Up In Knots

by Gillian Archer

  Besides, time had run out.

  Trevor opened the door of the diner.

  No one would have trouble seeing the family resemblance. Like her and her sister, Trevor was fair and somewhat slight. But what he lacked in width, he made up in height. His six-foot-four-inch frame had to duck slightly to make it through the door.

  “Hey, Kyla, long time no see.” Kyla’s brother quickly crossed the small area and enveloped her in a huge, rib-crushing hug. The guy never did realize his strength.

  “Hey, Trev,” she gasped. Finally, after a moment, he stepped back and released her. “I, uh, Trev, this is Sawyer.”

  “Sawyer, huh?” Trevor surveyed Sawyer, taking in his black T-shirt, worn jeans and black polished boots. After an awkward pause, Trevor put his hand out. “Nice to meet you. Trevor Grant.”

  Sawyer’s mouth quirked with his trademark smirk and he took Trevor’s offered hand. “Nice to meet you, Trevor.”

  The guys exchanged silent stares but after a moment Trevor stepped back and looked away. A beat later he turned to her with one eyebrow raised. “Where’s Whitney? I’m hungry.”

  Thrown by the change of topic, Kyla could only stand there and gawp at him like a dying fish. Where was the interrogation? The prying, humiliating questions?

  Fortunately, Sawyer answered for her. “I don’t think she’s here yet.”

  Trevor sighed. “She’s always been the drama queen. Has to make an entrance. Come on. Let’s get a table. If she’s not here by the time the waitress shows up, it’s her loss.”

  Kyla watched silently while the guys took charge, requesting a table from the hostess, then leading the way to their table. She couldn’t help but remember a similar scene in a restaurant not too long ago and the naughty things Sawyer had done to her. A shiver swept her body.

  “Cold?” Sawyer held a chair out for her but the wicked twinkle in his eyes told her he knew exactly what she was thinking. And wanted her to know it. The jerk.

  “Thank you.” Kyla took the chair he offered and ignored his question. She was not starting that in front of her brother.

  “Are we too close to the vent, Ky? We could always ask for another table.” Her brother looked up at the ceiling trying to pinpoint the phantom draft.

  “I, uh, no. I’m fine.” She glared at Sawyer’s smug expression while he took his own seat right next to her. “Must have been a breeze or something.”

  “Or something,” Sawyer softly mocked next to her.

  She would’ve loved to elbow the smug S.O.B. but she didn’t want to give Trevor any hint of the undercurrents going on. Once seated, they gave their drink orders to the hovering waitress, and Kyla took refuge behind her menu.

  Mistake number one.

  “So, Sawyer, what do you do?”

  Kyla popped her head up from her menu to glare at her brother. She should’ve known better. The masculine pissing contest was only beginning.

  “I flip houses.” Sawyer sounded almost bored as he read the menu. But unlike her, he didn’t hide behind it. He looked up from the tabletop and straight into her brother’s eyes. “I’m almost finished with a job in Seven Hills. Know anyone looking for a house in the upper seven hundreds?”

  Trevor blinked. “Ah, no, not right now. Must be a very nice house though.”

  “It is,” Kyla cut in before thinking. She watched as her brother’s focus narrowed on her.

  “Oh it is, is it?”

  Busted. Like most overprotective older brothers, Trevor liked to think of her as the young kid she was when he’d moved out of the house. It could be cute on some occasions. This, of course, not being one of them. She’d really love to reach across the table and pinch that spot behind his arm—the one she’d found during one of their wrestling matches years ago. But they were adults now.

  She settled on glaring at him instead, telling him to knock it off with her eyes. “Yes, it’s a lovely house. What are you going to order, Sawyer?”

  Sawyer glanced between her and Trevor and back again. The amusement in his expression didn’t bode well for her either. She was afraid of what that devious man could or would do to increase his entertainment. His evil cackle from last night rang in her ears. She knew a happy sadist when she saw one.

  “I don’t know. What’s good here?”

  She blinked at his normal answer. She’d thought for sure he’d find some way to increase her discomfort.

  Her mind blanked.

  She was surprised when Trevor swooped in to answer.

  “I like the huevos rancheros. Or the chicken fried steak is pretty good. Don’t ever ask these girls for dietary advice. I swear to God, they survive on granola and yogurt alone.” Trevor faked a shudder. “That kind of food will kill a man.”

  “I don’t know. Kyla always seems to have an appetite around me.” Sawyer paused and gave Kyla an innocent wide-eyed stare, before continuing. “I’ve seen her eat steak.”

  Dodging Trevor’s suspicious glare, Kyla sank behind her menu once more. She should’ve known better. Apparently today was torture Kyla day. Why didn’t she get the memo? She had a feeling this was only the tip of the iceberg.

  “Hey guys, sorry I’m late.” Her sister, Whitney, approached the table and took a seat.

  Of course it was only morning. Apparently there was still a load of torture to come.

  “I hope I didn’t miss anything.” She looked significantly between Kyla and Sawyer. “And who’s this?”

  As if she didn’t know.

  “Whitney, this is Sawyer. Sawyer, this is my annoying little sister, Whitney.”

  “Pleased to meet you.” Sawyer half stood and shook Whitney’s hand.

  “So this is the infamous Sawyer?” Whitney took a ridiculously long moment to look between Sawyer and her sister, then leveled her teacher glare on Sawyer. “Sit tight. I wanna have a talk later about your intentions with our little Kyla.”

  Intentions? Correction—it had gone from bad to worse. The only thing that would make this even more humiliating was if her parents decided to tag along. Oh, crap. Her gaze darted from her siblings to the door. They wouldn’t have, would they? Whitney just smiled that mischievous smile of hers.

  “Okay, that’s it!” Kyla threw down her menu and glared at the two people she had known her whole life or close to it. “Sawyer is a friend. He’s here as a friend. I expect you to treat him like you do any other friend. No more looks. No more innuendos. Let’s eat breakfast and get the hell out of here.”

  An uncomfortable silence settled over the table. Kyla half wondered if she’d gone too far. But no. They were out of control. It was way past time to put them in their place.

  Their waitress returned with their drinks and took their order. Surprisingly, Sawyer had taken her brother’s advice and ordered the chicken fried steak. She half thought he’d just order coffee. He was hardly ever upright this time of day.

  “I’m sorry, Kyla.” After the waitress left, Whitney reached across the table and patted her hand.

  “Me, too. I just—after Adam... Well, we worry about you.” The expression in Trevor’s eyes made her feel two inches tall. “We only want the best for you. And we have to make sure any man in your life is a quality guy. Whether they’re only friends or something more.”

  Her throat grew thick with tears she refused to shed. She’d come too far emotionally to fall apart in the middle of a diner just because her siblings had told her something she already knew. But she still had to clear her throat before speaking. “I know. I get it. I love that you all worry about me and think about me. But you have to give me some space. And trust I have the good sense to pick some quality guys.”

  Trevor jerked his head in a short nod. She looked over at Whitney and wasn’t surprised to see a similar amount of emotion on her sister’s face.

  Whitn
ey looked away for a second before turning back with a mischievous smile. “Doesn’t mean that we won’t still torture you.”

  “Every chance I get,” Trevor threw in.

  Kyla shook her head and threw a commiserating look Sawyer’s way. But he didn’t return it. He watched her family with an expression she couldn’t fathom at first. It was almost like a mixture of sadness and longing and something else. She reached for his hand, but he pulled back and turned to her brother.

  And away from her.

  “I don’t know much about you guys,” Sawyer said. “What do you do, Trevor?”

  And just like that, the moment was over. The mood morphed to a more jovial atmosphere as Trevor told Sawyer about himself, while interjections from Whitney kept the mood light. Of course, they quickly turned from themselves to revealing her most cringe-inducing memories. Anything for a laugh and bonus points if it embarrassed Kyla.

  But Sawyer seemed to be enjoying himself. His twinkling gaze bounced between her siblings as they told the story about the time she got her head stuck in the railing at the zoo. She stared at him, not paying attention to the story—she’d heard it so many times before. He looked like anyone else listening to a humorous story. Yet there was a fragility there. In the set of his shoulders. The tilt of his head. Uncertain of what had caused the change, she wanted to cuddle him. Stroke his hair. Do anything she could to make it better. But she knew it wouldn’t be welcome. Just awkward and strange and make her siblings wonder what exactly was going on between the two of them. She could only watch and hurt for him.

  Finally after what felt like an endless meal—at least for her—Trevor and Sawyer tussled over the check before Sawyer won. Standing next to him at the register, they said goodbye to her brother and sister.

  “Next Thursday, right?” Trevor clapped a hand on Sawyer’s back.

  “Sounds like a plan.” Sawyer winked at her, then shook her brother’s hand.

  Sometime in the fog of her distraction, the guys had made plans to go rock climbing. She shook her head. Somehow they had gone from interrogator and criminal to best friends. She’d never understand men.

  “It really was nice to meet you, Sawyer. You’re everything Kyla said you were and more.”

  “Whitney!” Kyla knew her face was flaming bright red. She couldn’t believe her sister had said that. Whit had made it sound like she’d been raving about Sawyer nonstop. Just when she’d let her guard down, her sister gave her the punishing blow.

  “What? He is.”

  “Come on, big mouth. Let’s get out of here before Kyla kills you in front of all these witnesses. I’d hate to have to testify.” Trevor took their sister by the arm and tugged her toward the exit. “We’ll see you next week, Ky!”

  Kyla nodded and looked anywhere but at Sawyer. She could already picture the smug little grin curving his lips. She didn’t need to see the knowing look in his eyes too.

  “You know, they’re actually pretty great.”

  “Are you kidding me? They were embarrassing.” Kyla shook her head when she saw the wide grin on his face. Just as she’d thought. “The only thing that would’ve made it any worse would have been if my father was here. You think they’re bad? Dad’s ten times worse.”

  “It wasn’t that bad.” Sawyer took her hand and tugged her to the exit. As they pushed through the double doors, he slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. “You’re actually really lucky to have them.”

  Kyla snorted.

  Sawyer was silent as he opened the car door for her and helped her in. When he settled behind the wheel, he put the keys in and turned over the engine but didn’t put the car in gear. He cranked the A/C up, then sat with his hands on the wheel, staring silently ahead.

  Uncertain at the undercurrents, Kyla sat just as silently in the passenger seat. She didn’t know what was going on and didn’t know what to say to Sawyer. Did this have to do with that weird moment in the diner? Finally unable to take the silence for another second, she spoke up. “Is everything okay, Sawyer?”

  He dropped his head down onto the steering wheel and didn’t speak.

  Getting worried, she scootched over in her seat and rested a hand on his back.

  At her touch, he whirled around and glared at her. “Do you know how lucky you are? I’d give my eyeteeth for a family like yours.”

  Kyla jerked her hand back and stared at Sawyer open-mouthed. She couldn’t answer. What could she say in the face of his palpable pain?

  “I always knew my family was fucked up. No one else growing up was afraid of their dad. I think I figured that one out in kindergarten. Dads aren’t supposed to be miserable drunks who berate you every. Fucking. Day. You really are lucky though. You know that?”

  Kyla jerked her head in a semblance of a nod.

  “And not just because my dad’s a miserable S.O.B. Your family loves you, cares about you, worries about you. They want the best for you.” Sawyer pushed a shaky hand through his hair. “I don’t have that. My family only cares if I toe the line. That I keep up the façade of their fake fucking life. They don’t want to know what’s going on in my world. They want to be able to parade me around at their church functions. But only if I keep my mouth shut. They only want to see me if I don’t rock the boat.”

