But then again, so many things about Fallon didn’t make sense.
George thankfully took the hint and stopped talking.
‘Here.’ I thrust the coffee towards her, stealing the other coffee out of my brother's hand and taking a sip. Her nose crinkled in confusion, but she took the coffee.
‘Thanks,’ she breathed out, glancing nervously between us.
