A thrill shot through her. Before she could stop herself, she said, “Why? Are you jealous?”
Something flashed in his eyes as a muscle jumped in his jaw. “I don’t do jealousy, Julie. You’re my best friend. It’s my job to look out for you, and that man has ulterior motives. You need to stay away from him.”
She jerked back, stung by the insult. “Did you seriously just say the only way Brody would be interested in me is because he has a secret agenda? What the hell, Tommy?”
“Don’t make it sound worse than I meant it. That man is up to something, and I don’t trust him. I especially don’t trust him with you.”
Anger buzzed inside her. She was no longer the crying ten-year-old maiden he’d swept in and saved with his wooden sword. She was a grown woman who could take care of herself, and it was about damn time he saw it. “You don’t get to make demands on me. If I want to see Brody Minton, I’m going to see Brody Minton.” She poked him hard in the chest. “I’m done with your big brother shit. So drop it already.”
As she whirled to leave, a feral growl erupted from behind her. Strong fingers latched onto her wrist and spun her back around. His other hand snaked around the back of her head, and then his mouth was on hers. His fury was evident in the biting crush of his lips against hers, and all she could do was stand there, absolutely stunned. He kissed her hard, the taste of him searing through her senses as his tongue sliced between her lips to sweep hotly through her mouth. Once. Then he froze. And it was over.
He stumbled back, staring at her with wide eyes.
“Fuck!” He shoved a hand through his hair, then stormed off toward the house, muttering curses the entire way.
Pressing her fingers against her punished lips, she stared after him, just as horrified as he was about the kiss. Because that hadn’t been a kiss from a man who’d wanted to kiss her. That had been a branding of ownership.
And Julie Rogers was owned by no man.
…
What the hell had he just done?
Tommy slammed the back door behind him as he stalked into the kitchen. Fucking hell. Julie’d said the word “brother” again, and he’d simply lost it.
Next thing he knew he was grinding his mouth against hers. He never kissed like that. Out of outright jealousy…out of an anger-induced bitterness. That kiss had been the equivalent of his performance the night he defended his title—mind-numbingly pathetic.
Jealousy was not something he’d ever dealt with, and if it made him do stupid shit like this, then he’d rather do without.
Julie slammed into the house behind him. “What the hell was that, Tommy?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “A mistake.”
“No freaking joke.”
Yeah, she was pissed. She had every right to be, too. For more than two decades he’d done nothing but tell the woman she was his sister, and just when she started getting close to some guy, he pulls a chest-pounding me-Tarzan-you-Jane stunt like that. And for what?
Nothing. There wasn’t anything he could offer her instead.
Except, maybe, a damn good time in bed. But as much as his libido was all for that option, his heart wasn’t in it. He’d rather have his friendship intact. Which it wouldn’t be if he was his mother’s son—and so far he was.
Her hands jammed onto her hips. “I’m waiting for an explanation, Tommy.”
“I don’t have one,” he ground out.
“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”
He clamped his jaw. What did she want him to say? That he wanted to fuck her? Lay her down right there on the floor and pound into her hard? Have his way with her, as he’d had so many women in the past?
With a growl of anger, she shook her head. “This living situation isn’t working. I really think it would be best if you found somewhere else to go.”
Stunned, his mouth dropped open. “Julie—”
“I do not like being kissed like I am owned, especially by a man who has never once looked at me like I’m a woman. I don’t know what it is about Brody that has you all worked up, but you need to get over it. Do you understand?”
Fusing his teeth together, he remained silent. He had kissed her like he owned her, and he regretted that. But she was so wrong about the woman part, and for the first time, it bothered him that she had no idea how fucking hot he found her. Okay, maybe he had spent years only seeing her as a sibling, but he didn’t anymore. Never would again. That was the damn problem.
“I’ll start looking tomorrow,” he bit out.
She gave a curt nod. “I don’t think we should go to the wedding together, either. In fact, I want to go with Brody.”
First she refused a ride from him at the park, and now she wanted to go to a fighter’s wedding with a fighter who wasn’t him? Another wave of jealousy punched him right in the sweet spot, making him see stars. That violent urge to brand her as his almost crippled him.
“You would rather take him to the wedding?”
She nodded.