Before I can even open my mouth, she reaches me and pushes me with her palms against my chest, nearly knocking me back a few steps.
“What the hell have I done now? We are going to have make this quick, I need to run an errand.”
Her jaw drops. “Oh, I don’t think so, mister.”
Esme’s brazen demand has my eyes turning to saucers. “Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?”
“Me?” She points to herself.
“Yeah, you. The one who needs to be tamed.”
Her hand lands on her waist and she tips her hip out. “Maybe I would be if you were a normal human being who doesn’t just walk away.”
Ah. This is aboutthat.
“Last night, I was a gentleman.”
“Couldn’t you just fuck my brains out? I mean, all the signs were there that I would have been on board with that. Butno, my neighbor from hell decided to head on home.”
Proudly I smirk to myself. I mean, I did hold out. That was more because she scares the hell out of me. She thrills me, and last night we kind of just gelled together in conversation. A line between enemies with benefits might have been crossed because, well, we are more than bearable together. For some reason, I thought it was better that we parted ways. I would hate to have crossed the line between pretend date tohey, this might be an actual date-ish. Maybe pissing her off a little gave me a rise, too. That makes me the man who should check his sanity, especially since my dick did not appreciate my act of bidding Esme adieu.
Now she’s bobbling her head side to side. “You. You dragged me to that party. That’s like two social events with you in two weeks. Dragging me along for all of this and ruining my aura,” she seethes. “Damn it, murder mystery party.”
Gawking at her, I’m now in disbelief that she has somenerve. “Oh really? I’m pretty positive you got an invite for that too, and it just so happens we ended up driving home together.”
She points a finger at me. “You are the worst neighbor. Always such a mind fuck.”
Oh, I’m going to challenge her on this. “It’s not my fault you voluntarily came home with me and then we?—”
“Whoa.” That voice is not ours. “We don’t need to hear more.”
Esme and I zip our attention to my sister who is standing by their car. I didn’t hear them arrive.
Nash just smirks because I know he is taking pleasure in this.
I’m frozen, and Esme’s mouth is parted open, ready to croak out her death. “How long have you been standing there?” I manage to get out.
“Long enough for me to enjoy this weekend’sroastedBBQ.” Nash has a cheeky smile, because he won’t let this go. He turns to open the door to the back to get my nephew from his car seat.
My sister wiggles her fingers to Esme. “You must be the neighbor. I’ve heard about you. Not exactly in your favor.” She smiles tightly. “But you seem to be handling my brother… kind of… maybe.”
“Summer,” I grit out a warning to my little sister.
“What?” Her voice rises an octave, and she shrugs. “Clearly she returns the sentiment, and it’s not my problem that we showed up to your lovers’ quarrel.”
“We are not lovers,” Esme and I say in unison.
Nash just chuckles under his breath. “Sure.” He doesn’t believe us, clearly.
Well, peachy.
My neighbor just voiced her opinion on my failure to rammy cock into her last night, and my soon-to-be brother-in-law is ready to have the upper hand all weekend in provoking me.
Summer examinesher nails as she sits on the couch in my living room. It’s all for show, because in three, two, one… “She seems, uh, nice?”
I rub the back of my neck, feeling a little tense. “A delight.” There is zero enthusiasm in my tone.
It causes my sister to chuckle. “Are we on a reverse of roles? Last time, you gave me the romance advice, even though you don’t have the greatest track record.”
