I roll my eyes so hard I can almost see the wall behind me. ‘Fine,’ I retort through gritted teeth. ‘He can stay here. But only for a little while.’
Pissed all of a sudden, I lean forward and grab my crocheting from the wicker box on the coffee table and begin picking loose the threads of the scarf I’ve been attempting to make for the past few months. So far, it hasn’t gotten much longer than a teddy bear-sized scarf. I don’t know how many times I’ve picked this project up and ended up putting it back down more frustrated than when I started. As a potential hobby, it kind of sucks.
‘Nell, you are a lifesaver! You won’t regret it.’
‘I’d better not,’ I grumble, annoyed with myself that I’ve allowed her to lumber me with an unwelcome guest. The woman missed her calling. Instead of buying high fashion for wealthy women, she should’ve gone to work for NATO or something.
‘Honestly, Ben is a different person these days,’ she adds, saccharine sweet. So maybe shedoesremember how awful he was to me. Probably because when he was picking on me, he was leaving her alone. I thought the older sibling got to torture younger siblings, not the other way around.
‘I can’t believe I’m about to let a strange man stay in my house,’ I grumble.
‘He’s not that strange. And it’ll be nice for you to have a little company.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Nothing. Just... it’ll be nice to have a man around, won’t it?’
‘What’s with the weird laugh?’
‘He’s just, you know... my baby brother.’
‘And?’
‘And... you don’t have a boyfriend.’
It takes me a moment to decipher her meaningful tone but decipher it I do. ‘Are you asking me to have sex with Ben?’ I ask a little incredulously. ‘Or not to have sex with him? Is that what this whole one-night stand thing is about? Because that’s not gonna happen.’ Ever. Ben Monroe is not on myto-dolist. He tortured me for years!
‘You never know what might happen when—’
‘Oh, so I’m a sex maniac now? Ben’s virtue is safe with me, I promise.’
‘I was mostly thinking about it the other way around.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Ben is, how can I put this... popular with the ladies?’
‘You mean he’s a man whore?’
‘It’s the uniform.’ Mel sighs. ‘They don’t call young men of his rankyoung and thrustingfor nothing.’
‘I don’t even want to know,’ I answer in a droll tone.
‘Please don’t hold it against him, Nell,’ she pleads. ‘Also, please don’t let him holditagainst you.’ She laughs smuttily.
Urgh. I’ve told her already; I’m off men for the foreseeable. Not that I’d classify her little brother as such. He’s just Ben. The boy that was a pain in my ass. Thankfully, it sounds like he’s now tormenting other girls. Maybe in other ways. But none of this is my problem, other than I need to give him a room to stay.
‘Your brother’s virtue, or lack thereof, is safe with me. I have neither the time nor the inclination. I’ve promised myself I’m going to be single for at least six months.’
‘I give your man-hab until the three-month mark.’ She snorts indelicately.
‘Man what?’
‘Man-hab. Like rehab but for men.’
‘And when can I expect Lieutenant Captain Monroe to arrive?’ I ask, ignoring the rest.
‘It’s Captain, actually. And about that—’
