by R. C. Martin
“Recent grad? As in…undergrad?”
When Benjamin said nothing in reply, but instead took another pull of his beer, Judah was struck with a moment of clarity. All at once, his brother’s nonchalance made perfect sense.
“You son-of-a-bitch.” He fought a wry grin as he shook his head at his brother. “That’s why you thought this was a good idea. You knew—you knew the chances of me showing any interest in her sister would be slim to none.”
Benjamin shrugged, but Judah couldn’t help but to laugh. He had to hand it to him—his brother played this round well. While he didn’t consider himself old by any stretch of the imagination, at thirty-one, he surmised a woman in her early twenties would leave much to be desired.
For a moment, his thoughts drifted toward Teddy. He heard her sweet voice in his ear, and his dick stirred at the thought of her beautiful, lithe figure and her long, red hair. He was aware her age was younger than what he had grown accustomed to—but he couldn’t deny the ways in which his body responded to hers.
And her eyes—there was something in her eyes.
“What’s the matter, big bro?” asked Benjamin, clapping a hand on Judah’s back. “Can’t remember life fresh out of college? Afraid you won’t have anything to talk about?”
“Drink your beer, Ben—just, drink your beer.”
Chapter Thirteen
“All right. Your turn.”
I stared at my sister’s reflection, cast in my vanity mirror, ready for her to take the floor.
“He’s going to call you,” she murmured from behind me, giving my shoulder a squeeze.
I drew in a deep breath and wiggled uncomfortably on the stepstool on which I was perched. My hair had been washed and dried, but it remained a wild mess. Harper was stalling, and I was half tempted to pounce. The only reason I told her about Judah was because I wanted to know what she was hiding. Her reassurance was both unnecessary and undesired.
“No, see, this is what girls do,” I grumbled, pointing a finger at her reflection. “They hear the facts and then they twist them into something else, something romantic—something false. He’s not going to call me. It’s fine.”
“No man puts in that much effort only to take back his invitation when you’ve finally said yes.”
“Harper Isla—if you don’t shut up about Judah, I swear I’ll—”
“Need I remind you I’m holding the flatiron?” she interrupted. “I wouldn’t threaten me if I were you.”
I glared at her reflection.
“Hussy.”
“Bitch.”
“Skank.”
“Whore.”
I couldn’t suppress my amusement at that last one. “Yeah, you know me, your regular harlot.”
Harper laughed and then leaned over my shoulder to kiss my cheek. “I love you.”
“I know,” I sighed. “I love you, too.”
She rested her chin on my shoulder and then whispered, “His name is Ben. He’s amazing. A-fucking-mazing. And he’s in town for the day, like me. And we’re meeting him tonight for dinner. And before you give me shit about being the third wheel, he’s bringing his brother, so it’ll sort of be like a double date. And you can’t hate me, because I really like him. Like—I really like him. So, you’re going to come, because you are the best sister in the world. And it’s going to be fun. And you’re going to look hot!”
I gaped at her via the mirror, totally and completely speechless. For a minute, we just stared at one another. In all honesty, I wasn’t sure which part of her confession I was going to address first. I also managed to have the presence of mind to remember her previous warning. She was wielding the flatiron, and I had no weapon to defend myself against my ferocious mane other than her.
“Okay,” I said before I took another deep breath. “How about you start from the beginning?”
Just as I assumed, it took Harper an hour to tame my hair. All the while, she regaled me with the details of her spring, which she neglected to tell me throughout the day. An hour after she finished my hair, we were both dressed and ready to go. My sister, of course, looked incredible. Her green dress was vibrant against her pale skin, and the cut made me a little jealous of her boobs. Her makeup, as always, was flawless; and her hair, which she took the time to curl, made her look elegant and timeless. I did my best to look worthy of her company. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I felt pretty in my new dress—my silky locks straightened and hanging almost to my waist. Yet, as pretty as I felt, I was also nervous.