  Sawyer sat back with a frustrated huff. The tension in the car climbed. Kyla didn’t know what to say. She knew she had a better family life than most. But she never would have imagined life had been that rough for Sawyer. The knowledge of what he’d gone through, what his family was still doing to him made her heart ache. This wonderful, giving man deserved so much more.

  He clenched his hands on the steering wheel. “Just don’t apologize for them. You have nothing to apologize for.”

  “I-I, uh... Yeah. Okay.”

  Sawyer threw the car in gear and pulled out of the lot. The entire way back to his place, he didn’t speak or look in her direction. Whether he was uncomfortable about how much of himself he’d revealed or if he was still upset over his family, she didn’t know. She wanted to say something to make it all right. To help him with his family or at least with his feelings about his family, but she didn’t know what to say. Was there anything that wouldn’t be trite or reveal some unknown landmine? It wasn’t like she had much experience with those kinds of deep-seated emotions. After a few minutes she did the only thing she could.

  She reached over and held his hand.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Four days later, Kyla sat in her office before the next tumbling class started, reading a text.

  Having a party Fri. Wanna cum help set up?

  She grinned at Sawyer’s word choice. Everything always came back to sex with that man.

  She texted back, Depends do I get to cum before or after party?

  From Sawyer: Poppet, youll cum b4 DURING and def after.

  Good golly, it was a good thing no one was around. Her face flushed while her nipples hardened to discernible peaks. Sawyer could get her excited in nothing flat. He was definitely potent.

  She replied, How can I say no to that?

  From Sawyer: Great b @ my place no later than 5.

  “Kyla? Where the heck are you?”

  She startled like a spooked cat. Swearing under her breath at her sister, Kyla quickly texted back. Will b there w/ bells on.

  Diving over to her desk, she shoved her phone into a desk drawer, but the musical tones from inside were too hard to deny. She pulled her phone back out to read one last text from Sawyer.

  Sounds kinky. Where will they b hanging?

  “For crying out loud, Ky. The class starts in five minutes and we have to reset the mats.”

  Kyla looked up from her phone and into the annoyed eyes of her sister. “Sorry, Whit. I’ll be there in a sec.”

  She took a
second and quickly replied: Wldn’t u like to know!

  A smug little smile curving her lips, she returned her phone to her desk drawer and turned to leave. But Whitney was blocking her way.

  “Who was that? Sawyer?”

  Given her sister’s level of anger, it would be best to come clean immediately. They didn’t have time for an inquisition. She shouldered past her sister and walked into their gym. “Yes. It was Sawyer.”

  “Ooooh, getting serious? You must be if he’s making you late for setup.” The snide tone of Whitney’s reply had Kyla biting her lip.

  “And how many times did I set up alone because you were too busy in the back, whispering on your phone when you were dating Rick the Prick?”

  Whitney’s head swung around and she stared at her sister with rounded eyes. “Kyla! Language!”

  “Relax, Whit. There’s still plenty of time before the munchkins show up.”

  “Yeah, but still. We agreed not to curse in here.”

  “Technically it’s not a curse if it’s true,” Kyla murmured.

  They worked in silence for a few minutes, pushing mats into the middle of the large space and arranging them to their liking. Once everything was finally in place, Kyla plopped down on the nearest mat with a sigh.

  “I’m sorry I was snide,” Whitney said. “I guess I’m a bit punchy, given the fact that my virginal big sis is getting more action than me.”

  Kyla closed her eyes as she tried to hide her eye roll. Virginal? Oh, the things her sister didn’t know... “That’s okay. I get it.”

  The mat beneath her bounced as Whitney plopped down beside her. “So, how’s it going between you two? Getting serious?”

  And here we go. Kyla lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “Never was serious. We’re just...whatever. It’s not serious.”

  “You’re not? Isn’t this the same guy you were seeing a few weeks back?”

  Wow, had it been that long? Kyla mentally ran through her calendar. Huh. Apparently it had. “Yeah, so what?”

  “Then it’s serious.”

  Kyla snorted. “Yeah, I don’t think so. Not in this lifetime, anyhow.”