“Big brothers are overprotective. I get it. I’ve got four little sisters.”
“Yeah…” She picked up one of the little green fruits that were piled into a bowl on the counter. She rolled it between her fingers, studying it, but her thoughts seemed far away.
“Try one,” I said, grabbing one for myself.
“What are they?”
“Quenepa. I get them at the Caribbean market down the street. Reminds me of the Dominican. They call them limoncillo there. Little kids would sell them on the beach, and I ate them like crazy.” I cracked the green skin of one with my teeth before popping the sweet fruit into my mouth.
“Did you grow up there?”
I worked the flesh off the fruit and removed the seed, reaching for another.
“No, my mom did, though. I used to spend summers there with my sisters to see family. You know, until we grew up and had to find real jobs.” I smirked, but something told me she didn’t know that much about summer jobs. Darren was as down to earth as they came, but he and his siblings were born into money. The kind of money I knew nothing about.
She shrugged with a smile. “Nothing like the summers of youth.”
“No kidding. Now it’s running into burning buildings and laying tile. Not nearly as fun.”
“Seems like you’ve all got side gigs. Like risking your lives every day isn’t enough.” She folded her arms and leaned in.
I shrugged. “Yeah, but I’ve had this one since high school. I learned the trade from my dad. He put me to work as soon as I could be trusted with power tools.”
She laughed. “Do you still work together?”
“Nah.” I shook my head and avoided her penetrating gaze.
I was mixed up enough. Last thing I wanted to talk about was my father…or that gaping hole in my chest that his death had left behind. I tensed my jaw. Nope. Wasn’t going there.
“I guess I should get cleaned up.” She stood, came beside me, and reached for my plate.
“I can get this. Don’t worry about it.” I rose, stopping her. But as I did, I sensed her heat. My breath caught being this close. Close enough that I could inhale her lavender scent and see the small reactions of her body. Her short breathing, her nipples getting hard under Will’s T-shirt. Her back was to the counter. Another few inches in her direction, and I’d have her pinned.
Her gaze flickered up to mine and then lowered down my bare chest. She reached out and softly traced the mosaic of ink that stretched across half my torso.
My heart raced. All my senses went on high alert, reacting to her proximity. I tensed, silently praying that this would be her last night here. I’d never known Will to let a girl stay overnight. I had no idea what his plan was. I didn’t want Will to hurt her, but I couldn’t do this. She was temptation personified, and I was so fucked right now.
“What does it mean?” Her voice was as soft and sensual as her touch.
I shook my head, my jaw tight. “Doesn’t matter.”
A hundred women might have asked me the same question, but for the first time since the needle had hit my skin, I wanted to say it out loud. I wanted to tell her. But I couldn’t…wouldn’t.
When she pulled her hand away, I caught it and pressed it back against my ribs. My hand covered the delicate planes of hers. I took the last step that had us nearly touching, and she sucked in a breath. I caressed up her arm, slowly, reveling in her softness. I sifted my fingers through the silky strands of her hair and angled her face up to me. Her eyes were hazy. Those beautiful rose-colored lips parted like they were begging without words. And she didn’t move, even as my skin burned under her touch. I bent toward her, craving those luscious lips, inhaling her scent into my lungs. Even as my mind screamed…
Don’t do this.
Don’t fucking do this.
OLIVIA
“Good morning.”
Will’s husky voice filled the room. My heart ricocheted off the walls of my chest a few dozen times before settling into a panicked rhythm. Oh, God.
I pulled my hand away from Ian, but I couldn’t move any farther. He had me all but pinned against the counter. Then his touch fell away, and he stepped back. That small relief took the edge off my panic, but nothing about his stolid expression implied that he was rattled by Will’s presence.
If Will cared, he didn’t show it either. He was dressed already, in jeans and a blue collared shirt that set off his eyes. He opened the cabinet and pulled out a mug.
Ian walked past him. “Help yourself to breakfast. I’m going to get some sleep.”
Will didn’t look up as he poured his coffee. “Long night?”
“You know it.”