“What did you say Ben’s last name was?” I asked my sister as she drove slowly, in search of a parking spot.
“Delaney,” she muttered absentmindedly.
I fought a laugh, amused at how easy that was, and opened up my Instagram app. I hadn’t used the app in a while—social media not so much my thing—but desperate times called for desperate measures.
“Teddy!” she gasped before she snatched my phone from my hands. “You are not going to Insta-stalk him.”
I scowled at her, annoyed she caught me while driving. Respectful of the fact that my life was in her hands so long as she remained behind the wheel, I didn’t so much as entertain the idea of trying to steal the device back.
“Well, if someone had more information to give me, I wouldn’t have to resort to online stalking,” I argued.
“You’re kidding, right? I practically talked your ear off about him.”
“Yeah—about Ben, your blond-haired, blue-eyed attorney with a heart of gold. You don’t even know his brother’s name. I mean, for the love, Harp—if you’re going to make me go on a double date with you, the least you could do is get a name.”
She laughed, my confirmation she knew I was right. “Did I mention we had this conversation while he was in the middle of kissing me goodbye? Sweet baby Jesus, it’s a wonder I remember he even has a brother after that kiss. The man melts my panties, every damn time.”
I rolled my eyes and stifled a groan as I directed my gaze out the window. When I saw an empty parking spot up ahead, I contemplated not telling her—which would have made us even more late.
Serves her right, I griped before I caught a clue.
I realized, if I didn’t tell her, we would end up far enough away that we’d be forced to walk a couple blocks to our destination. While my shoes were more comfortable than most, they weren’t that kind.
“Fuck—how do you live in this town? You can’t find parking for shit.”
“There,” I told her, pointing to the spot that remained empty.
“Hallelujah.” She whipped her car into the vacancy, shifted into park, and then turned to grin at me. “Are you ready?”
I forced a smile and a nod. “Yup.”
“Promise you won’t stalk him from here to the door?”
She dangled my phone between us, and I was quick to grab it. “Yes, I promise.”
As we made it across the street and onto the sidewalk, her excitement began to wane. I could almost feel it as her anxiety crept between us, like a third wheel.
“I’m nervous,” she murmured, shaking her hands. “I’m being ridiculous, right? I have no reason to be nervous. I mean, he’s touched my boobs. This? This is just dinner.”
I laughed and quipped, “Yes, you’re being ridiculous—unless you’re afraid I’ll embarrass the shit out you, ruining any and all chances of your happily-ever-after.”
“He and his brother are actually really close,” she said, ignoring my joke. “God—what the fuck was I thinking? We’ve only been seeing each other for a month. Why did I suggest meeting family?”
This time, when I looked over at my sister, it wasn’t irritation I felt. I could see it—see her heart on her sleeve. She hadn’t exaggerated earlier. She was totally head-over-heels for the guy. In that moment, I realized I wasn’t her tag-along. She actually needed me.
“Harp, stop,” I coaxed. Taking hold of her elbow, I gently tugged her into stillness in front of me. “Take a deep breath.” She did as
I instructed, and I offered her an encouraging smile. “First of all, you are an incredible woman. Something tells me Ben knows that. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have agreed to tonight in the first place. And if his brother doesn’t like you, he’s crazy.” I paused and scrunched my face at her. “That shit could be genetic, though. So, if Ben breaks up with you after dinner, it’s probably for the best.”
She chuckled, and I watched her shoulders relax as I kept going.
“Also, you look like a hot piece of ass. Who knows, maybe they’ll both want you by the time the night is over.”
“Teddy Bear,” she started to say as she reached for my hand. “You are the best wing-woman in the world.”
“I know,” I replied with a playful shrug.
“Okay, come on—before they think we stood them up.”
She didn’t let go of me as we hurried toward the restaurant. When we passed through the front entrance, she gave my fingers a squeeze. I squeezed back, reminding her she wasn’t alone. The hostess was in the middle of greeting us when Harper gasped. I then watched as the most brilliant smile lit up her face.
