He might not have been much of a dater before, but he’d casually bedded enough women to know that what he was feeling with Petula was different. Being with her was not only warm and good, it was all-encompassing.
Julian turned into the Bothswait’s driveway and his backbone stiffened to face whatever would come at him.
Just let Statler try to run him off.
Not happening.
Just let him try to talk Julian out of seeing Petula.
Fat chance.
The man could try, and Julian would give him props for being a good, watchful brother, but Statler would soon learn that when Julian dug his heels in, he wasn’t easily deterred.
Julian opened his door, and before he even got his second foot on the ground, a voice greeted him from a shed off to his left.
“I wondered how long it would take before you came here,” a tall, blond behemoth declared gruffly as he approached. “If you’d been even another day, I was going to come search you out.”
Ahh.So the gloves were already off.
Good.
This was something Julian could work with.
“Statler Bothswait?” Julian responded, getting fully out of his truck to square his body off as the big man stalked closer.
“I am. And you’re Julian Sothard. You look like your brother Vincent. And the rest of them,” Statler smirked.
Julian recalled what Petula had said about Statler and Vince having sports in common.
“That’s right. You played against Vince’s football team in high school.” Julian nodded. “And yes. We look a lot alike.”
“I’m familiar with your family,” Statler allowed, stopping six feet from Julian and crossing his arms over his chest. “Which is the only reason I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt where your interest in my sister is concerned, instead of throwing your ass off my property.”
Posturing, were they?Okay.Julian could play this game.
“You can try, but unless I’m willing to leave, you’ll have one hell of a time making it happen.”
It was Statler’s turn to nod, but his lips twitched upward.
“Yup. Cocky, just like Vincent. I don’t know why I expected any different.”
Julian attempted to ramp things down. “You probably didn’t expect that someone interested in your sister would come ask your permission to see her before he asked her out on their first, real date.”
Statler dropped his aggressive stance, and one brow rose. “You’re asking my…permission?”
“I am,” Julian concurred. “And after you give it, we’ll have something else to discuss. I come bearing intel, of which you may or may not be aware.”
Statler’s face turned from cautious to interested. “That sounds intriguing.”
It took Statler less than five seconds to make up his mind and drop his shields
He stuck out a hand. “Welcome to the Bothswait property.”
Julian didn’t hesitate to take the overture.
“Thanks,” he responded smartly, grabbing the offered shake with a chuckle. “I’m just glad I didn’t get my ass nailed with buckshot the minute I showed up.”
“Nah,” Statler grinned, and Julian could see the resemblance between the siblings. “I wouldn’t have used a shotgun. It would have been my twenty-two, and I would have aimed for an arm or a leg. But Petula probably wouldn’t have forgiven me if I scarred up your skin.”
