Firing in every direction.
Both apprehensive and kind of excited by the prospect of being here.
Elena’s gaze sparked beneath the dingy light that bled down from the sconces on either side of the door.
“Why does this feel like I have a long-lost friend moving in?” She sounded a little teary-eyed when she said it.
Part of me thought I should rip off the Band-Aid and remind her that I wouldn’t be staying here for that long, but something about it just felt mean.
So instead I tittered like a fool again, trying to inject some lightness into my voice as I climbed up the steps behind Silas, doing my best to avoid looking at the man’s perfect ass. “Are you trying to convince me this is some sort of mountain vacation?”
“What do you mean? Any time with me is a vacation,” she said, deadpan.
A chuckle rolled, then my gaze was gliding to the older woman standing to the left as she muttered, “My, my, my. It’sabout time you brought her around. I’ve been dying to get a look at this one. I’m Meems.”
“Isn’t she so pretty, Meems? I told you.” Elena effused it at me with that gleam in her eye.
I wasn’t exactly shy, but I was still ducking my head under their scrutiny.
“Oh, more than pretty, I’d say.”
Silas grunted. “You two mind your manners. Brinley is our guest.”
Their manners? Had the man met himself?
And guest?
Meems tsked with an arch of a drawn-in brow. “Says my ruffian. I’m surprised you haven’t run her off yet.”
Oh, I tried to run, all right.
Andher ruffian?
She broadcast it like he was a cute little boy tussling in the yard rather than king of whatever organized crime racket he was heading.
He didn’t answer her, only dropped in to peck a kiss to her cheek.
Who was this guy?
Then he swiveled, doing the same to Kai and making the toddler squeal, then he planted one at Elena’s temple.
Never setting those bags down when he did.
This was no time for my heart to go pitter-patter.
Without saying anything else, Silas maneuvered around to open the screen door, kicking it wide so he could stride in.
Elena gave me a purely anticipatory look, her shoulders hiking to her ears and her teeth clamping down on her bottom lip to contain her thrill.
I really shouldn’t feel any of it, but apparently, it was catching.
“Welcome to our home, Brinley,” Meems encouraged in a soft, raspy voice. “I hope you feel safe and supported here. Loved.”
“We gotwove.” Kai drawled it in his little baby babble.
A surprised, gooey breath left me.
I hadn’t had love inside my house in a long, long time.