“I see him.”
She thanked the hostess and then began to pull me toward the bar.
“Whoa, Speed Racer, calm down. Where are they?”
“Right over there.”
She pointed. She waved. And my world came to a screeching halt.
There, standing beside a handsome blond I hardly saw, was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my entire life. He was wearing a light blue, button-down shirt tucked into a pair of khaki slacks. His collar was undone, and his sleeves were rolled up his forearms. The sight of him reminded me of his touch, and it became increasingly difficult for me to breathe.
As if my lack of oxygen was what my brain needed to bring me back to reality, I reheard myself and the humiliating message I left on his voicemail that morning—before coffee. The message he hadn’t returned.
When our eyes met from across the room, I was mortified.
“Teddy?” asked Harper as she gave my fingers a tug.
My feet were planted since the moment I saw Judah. It occurred to me, seeing as Harper had yet to let me go, she hadn’t made it very far, either. “Teddy Bear?”
I forced my gaze away from Judah and glared at my sister.
“Harper, I love you to death—but right now, I could actually kill you.”
She glanced back over her shoulder, then turned back and frowned at me. “Um, from the looks of things, you should be thanking me. He’s fucking hot.”
My grip tightened around her hand, and I tugged her closer to me. Speaking through clenched teeth, I murmured, “From the looks of things, Ben Delaney is standing next to Judah St. Michaels. I don’t know if this is just some twisted mix-up or what—but this, this right here, is why you should have asked for his brother’s name!”
Harper sucked in a breath, and her mouth formed a perfect O before she choked out a laugh. I narrowed my eyes at her, not even the slightest bit amused.
“Shit,” she giggled.
“Yeah—shit is about how I feel right now. Thanks.”
As if my words had flipped a switch inside of her, Harper’s demeanor changed in an instant. She straightened her spine and reached for my chin with her free hand as she scowled at me—like I was somehow in the wrong.
“Theodora Rose, listen to me. First of all, you are an incredible woman.”
I groaned and closed my eyes, irritated she was using my own words against me.
“Hey,” she clipped, jerking my chin. This was all the insistence I needed to open my eyes. She arched an eyebrow at me and continued. “Something tells me Jude senses that, or he wouldn’t have bought you those flowers. Twice. And if he doesn’t call your tatted ass after tonight, he’s crazy. Now, come on. I’m a kick-ass wing-woman, myself. We got this, bitch.”
She ended her speech with a quick kiss on my cheek, and I bit back my retort.
God, I muttered to myself as she began to drag me across the room. I hate it when she calls me that.
Chapter Fourteen
The moment his eyes found hers, Judah truly understood and appreciated what a doe-eyed-look actually looked like. As they stared at one another, he had to concentrate his thoughts in such a way that would slow down the rush of blood headed straight for his groin. With her brown eyes trained on him, and her surprise so evident on her face even from across the room, it took him a great deal of effort. Though, it wasn’t just her face that turned him on.
She looks absolutely stunning, he observed to himself as he admired her.
The dress she wore cupped her small, perky breasts in such a way that he felt envious of the fabric; and while he thought he preferred the natural texture of her hair, he couldn’t deny how ethereal she looked with her straightened locks falling down to her waist.
“Um—why is Harper’s sister looking at you like that?”
Benjamin spoke in the same moment in which Teddy broke eye contact with Judah. While it was obvious the two actions could not be tied to one another, he had to convince himself any resentment he felt toward his brother at the loss of Teddy’s gaze was nonsensical. Yet, regardless of the reason behind why she looked away from him, he could think of nothing other than his desire for her undivided attention.
“Judah,” Benjamin called. He hit his brother’s shoulder in a further attempt to capture his attention. When Judah finally managed to tear his eyes away from Teddy, Benjamin studied him with a scrunched brow. “Shit,” he muttered. “Tell me you haven’t put your dick in Harper’s sister. Please, I’m begging you.”
