“You and Anna were really loud last night,” I say. “It killed the mood for me.”
Travis glares at me at the same moment that Nick drops that cocky grin from his face.
He turns to Travis. “Dude. We have a rule. When my sister stays the night with you over here, you have to be quiet.”
Travis crosses his arms over his chest and shrugs. “Guess we got a little carried away.”
Nick makes a grossed-out face, and I hold back a laugh. Travis’s girlfriend is Nick’s twin sister, Anna. They’ve been dating for a while, and Nick has been cool with it overall. He just hates it when he can hear them hooking up.
I get it. If I had a sister and I heard one of my friends hooking up with her, I’d be pissed too.
I know I just kicked it off for Nick and Travis to get into it, but I’m tired of the guys giving me shit about my crush on Briar, so I’m glad that they’re focused on something other than me right now.
Amusement flickers in Travis’ eyes. “Consider it payback for all the times you and Poppy get loud in your bedroom,” he says to Nick.
I let out a laugh. Nick smacks my shoulder.
“It’s true,” I say. “You guys are really damn loud.”
Travis starts to laugh. He’s usually so grumpy and serious, so to see him loosen up now that he’s with Anna is nice.
Nick lets out a frustrated groan. “You guys suck,” he says as he walks out of the kitchen.
A second later, Briar walks in.
Her big green eyes are puffy with sleep, and her hair is messy. My heart beats faster in my chest. She lookssofucking cute when she wakes up.
She’s wearing a tank top and these tiny sleeping shorts. My mind immediately thinks of her pink panties rumpled up on my bedroom floor. Is she wearing those right now?
I shove the thought out of my brain. “Sorry, were we being too loud?” I ask.
She shakes her head and smiles. “No, I set my alarm.”
Leo pours her a mug of coffee. She thanks him and takes a long sip. He and Travis walk into the living room a minute later, leaving Briar and me alone.
“Why’d you set your alarm?” I ask. “It’s Saturday. I figured you’d want to sleep in.”
“I wanted to wake up early. I’ve got a lot to do today.”
“Like what?”
“Apartment hunting.” She hops onto the counter to sit and finish her coffee. “I want to move out of here as soon as I can.”
A small pang of disappointment lands in my gut. “Really?”
She nods, her smile shy as she looks at me. “I just feel like I’m putting you out by staying here.”
“Briar, you’re not. At all. I told you, you’re welcome to stay here as long as you need to.”
Her expression warms. “I know. And I love you for that, but I should really prioritize finding my own place. Classes just started, and the more we get into the semester, the busier I’ll be. It’s better if I buckle down and find a place now.”
I try to smile despite the way that disappointed feeling burrows deeper inside of me. Of course she wants her own space. She’s sick of living with the guy she thinks of as her brother. No woman her age wants to share a bedroom with her brother.
“Yeah. I get it. But hey, promise me that you won’t rush into anything, okay? Denver’s a tough rental market with lots ofsketchy places,” I say. “I don’t want you signing a lease for the first place you look at. You’ll end up living with a serial killer. Or a hoarder.”
Her head falls back as she laughs. “Don’t worry. I’ll only move after I find a place that’s safe and affordable.”
I nod, slightly relieved. Still though. I don’t like the idea of her moving out. I like hanging out with her all the time. I like living with her.
