It’s possible that being around his near nakedness may have screwed with my short-term memory.
“Great.” Cody shoves it into his pocket. “We’re finishing up here. You’re welcome to head in and see what you can do.”
“Oh, I need a ride back to the office. My truck—”
“Dad took your truck in.” Cody grins like he lit the fuse to a firework and he’s sitting back to enjoy the show.
“He did what?”
“Yeah, said it needed some work done.”
“He didn’t even ask me!” Controlling, pushy mountain man! I groan and let go of the fight that has me fisting my hands. The adrenaline rush and subsequent fall from the jump at Dead Man’s still simmers in my veins and cools my temper. “Whatever.”
“I can take her home.”
All eyes go to Lucas, who’s fidgeting with the bill of his baseball hat. “I need to work on my carving anyway. I’ll drop her off at Nash’s on my way.”
Cody slaps Lucas on the shoulder. “Sounds good. Thanks, man.”
“Um . . . hello?” I wave my hands between my brother and Lucas. “Believe it or not, I’ve managed to get myself through the last five years with zero help from y’all. I’m sure I can handle the decision on how I get home.” I cross my arms over my chest.
Lucas stays silent, but Cody matches my stance in a direct challenge. “Oh yeah? Go ahead.”
I take a moment to peruse the job site and see every available man engrossed in something. I clear my throat and throw back my shoulders. “I’ve decided to have Lucas take me home.”
My brother shakes his head and flicks my shoulder with his dirty hand. “Good idea, smart-ass.” Then walks away.
“Smart-ass? Guess I’ll just keep the fry bread tacos I brought you from—”
“Whoa . . .” He holds up a hand and whirls back toward me. “Did you say what I think you just said?”
“Oh I said it, and I’ll eat it if you don’t tell me I’m the best big sister in the world and that your universe would cease to spin without me in it.” I tap my foot, waiting.
“You are the best big sister ever.” He wraps me in a hug and groans. “Oh my God, I can smell it on you! Green chili?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I love you, I love you, I love you!” His eyes narrow on my head, then dart to Lucas’s, which is hidden mostly under his hat. “Shy, why are you wet?”
It’s a simple question with an easy answer. We stopped at Dead Man’s Drop, but for some reason it feels scandalous. I clear my throat and play it off casually. “Hot as hell out. Lucas hasn’t been, so we stopped at Dead Man’s.” I play off the weirdness I’m feeling with a grin.
Cody’s eyes grow tighter. Lucas shuffles his feet beside me as we agonize through the few seconds of pregnant silence.
“Cool.” Cody shrugs, all evidence of accusation erased from his face. “Don’t forget to leave me that taco, favorite sister of mine.”
I exhale, relaxing a bit, and turn to Lucas. His full, soft-looking lips pull into a smile. Something I’ve decided I really like seeing on him. He notices me staring and drops his gaze, but I don’t miss the upward turn of his lips intensifying. I celebrate a small victory at being the person who put it there.
LUCAS
After tossing the keys to the flatbed over to Cody, I wait for Shyann to get her bag of food out of the truck’s cab and grin as Cody tries to snatch it from her.
I leave them to their argument, a little uneasy about their fighting. They seem to be joking, but I can’t help but feel edgy and tense when they do it. Like at any moment one of them is going to decide it’s not funny and it’ll become a real fight. That, I can’t handle.
Shyann is on my heels as I reach my pickup. She climbs in and I turn over the engine.
“Thanks for the ride home. Sorry you have to do it.”
“It’s fine. It’s on the way.”
Her eyes come to me and I force myself to stay focused on the road because looking into the crystal-blue depths could drown me.
“My dad’s house isn’t on the way to anywhere. It’s miles off the highway in the dirt.”
“Oh, I . . . uh . . . I live about five miles past that. By the creek.”
She gasps and quickly covers her mouth. I can’t avoid looking any longer and once my eyes find hers, I wish they didn’t. Her face is pale and she’s glaring right at me.
Panic flares in my chest.
My pulse races.
My hands fist on the steering wheel and I try to regulate my breathing.
“You.”
She’s angry. I can’t take her anger. Not without risking a blackout. My skin gets hot and clammy. My vision blurs.
“This whole time it’s been you.” Her voice is softer now and it helps my fear, but only a little.
What is she talking about? The question freezes in my throat and darkness flickers at the edge of my mind
“He said one of his guys, I thought . . .” A defeated sigh falls from her lips. “Makes sense I guess.”