“Ugh, way to make it not discreet. Go hang with your sister. This is a bonding moment.”
“We don’t need to bond.” I rolled my eyes, but Becca flicked me. “Hey!”
“No funny business later if you don’t go.”
“Whoa.” I held up both hands in surrender. “I’m going.”
“I knew that would work.” She gave me a smug grin and mumbledhorndogunder her breath as I walked away. We had a couple hours until nighttime, and I couldn’t wait to get in bed with her.
Blair knew Becca was more than my friendly single neighbor and still made a point to put us in separate rooms. The house was silent, and it was like I was a teenager again, sneaking around. It wasn’t like Blair would ground me for going into Becca’s guest room, but she would give me shit.
The guest room sat three doors down from the makeshift room I’d been forced into. I tiptoed past the kids’ rooms and the sitting area without any issue.Score.Then, as I touched the handle to Becca’s room, something shuffled behind me.
“I knew it.” Blair grinned.
“Were you—are you waiting to see if I snuck into her room? Are you shitting me?” My heartbeat raced.
“I did what I did to find out the truth. It’s like pulling teeth. One-word answers are bullshit. She’s more than just a neighbor.” She pointed a finger at me. “She encouraged you to stand up to our family, didn’t she?”
“Christ.” I ran my hand over my face and laughed. “You’re the same nosy punk you were growing up.”
“So? Dish it.” She smiled so widely that she looked insane, like the Joker without makeup. “Are you dating? Do you like her? I like her a lot. She’s great with kids, and she doesn’t buy Hank’s act.”
“She’s the sorority house mom I went out with two years ago.” I sighed, hating how I ended things based on assumptions. She was more… everything. She deserved the absolute best.
“You’ve dated her before?” She arched her eyebrows. “That’s right. The high-maintenance one. I remember. I have no idea why you’d think she’s high-maintenance. She seems chill.”
Yeah, I fucked that one up.I ran a hand over my chest, pulling on my shirt to get some air flow. This conversation had me sweating. “Not everything has to be something, okay? We’ve enjoyed being locked in together during the storm. We’re two consenting, unattached adults who know what we’re doing.”
“Enjoyed, huh?” She made another stupid face, and a part of me expected her to start hummingHarrison and Becca sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. “You must’ve since you’re sneaking into her room while my innocent children sleep down the hall.”
“Blair…” I warned, my patience already thinning.
“You like this girl. Good for you.”
I ran my hand over my face, trying to find the right words so she’d leave me alone. “Yeah. I guess I do. There, happy?”
She wiggled her eyebrows and made a fist in the air like she’d scored a touchdown with ten seconds left on the clock. “Yes. I am. I love her. She’s like a breath of fresh air.”
She’s not wrong.“Is this interrogation done or what?”
“Ugh. Rude. You’re disobeying my rules in my home and are giving me the brush-off. Just tell me—is this gonna be a thing? Will we see her again?”
I just want to get Becca naked.So I said the first thing that came to mind, not really thinking about the truth because the truth meant feelings. It meant chancing another screwup and hurting Becca.
“I don’t know, Blair. No? Maybe? It’s been a couple days, and the storm forced us together. If the power hadn’t gone out, I don’t think we’d even be on speaking terms.”
That didn’t sit well with me. It had only been a short time, but it felt like Becca had been around longer.She knows me better than Vivian did after the four years she knew me.
Blair frowned. “You’re different with her. She’s nothing like your ex-wife, and I know the kids like her already. I’m saying, Harry, if anyone can break through the twenty-foot-high walls around your heart, it’s her.”
A second thought of Vivian in ten seconds. No thank you.I shuddered at the reminder of my failed marriage and had to end the conversation. I had a beautiful woman waiting for me on the other side of the door.
“I’m not about to have a touchy-feely conversation in your hallway in the middle of the night. Sometimes, it’s sex. That’s it. Nothing more or less.” I glared at my dear sister.
She flipped me the bird. “Don’t be an asshole. It’s nice seeing you with someone. That’s all. Now I’m going to go put headphones on and pretend I don’t know what your intentions are right now.”
“Blair!” I shooed her away, but not before she gave me a wink and thumbs-up. She was a pain in my ass but I loved her.
