Reassured, she’d followed Hunter into the kitchen while Memphis chose to play with Turbo, greeting the dog like a long-lost pal.
Hunter made the waffles and she tried to deal with her disappointment.
Her first night getting it on with Hunter, over before it had really begun.
He’d shared his past with her, and instead of being able to say all the things she wanted to say, they were sitting here now, eating waffles. Granted, delicious waffles. And she had been hungry, but still...
The silence was nearly suffocating.
After scooping in another buttery, syrupy bite, she went back to studying Memphis. He was probably as tall as Hunter, but a little leaner. She supposed he could have a knife or gun strapped to his ankle, but he was Hunter’s brother, so she should give him some leeway.
Hunter nudged her.
When she glanced at him, she caught his scowl. “What?”
“He doesn’t like you staring at me,” Memphis said, as if women staring was the norm in his world. “Great waffles, Hunter. Almost as good as Mom’s.”
“It’s her recipe.”
“She’ll be tickled when I tell her.”
Not the least put off by their inane chatter, Jodi clarified, “I was staring at you because you look a lot like Hunter. Do you two get that from your mama or your daddy?”
Slowly, dark blue eyes twinkling, Memphis smiled. “I love how you talk. It’s like a mix of country bumpkin with a blunt edge.”
Unsure if she’d just been insulted, Jodi sat back.
Hunter seemed appeased, but he warned his brother, “Say or do anything that bothers her, and you’ll be back outside the door in a nanosecond.”
“Do I bother you, sweetheart?”
Ah, she was starting to catch on. The two brothers loved each other, but they also had some sort of sibling bickering going on, not much different from how Cade and Reyes heckled each other. “First, not your sweetheart, so don’t call me that again. Second, I don’t know you, and other than the importance of you being Hunter’s brother, you don’t matter to me.”
“Meaning if he ruthlessly tosses me out, you wouldn’t mind?”
“Hey, it was my first sleepover, you know? I’d just as soon you weren’t here anyway.” She shifted her gaze to Hunter. “I had plans.”
Those same blue eyes were very different on Hunter. “Our plans haven’t changed,” he assured her. “Memphis will sleep at the other end of the house.”
Grinning now, Memphis agreed. “I’ll even convince Turbo to keep me company.”
Huh. So Hunter didn’t care if his brother knew his private business? Fine by her. “Appreciate it.” Jodi went back to eating, aware of the two brothers smiling at each other. Yeah, she was an oddity and she knew it, but she wanted what she wanted. Hunter.
Getting up for more coffee, Memphis said, “Mom and Dad both have dark hair, but Mom’s is curlier. We get our height and shoulders from Dad’s side of the family. They’re all tall, including our grandparents.”
“You have grandparents?”
“Pretty sure everyone does.”
Not her. She didn’t have parents, aunts or uncles... Until the McKenzies, she’d had no one. “How is your mom built?”
Smile flickering, Memphis said, “She’s bigger than you, but then, who isn’t, right? Compared to us, she’s short.”
“I’m not short,” Jodi denied, just to be contrary.
“I guess you’re taller than Turbo.” Memphis moved on. “Seriously, I am sorry to drop in unannounced.”
Jodi wasn’t sure if that was addressed to her or Hunter, until he continued.
“Once I talked to you, though, and knew you were coming around, I had to see you. It’s been over a year.”
Hunter accepted that. “I appreciate how patient you’ve been.”
“It wasn’t easy. Mom’s going to kill me when she finds out I visited without bringing her, but I figured one at a time—for now.”
“I’ll talk with her soon.”
Memphis’s gaze cut to Jodi and he carried over the pot to refill her cup as well. “You’re not what I expected.”
Jodi opened her mouth, but he didn’t give her a chance to say a single word.
“You’re better. So much better,” he emphasized. “Hunter would never be content with the standard relationship, not after the life he’s led.”
Jodi was offended on behalf of all womankind. “Every woman is different.”
“And yet some stand out.”
“Memphis,” Hunter warned.
“I’m just saying. She’s different—in a good way.”
Hunter’s warm gaze moved over her. “On that, we agree.”
Flustered by their praise, Jodi snorted. “What is it with the Osborn boys and outrageous compliments?”
“We both have eyes, we’re intelligent and we can see beneath the surface.” Memphis gave her a sincere smile that was markedly different, less teasing than what she’d seen from him so far. “I couldn’t figure out what had happened, but now that I’ve met you...” His voice softened. “It all makes sense.”
“Time out.” Jodi pushed away her plate and scowled. “You don’t know me.”
“I know plenty.” Memphis sat and he, too, pushed away his plate. Unlike her, he sat forward and folded his arms on the table. “One, you’re hot.” He said in an aside to Hunter, “It’s cute that she doesn’t know it.”
“Yeah,” Hunter agreed. “But I’m convincing her.”
Damn it, she was going to stay in a state of embarrassment. Why the heck was Hunter letting his brother carry on, anyway? He seemed...satisfied? Yeah, that was his expression. As if he liked that his brother had strong opinions on her. “Nothing about me is cute.” Ready to disabuse him of that absurd notion, she narrowed her eyes. “Should I prove it?”
“Two,” Memphis continued, not at all perturbed by her threat, “you speak your mind.”
“Most people don’t like that,” she quickly pointed out.
“Intelligent people do. Three—” he nodded at the gun “—you have trust issues, and you’re secure enough that you don’t care if others know.”
“Not trusting people makes me secure?” She shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense.”