We turned into Enterprise. “Yeah, well, this isn’t as easy for me. That doesn’t mean I won’t work twice as hard to get it.”
“We’ll study, starting tonight. Whenever I’m free, I’ll help.” He laid out a detailed study plan as we pulled into our neighborhood, still going on about the merits of taping flash cards to the cabinets as I parked in the driveway next to Sam’s cabriolet. “We’ll minimize your distractions and get you into second place.”
“Second place, my ass,” I joked with him. If Jagger was on his A game, I’d be lucky to come in second.
I opened the door, and before I could close it, I caught the scent of vanilla…home. “Come here.” Sam raced up behind me, her eyes wide as she grabbed my hand in her tiny one and pulled me into the kitchen.
“What the hell?” I asked. “Are you okay? Is your mom okay? Do you need me to kill someone?” The questions fired out of my mouth as I thought them, my filter dropped with my bag in the entry hall.
“What? I’m fine, it’s not me.”
“Then what?” I cupped her face in my hands to steady her and so I could feel her racing pulse beneath my fingers.
“She got here like an hour ago and just started inspecting things, and going through your room, and kind of put me through the Spanish Inquisition. I really don’t think my sex life should be up for discussion.” She talked so quickly that I had to concentrate to make out the words. “And not that I mind sharing my clothes, but—”
“Who did?”
“Your sister!” she whispered loudly.
“My…” Holy shit. “Which one?”
“How many do you have?” Sam’s eyebrows shot toward the ceiling.
“Four. Now which one, Sam?” Not that they weren’t all pains in my ass, but if it was—
“Gray! I love what you’ve done with your room! I dropped my bag there, I hope you don’t mind, and oh, my heavens, aren’t you just the tastiest thing I’ve ever seen?”
Oh, hell no.
I turned slowly, keeping Sam protected behind my back as my sister raked her eyes up and down Jagger.
Josh walked through the front door. “God, I want off this detail. Why the hell can’t I start my classes the same time you guys do?” He rounded the corner to the kitchen, holding his uniform top in his hand, and my sister’s eyes bugged out. “Well, hello there…” He looked at the rest of us for an introduction.
“Oh my God, are all the army guys this hot? You could seriously sell tickets to this show.”
“Tell me about it,” Sam muttered, stepping around me.
“Grayson?” Jagger asked, thoroughly enjoying himself.
My jaw ticked a few times as I fought for control. My life was about to crash on all fronts. There was no controlling this one. Parker, Constance, hell, even Joey, I could have handled. But not her. “Josh, Jagger. Meet Mia, my baby sister. Hands off, or I kill you while you sleep.”
Jagger started laughing hysterically. “Well, so much for no distractions.”
Chapter Ten
Grayson
“What are you doing here, Mia?” I cornered her in the kitchen while Jagger fired up the grill.
“I wanted to see you,” she pouted.
“I just saw you less than a week ago. Now cut the crap.”
She bounced back on her heels to sneak a look out the window. “Why didn’t you say that your roommates are gorgeous?”
“Because I’m a guy, Mia. Now stay on topic. Why—how are you here?” She might only have been five foot two, but she could destroy the small amount of peace I’d managed to attain here.
“I took a flight? I told Mom I wanted to see you, and she thought it was good that someone was finally checking up on you.” She picked up Sam’s coffee mug, which still wore her shade of sparkly lip gloss. “Plus, I wanted to meet her.”
“Meet who? Sam?” I took the mug out of her hand and put it back on the counter. It was empty, which told me Sam would be back soon.
“The girl who made you smile.” She grinned like she’d caught on to some elusive secret.
“Mia… This is my life. Not some kind of matchmaking game. I wasn’t lying at home; Sam is just a roommate.”