I stand frozen. Babe. My heart flutters in my chest. Turning back to the truck, I step up on the running boards, grab his keys from the ignition, and search around for his phone. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I use the flashlight to search on and under the seat. I don’t see it anywhere. I go to step down and lose my footing. I’m prepared to fall when two strong arms wrap around me.
“Easy, beautiful,” Rip says softly.
“S-Sorry. I couldn’t find your phone,” I tell him once my feet are planted firmly on the ground.
He pats his shorts pockets and grins. “Oops.” He smiles, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“Here are your keys.” I hold out my shaking hand.
Rip takes the keys and then laces his fingers through mine. “You ready for bed, or do you need to wind down a little?” he asks, guiding me into the house with his hands still linked with mine.
“Uh, wh-what is everyone else doing?”
“Lara and Colby are in the spare bedroom. Corbin is passed out on the couch.” I open my mouth to say something. I’m not sure what when he beats me to it. “I was hoping we could maybe watch some TV or something?”
“Sure, yeah, we can do that.” I’m relieved at the offer. I’m here for him, so I’m not ready for tonight to end. Not yet.
With our hands linked, he leads me down the hall and pushes open a door. It’s a bedroom. A huge bedroom decorated in black and gray. It’s very masculine, and it smells like him. Glancing around the room, I spot a huge TV that takes up almost the entire wall. “Were you going for the movie theatre vibe?” I point at the TV.
Rip’s laughter wraps around me like a warm embrace. “This room is huge, and I didn’t want to have to squint to see the TV.”
“Got ya. Maybe you should have your eyes checked,” I tease.
“I’ve got twenty-twenty vision.” His eyes roam over my body. My skin flushes from his attention. Clearing his throat, he lets go of my hand and opens a dresser drawer. “You can sleep in this,” he says, handing me a T-shirt. “Bathroom is through that door.” He points to a door on the left side of the room.
“Thanks.” I offer him a smile and make my way to the bathroom. Once inside, I shut the door and turn the lock. I need a minute. I’ve hung out with Rip hundreds of times, and we’ve watched countless hours of TV together, with and without his sister. However, this time feels different. We’re no longer kids, and my body's reaction to his says that it’s all too aware of that fact.
Now, here I am in his bathroom, changing into one of his shirts—the lawyer in me is overanalyzing. Rip is just being Rip. He’s always been nice to me, and that’s no different now. However, what I thought was a childhood crush is back in full force, and I need to learn how to keep my libido in check around him. He’s Rip, my best friend’s older brother.
I can do this.
I change into the shirt he gave me. He’s so tall that it hangs to my knees, so I take off my shorts and fold them neatly with my tank top, setting them on the chair that sits in the corner. This bathroom is huge, so big in fact that all five of us could fit in the shower and not touch one another. It’s beautiful with the dark tile, contrasted with the white molding. Rip really did an amazing job on this place.
Taking a deep breath for courage, I twist the lock and turn the handle. Rip is lying on the bed, sans shirt, now in a pair of basketball shorts. His muscular arm is resting behind his head while the other pats the mattress next to him.
“Come lie down.”
I try to hide the tremble in my knees as I walk to the bed and climb on, settling beside him. He surprises me when he moves my way, places his arm around me, and points the remote at the TV.
I’m reeling from what’s transpired tonight. There is hope in my heart, that this is leading to something more. I don’t have a crystal ball to tell me what the future holds. What I do know is that I can’t resist him. Not like this.
Chapter 3
Rip
No way in hell can I have her in my bed and not hold her. It’s physically impossible. She leans into my side, and I can feel her body relax. Fuck me, but this is more than I ever expected tonight, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to enjoy every second of my time with her.
“What do you want to watch?” My fingers tap the button on the remote, scrolling mindlessly through the channels.
“Meh, I don’t really watch much television. My nose is usually buried in a book, or I’m working.”
“Yeah? At the law firm close to school, right?” I pretend like I don’t already know the exact details of the last five years, not only has she worked at the big city law firm, she’s worked at a coffee shop just off of campus. When Laramie talks about McKenna, I soak up every morsel of information like a sponge. I told myself it was because she was a childhood friend, my sister's best, but lying here with her in my arms, I know that was just an excuse. One I told myself to feel better about needing to know about her life away from me.
“A coffee shop just off campus. I was part-time at the law firm, so I did both. I didn’t get many hours at the coffee shop, but it was extra cash.” I feel her shoulders shrug. “I usually picked up a few shifts on the weekends.”
“All work and no play?” I hit the power button to turn off the TV and toss the remote onto the nightstand. There’s nothing more interesting than the woman in my arms.
“Pretty much.” She laughs. “I worked hard to keep my grades up to be accepted to law school. I took a full course load of classes each semester. Add in work and time for studying, and there’s not much time for play. Then when law school actually started, it was even more studying.”
“Surely the men in Massachusetts were beating down your door,” I tease her. There’s a knot in my gut thinking about some hoity-toity lawyer type swooping her off her feet. Not that I can be pissed. I’ve never told her that I think she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.
“Yeah, not really. I’m a country girl through and through. It’s all Ivy league sweater vest types, and that’s just not my thing.” Her nose scrunches up, and I wrangle with the idea of pressing my lips there.
The tension in my gut releases. “You can take the girl out of the country,” I say, making her smile.
She shifts so that she’s lying on her side, and I do the same. “I don’t really fit in there, not like I do here. Everyone is so uptight, and it’s just not me. However, their law program is outstanding, and my education was important. I wanted to be the best lawyer that I can be.”
“You’re happy to be home?” I know the answer. I heard her talking to Laramie about it earlier, but I want her to tell me too. I need to hear her say it. Something primal in me needs to hear her say she’s home to stay.
“Yes,” she agrees. “I’ve missed this place so much. The people,” she whispers, looking up at me. “Anyway, Gramps is ready to retire. Although, I hope I can work side by side with him for a little while at least.”
“You’re going to be a kickass attorney,” I say, tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear.