Despite the fact they were identical, something that apparently ran in the Walker family, and still resembled one another almost perfectly, Bristol could tell them apart rather easily. There were some distinct differences she’d caught on to. Like, they had unique ways of walking. Kaden’s gait was rigid, while Keegan ambled. As though he didn’t have anywhere to go and all the time in the world to get there. Also, the hair. They both maintained a short shave on the sides and back of their head, but Kaden’s dark hair was a little longer on top than Keegan’s. But the biggest difference was in their eyes. Not the size or shape or the color. No, it was what she saw in them. Kaden’s blue-gray eyes had fewer laugh lines than Keegan’s, but Keegan’s were the ones that held the storm clouds.
“Come in,” Kaden urged, stepping back out of the way as the door opened wide.
Keeping her smile plastered on her face and gripping her cell phone to keep her hands from trembling, Bristol stepped into the house. She could smell food cooking, but she couldn’t make out what it was, but it was enough to have her stomach rumbling in invitation.
“I was startin’ to think you’d stand us up,” Kaden said softly, stepping in close as he shut the door.
“Why would I?” she asked, injecting cheer into her tone. No way would she let him think she was intimidated by him.
Or attracted.
Yeah. That was the most important part to remember. Bristol could not let him or his twin know she was attracted to them. They were like piranhas in the water, waiting for the first sign of life so they could … bite.
“Smells good,” she said in order to make conversation.
“My brother’s a half-decent cook.”
“Yeah?”
Kaden was nodding his head at the same time he said, “No. It’s all me.”
She laughed, couldn’t help it. “I believe that.”
“I’m the one responsible for dessert,” another deep voice said.
Bristol turned in time to see Keegan stepping out of the small kitchen, his blue-gray eyes twinkling with mischief. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a stone-gray T-shirt, his feet bare. Odd how the man seemed to get hotter every time she saw him. There was a darker aspect to Keegan, one she’d never really understood. As though beneath that good ol’ boy charm, there was an animal gearing up to pounce.
“And what’s for dessert?” she asked before she could think better of it.
“Let’s see how the night goes,” he answered with a wink. “I’ll let you know as soon as I know.”
Oh, boy.
She was in so much trouble here.
*
When Kaden had informed him they were having company for dinner, Keegan figured it was his punishment for staying up too late, playing video games well into the early hours.
When Kaden had refused to tell him who was coming to dinner, he figured it was Kaden’s way of pissing him off.
The frustration he’d suffered throughout the day had been worth it.
Maybe.
As usual, his first response to seeing a beautiful woman was to lay on the charm. He offered the innuendo, the wink, the crooked smile, long before he thought about his reasons for keeping his distance from this particular woman.
And he had damn good reasons. Really.
For months now, Bristol had said very little to them, interacting only when it was unavoidable, steering clear whenever possible. In doing so, she had succeeded in pissing Keegan off and as time went on, he’d begun to harbor a grudge against her for leading them on, making him hope for something that she had no intention of giving.
And no, he wasn’t referring to sex. Notonlysex, anyway.
Now she was here, and he’d made the mistake of flirting with her, pretending everything was hunky-dory when he honestly wished she’d take her pretty little ass on back to her house so he could go on being oblivious to her sweetness. He had no desire to be hooked by her the way Kaden had been.
However, she was here and his parents had raised him to be respectful to everyone. The least he could do was be polite.
Considering she was looking at them like she was Goldilocks and they were the bears gearing up to take a bite out of her, he wondered exactly what she thought they would do to her. She of all people should know they were the epitome of self-restraint. After all, they’d walked away that night at the resort despite the fact it could’ve very well ended with the three of them naked.
