What am I doing?
He has a family. Not to mention, even if he didn't, he's my brother's best friend—one hundred percent off limits.
Rushing back into the bedroom, I pick up my purse from the chair in the corner and my keys off the dresser then head backoutside. The guys are already standing by the truck, waiting for me.
My gaze falls on him and I catch him staring. He doesn’t look away, instead he follows my every movement. I want this man so bad. My body feels like it’s on fire and I pull on my shirt, fanning myself. I’m a sweaty, horny mess.
I head for my car, but Jeremiah calls out, stopping me in my tracks. “Where are you going?”
“To my car. I'll follow y'all over there.” Shit, I'm here a day and already saying y'all.
“I'm turning her into a southerner already,” Ryan jokes. “But Sis, no need. We got to come back here anyway and get the trailer. No need to take your car.”
Jeremiah steps over to the passenger side door and opens it, gesturing for me to get inside. Great, I'm going to be confined in this small space with him. Guess it's a good test run for the car. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.” He gives a bow, like they do in the movies. I nervously smile and climb inside. The sooner this gets done, the sooner I can retreat to the safety of my apartment.
Chapter 6
Jeremiah
Fuck, she smells good.It's taking everything in me to keep my dick from tenting in my pants like a schoolboy. Ryan would kill me if he knew the thoughts I had about his sister. Then and now. I need to find a way to pitch this vacation to them so I can get a chance to know Amberlee all over again. I need to know if she feels this, whatever this is between us, before I speak to Ryan. I'd hate to ruin our friendship. Ryan has been there with me through everything and if there's not a chance of us being together, I don’t want to mention my attraction to Amberlee to him.
Sucking it up, I decide to throw caution to the wind. Before I talk to Ryan I need to get some time alone with Amberlee to put everything on the table. We're almost back at the house. If he isn't sure, then I'll have to play dirty and bring it up in front of Maddy and the kids. Those three are always down for a vacation and who can say no to them? One is pregnant and the other two are the fucking cutest kids ever.
“So, I was thinking—” I start, but Ryan, being Ryan, has a quick comeback and I notice Amberlee glance over at me onceagain. She's done that a few times; I only know because I’ve been sneaking glances and caught her.
“Don't hurt yourself. I know how hard that is for you,” Ryan laughs like he thinks it’s hilarious.
“You're a damn comedian, Ryan.” I pause, wondering if this is a mistake. Maybe I should just let it go and silently deal with how I feel about Amberlee. Once the twins are born, she’ll be in her own place, and I won’t run into her every time I come over.
No, I need to do this.
“Seriously though. We have that four-day coming up in two weeks, and I thought it would be good for a vacation. It'll be a getaway before the twins get here, before Amberlee starts her job and it'll be right before the end of summer. What do you think?”
Amberlee's eyes go wide, and I already know she's going to try to find a way to not go. But damn if I will let her. She’s going.
“It sounds good to me. But you know Maddy will be the deciding factor; it depends on how she's feeling,” Ryan says as he taps on the dashboard with his fingers along to the beat of the music. He took control of the radio, stating it was the job of the individual riding shotgun.
“Both of you should definitely go and take your families. I'm good here,” she says, her eyes darting around as she glances at anything but me.
“Really, Amberlee? You're my sister. The very definition of family, there's no way we'd go and leave you here. It would be a great way to spend time with your nephew.”
I give a mental high five to Ryan. That's my boy, you tell her. Little does he know he may regret it in the long run. When I finally spend time with Amberlee on this trip and tell her how I feel—how I’ve felt for years—and she reciprocates, he may hate me forever. There are two things you don't do; break guy code and make a play for his sister. Ryan is firm on both things.
“No, really, I'll be fine,” she pleads with him.
“Hmmm, Ryan, I guess we'll just have to let RJ and Maddy know she plans to stay behind.”
He turns to look at me, a smile growing on his face, knowing we've won. Well, that is, if Maddy says yes.
The rest of the ride is quiet.
We dropped the items off at the storage unit Ryan rented for Amberlee and then came back to get her car so we could drop the moving truck and trailer off at the station. Amberlee doesn’t talk the whole time, she just turns up the music, and it doesn't go down until we pull back into the driveway.
She barely puts the car in park before she opens her door and jumps out, rushing inside. Does she hate being around me? Do I unnerve her? Could I be right and she’s acting like this because she’s fighting her attraction to me? Fuck women are difficult. There needs to be a manual to understand what they’re thinking.
I’m hoping it’s the latter.
My mind drifts back to the moment she first caught a glimpse of me staring at her. Her eyes went wide just as she lost her footing and stumbled down the steps. I caught her before she hit the sidewalk and my heart raced with how she looked at me. The slight gasp that escaped her lips and the way her pupils dilated.She gently bit her lip as she looked away, allowing my arms to trail down her back, enticing me more. The desire to kiss her was overwhelming. Those perfect lips begged to be taken, and it took everything in me to fight the urge, knowing Ryan was nearby. You better bet, though, the next opportunity I get, I'm doing it.
