“Isn’t it amazing?” Ash squeals as she bounces on her large new bed. “I’m still pinching myself I get to live somewhere like this for free!”
“Is it really free though?” I rake my gaze over the luxurious king bedroom with en suite bath as I try to ignore the pounding in my skull. We went at it hardcore last night, and we’re all suffering today.
“Grace says I only have to pay for my food. Everything else is already paid for.”
“Nothing in life is truly free. Bet she asks something of you.”
Ash wallops me in the arm. “When did you get so cynical and so suspicious?” She folds her arms and glares at me. “Grace is my friend, and there is no big agenda. You need to quit giving me shit about her and quit treating her like a pariah. She’s nice, Dillon. If you’d just stop acting like an overbearing oaf, you’d see that.”
“You hardly know her, Ash.”
“I know enough to know she’s a good person, Dil. This arrangement works for her too. She’s lonely living by herself. We’re both getting something out of this.”
“We’ll see,” I murmur. The jury is still very much out on the Yank.
“That’s the last of them,” Ro says, depositing a box heaving with books on the floor in front of the fitted white wardrobes. Conor trails in after him, placing his box on the desk. He drops onto the chair, straddling it backwards and staring off into space.
“Tell this one to stop raining on my parade, will ya?” Ash looks at Ro while jabbing her finger in my face. “He’s putting me in a bad mood.”
“He just needs to get laid.” Ro smirks. “It’s been a while.”
“Shut up.” Ash whacks Ro. “Dillon’s gotten laid enough to last him a lifetime. A bit of abstinence never hurt anyone.”
“Can everyone shut the fuck up about my sex life.” I glare at my siblings.
“What sex life?” Jay quips, poking his head into the room. “Nuns have more sex than Dillon O’Donoghue these days.” I flip him the bird, and he chuckles. “This place is sick, Ash,” he adds, looking around.
My sister’s expression is guarded as she glances at Jamie. Things don’t appear to be as strained between them, but they are still acting a bit off around one another. “Yeah, I lucked out.”
“So, when’s the housewarming party?” Ro rubs his hands together and waggles his brows.
All the fine hairs lift on the back of my neck, and fiery tingles skate over my skin. That’s how I know she’s close. My body is reacting instinctively just like the first time I met her. What the hell is up with that? A foreign feeling spreads across my chest as my heart beats faster, slamming against my rib cage when I turn around and my gaze snares hers where she’s leaning against the doorway.
Immediately, the room fades away, and it’s like we’re the only two people here. I’m acutely aware of every little puff thatescapes her lush lips, every flutter of her eyelashes, and every subtle lift of her chest. Electricity charges the air between us and every nerve ending on my body is hyper alert as we stare at one another.
Fuck me. She’s so beautiful.
Air punches from my lungs as my breathing stutters, and I struggle to understand my visceral reaction to her. I’ve never felt like this with any girl before.Ever. The thumping behind my chest wall ramps up until my heart is thrashing about like it’s as unhinged as I appear to be.
Vivien breaks eye contact first, and my surroundings come back with a resounding slap. A low grumble builds in my chest as she smiles at my brother. Ro hasn’t shut up talking about her. That he likes her isn’t in doubt, but I won’t let him act on it. Whatever is going on with Vivien Mills, she will not be tangling my little brother up in it.
“I guess we can come up with something,” she says, shrugging.
Her dark hair is pulled up in a high ponytail, and a few wispy strands have escaped, framing her stunning face. Her face is devoid of makeup, and she’s only wearing leggings, an oversized T-shirt, and runners, yet she still steals all the air from my lungs. How is it possible for any woman to be so completely and utterly gorgeous? I cannot think of a single celebrity who outshines her.
Hanging back, I purposely keep quiet and subtly study her. There is no evidence of her meltdown from yesterday on her face. Her skin is flawless, her eyes bright and clear, her lips full and tempting. Amber flecks radiate from her eyes, which are more green than brown today. It’s hidden well, but her heartache is still there, and it’s like a punch in the gut.
It makes me uneasy.
Why do I care if she’s hurting?
She should’ve known better than to get involved with someone like Reeve Lancaster.
That selfish asshole was always destined to hurt her.
He’s incapable of thinking about anyone but himself.
Concern turns to disgust as I contemplate how weak she must be to have fallen for his shit for years. If she’s hurting, it’s her own fault for being too gullible.
