It wasn’t like she’d been home for too long.
“No, I don’t.”
She looked behind her to see he looked close to falling asleep. “You don’t?”
“No. This is my place and when you bring a woman back, they start to get ideas.”
“Ideas?”
“Yeah, like this is forever.” He kissed her neck.
She frowned. Did he even realize what he was saying? “James, you brought me back here.” Not just once either, but a couple of times.
“Yeah, imagine that.”
What did that mean? Did he see them together for forever? His words, not hers.
“Close your eyes, go to sleep, Eliza. You can analyze in the morning.”
Chapter Seven
“You’re making pancakes?” Caleb asked, coming downstairs in only a pair of boxer briefs with Rome not too far behind.
James ignored his brother’s puzzled look as he flipped the last three. He’d been making pancakes for the last hour. He’d put them in a low oven to keep warm. The coffee was brewing, and all he needed to do was heat the syrup, and most of the breakfast would be done. He’d also cooked his brothers some sausage and hash browns.
There really wasn’t anything else to do.
Running fingers through his hair, he saw Caleb was still staring at him like he was a foreign being.
“What?”
“You really, really, really like this woman,” Caleb said, sitting at the counter.
“I told you and Rome that I was going out on a date last night and you both decided to crash. Why?”
“You’re our big brother. I need to make sure the woman you’re fawning over is worth it.”
“Seriously? You’re going to do this to me?” James asked. When he’d woken up with Eliza still fast asleep in his arms, he’d felt overwhelming love for her. He couldn’t recall another time he’d been this fucking happy. Only remembering his brothers were here could spoil the moment with him.
“We’re taking care of you,” Rome said. “You know, how little brothers are supposed to. That kind of thing.”
He shook his head. “No, I want you both out. I don’t want you here when Eliza wakes up.”
“Why not?” Eliza asked, coming into the kitchen. She walked right up to him, wearing one of his shirts that came to her knees. Her hair was a mess, and she wore no makeup, but she looked like a goddess. She put her hands on his chest, going to her tiptoes and kissing him. “Morning.”
“Morning, beautiful.” His cock ached and he wanted to be inside her again.
“So why can’t your brothers be here while I am?” she asked, looking back to the coffee.
“It’ll be ready in a minute.”
She smiled, resting her head against his chest.
He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent, and just basked in her closeness. He felt like a fucking kid who had just gotten all the candy.
His brothers watched him with a smirk on their faces that made him want to murder them.
“Do you really want to see their ugly faces first thing in the morning?” he said by way of response when he realized she was still waiting for an answer to her question.
“I don’t mind. They’re your brothers. I think you’re being a little mean, but if that’s what you’re all used to…” she said.
“Don’t let him think for a second he should call us those names, Eliza. He’s being a mean, nasty man. You shouldn’t put up with him.”
She chuckled. “I’m not going to allow myself to come between siblings. Do you guys have a problem with me being here with your brother?”
“Babe, you don’t need to ask them that.”
“What are your intentions?” Caleb asked, looking way too smug.
There would come a day when he’d make his brother pay.
“My intentions?” She looked back at James. “I don’t know. I think James and I are having a good time.”
“James, is this true?” Rome asked.
He put his hands on Eliza’s shoulders. “Eliza and I will figure this out on our own. I don’t need my brothers attempting to embarrass me by pretending to protect me. Coffee is done. I’ve made breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
James poured her a cup and then went about serving her some food before taking care of his brothers. Once again, he caught sight of Rome watching her eat and he made a motion for him to cut it out.
“This is really good.” She grabbed his arm and looked at the time, wincing. “I need to go help my aunt today. She’s got one of the biggest deliveries. She’s catering to a wedding and we need to arrange them all to perfection.”
“We’ll finish up breakfast and I’ll take you.”
“Thanks.” She rested her head on his shoulder again. It was an action he really could get used to. He had to gain his composure around her or he was really going to fucking lose it. Did she even remember what he’d said to her? Did she want to talk about it?
“Do you like working for your aunt?” Caleb asked.
“Of course.”
“You want to be a florist for the rest of your life?” Rome asked.
“You guys don’t know tact, do you?”
“It’s a simple question,” Caleb said.
“One you don’t have to answer.” He really was going to kill his brothers. Since when were they so protective of him? He couldn’t recall a time they cared this much about a woman he was with.
In fact, in the past, he and Caleb used to go trawling the bars in a couple of towns to chase women. Why did they care now?
“I love working with my aunt. She’s always been there for me and if she ever left me the shop, I’d take care of it, but it’s not where my passion is. To be honest, I don’t know where my passion really is. I know I like to work hard and make a living, but that’s about it. Are you making sure I’m not after whatever family fortune you guys have?” she asked.
“We don’t have any fortune.”
“But if we did, would it help your decision?” Rome asked.
She laughed. “It must have been fun to have you two as brothers. I get the feeling you’re both troublemakers.” She finished her pancakes and coffee. “I’m going to get dressed.” She kissed him again on the cheek.
The moment she was gone, he grabbed his brothers’ half-finished plates. “Out.”
“James, come on.”
“I mean it. Get the fuck out.”
“We were only having a little fun.”
“Yeah, and you both know how I feel about her, so you can continue to have your fun elsewhere. I don’t even want to hear any excuse.”
He knew he was being harsh, but he really liked this woman and there was no way he was going to allow them to mess it up.
With them gone, he cleaned the plates, left them to drain, and grabbed his keys. He poured them both a coffee in the two travel mugs he owned. While he waited by the front door, Eliza came down, wearing a pair of his sweatpants and shirt.
“I hope you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all. You look beautiful.”