Judah didn’t even attempt to conceal his mischievous grin. A soft chuckle rippled out of him before he replied, “Not yet, dear brother. Not yet.”
Benjamin didn’t get the chance to ask any further questions before the women began to make their way toward them. Judah noticed that while Teddy stood an inch or two taller than her sister, the resemblance they bore to one another was obvious. He applauded his brother’s choice. Harper was, indeed, a knock-out. However, Judah’s preference belonged to the younger of the two.
Benjamin sat his beer down as soon as Harper was within reaching distance.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he said in greeting. He opened his arms for her, and she walked straight into them, grinning when he went a step further and kissed her cheek fondly.
“Hi,” she hummed as she let him go. “So, I think we aren’t the only two who know each other.” Harper looked at Judah, then to Teddy before resting her gaze on Benjamin.
“Yeah. I’m getting that vibe.” As he spoke the words, he wrapped his arm around Harper’s waist, pulling her into his side. They both pinned their attention on Judah and Teddy, who stood on the opposite side of the round table. It was obvious they were waiting for an explanation.
Judah cast his gaze down at Teddy and found her staring at her fingers, which she was wringing anxiously. Unsatisfied to have her so close and yet so far from him, he reached his hand up until his fingers were grazing her jaw. He followed the delicate edge of her face until he reached her chin, then titled and turned her head until she was looking at him. The blush that danced across her cheeks excited him, and he had to force himself to stare at something other than her parted lips as he began to grow hard in his slacks.
He swallowed his lust and announced, “We’re merely acquainted with one another. But that will soon change.”
Teddy flinched in his grasp, which caused Judah to lose his grip. He allowed his hand to fall to his side as she murmured, “You didn’t call me back.”
“I will,” he stated as he reached for the remainder of his scotch.
“Ah, see? I told you he was probably just busy,” said Harper. “And now we know why.” She beamed up at Benjamin, and a smirk pulled at the side of Judah’s mouth. He was pleased to know he had been a topic of conversation between the two.
“Yes, by all means, blame me,” interjected Benjamin. “I can be quite the demanding brother. By th
e way, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Ben,” he added, extending his hand across the table.
Teddy returned the gesture and murmured, “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
“And, Harper, this is my brother—”
“Judah St. Michaels,” Harper finished for him. She and Judah shook hands, but he was more interested in the question he saw reflected in her gaze than the gesture she offered him. As if she could read his thoughts, she said, “So—St. Michaels, Delaney—there’s a story there, right? Not to mention the whole good cop/bad cop thing you two have going on.”
“You lost me at the end, there, babe,” said Benjamin on a laugh.
Harper smiled up at him, affectionately tracing her fingers down his cheek as she clarified, “Light blond hair, pale blue eyes.” She then looked to Judah and stated, “Dark brown hair, charcoal gray eyes.”
“Mmm,” hummed Benjamin with a nod. “That’s an explanation best shared over dinner. Shall we tell the hostess our party is ready?”
“Hell, yes. I’m starving,” declared Harper.
Benjamin grinned at his date and then tipped his chin at Judah, signaling toward the front. Teddy started to follow after them, and Judah was quick to down the rest of his scotch before he caught up with her. When he reached out to rest his hand on the small of her back, he could feel her sharp inhalation, and it made him smile.
Tonight just got a whole lot more interesting.
It wasn’t long before they were seated at a table for four—Teddy on Judah’s left, and Benjamin on his right. As soon as they were settled, their server approached to take their drink orders. When Teddy asked for a glass of white wine, it didn’t go unnoticed by Judah how confident she was in her selection. He surmised chardonnay was her poison of choice, and he appreciated her taste.
“So, about that story…” she insisted casually.
It was Benjamin she addressed; but as her words hung in the air, her gaze flicked in Judah’s direction for a fraction of a second. When she caught Judah’s eye, her lips parted open and she was quick to look away.
