When I looked up, Elspeth was watching me and wiggled her eyebrows. I scowled and distracted myself with my phone.
Nairie didn’t seem like the type to have ink. It always took Elspeth and me a million years to try and convince her to even steal a cookie before dinner.
She put in the movie and the beginning credits forWhen Harry Met Sallyplayed.
Near the end, Elspeth fell asleep while Nairie’s eyes remained fixed on the screen. I watched her undetected now that the lights were off.
Her dark features against her pale skin made her look like one of her inky drawings. Her straight aquiline nose gave her an exotic look, and her lush lips stretched across her perfect teeth. I snapped my eyes back up to her eyes and found her looking at me with a ghost of a smile.
We seemed to stare at each other for eternity. She flicked her tongue across her lips, a warm invitation I desperately wanted to accept. Instead, I placed a finger to my lips and looked at Elspeth sleeping soundly next to me. Nairie nodded and turned the TV off as I gathered Elspeth in my arms to take her upstairs.
I followed Nairie and unashamedly looked at herass as she walked ahead of me. It swayed with every step, and I had to make sure I didn’t drop my sister.
Once in Elle’s room, Nairie unfolded the bed covers for me to place her inside. Then she moved to take Elspeth’s socks off. “She hates wearing them to bed.”
I’d never met someone so damn thoughtful, and it almost angered me. Had anyone ever thought of her for a change?
I followed Nairie outside the room, and she closed the door with a quiet click.
We stood closer than ever since the hallway was a bit narrow for my frame.
Nairie stared up at me, and said in a hushed voice, “I’m really glad you came. Elspeth needs her brother.”
The corner of my mouth upturned slightly, and we walked toward our rooms, which faced each other. Nairie fiddled with the hem of her shirt and leaned against her doorframe.
“This you?” I motioned with a lift of my chin.
“Yup.”
I nodded and let my hand fall on the wall next to Nairie’s face so I was leaning in close. “Nairie, how have you been through all of this? It must not have been easy taking care of Elspeth and Lindsey.”
Nairie looked up at me, barely breathing. She opened her mouth and then closed it, likely thinking of a response. Having me so close seemed to make her brain short-circuit, and I tried not to smile.
“What I’m feeling pales in comparison to what Elle has to go through,” she breathed out like a confession.
“Doesn’t mean what you’re feeling isn’t hard, too”
Nairie looked into my eyes, and I had the sudden urge to pull her into a hug to comfort her. Her eyeswatered, so I leaned down, wrapped my big arms around her waist, and held her close. Her soft body melded to mine, and she started to fall apart. Her gentle sobs reverberated through my frame, and I felt like the guiltiest person alive. My sister and friend were going through this terrible thing alone.
I stroked the back of her hair. “Nairie, I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
Her sobs softened, and she looked up at me. The hallway was dark, but her room had a soft amber glow, backlighting her so she almost looked angelic with her eyelashes wet and spiky from tears.
“You were taking care of your own business. We both knew that.”
I lightly stroked a tear off her cheek. “Well, I’m here now. If you need a shoulder to cry on tomorrow, I’ve got two big ones.”
Nairie laughed, “Thanks.”
I finally let her go, even though my body was protesting every inch that separated us.
“Good night.”
Nairie smiled from inside her room and leaned against the door. “Night.”
The charged moment with Nairie was almost enough to keep me awake, but sleep hit me like a brick wall as soon as my head landed on the pillow.
Chapter 5
