Page 85 of From London, With Love

More so than persuading her, I need to get her to come to her senses and realise there’s more between us than we make out. I’ve known it since that first moment; I need to find out if she has too.

“Right then,” Teddy says, breaking the silence and my train of thought. “If you’ve got nothing, let’s start with hopefully an easy one.” Teddy pulls a pen and paper from lord knows where and begins writing.

Rule 1. Keep it in your pants at the dinnertable.

“I’m sorry, have you ever known menotto do that?”

“Mate, I don’t know, orwantto know, what sort of shit you get up to in your own home, but I do know the way you talk about Lara. And let me tell you, it makes that rule necessary.”

We stare at each other for a moment before cracking smiles. Teddy starts to chuckle, and I can’t help but join in.

“What on earth are the two of you giggling like girls about?” Our sister’s voice has our heads snapping up to find her casually leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed with a smirk playing on her lips.

“None of your business.”

Emilia looks at me with raised brows as Teddy’s glare bores into the side of my face, but I refuse to look at him, gaze remaining locked on our sister instead. Her eyes slide to Teddy, then narrow as if waiting for him to spill.

“Lara.”

If this surprises Emmy, she doesn't let it show as she lets out a sigh.?

I turn my head to my brother, who’s looking far too smug for his own good. “You’re an arse.”?

“I merely answered our dear sister’s question.” Reclining in his chair, Teddy leisurely crosses his arms over his chest.

Our sister drops her arms and pushes off the doorframe with her shoulder.

“Teddy, would you give Carter and me a minute please?”

“For you, Emilia, certainly.” Teddy stands, sending a wink my way, before striding out of the library.?

“Wanker,” I mutter under my breath. He can’t hear me, of course, but it brings me a small satisfaction knowing I had the last word.

Emmy strolls into the library, taking the seat Teddy vacated. Her eyes narrow in on me, scrutinising.

“Please spare me whatever details you provided Teddy,given she’s my best friend, and it’s already weird enough, but I do want to know what you’re playing at here.”

“Playing at?” I parrot back, wondering what’s made her think any of this is a game.

Emmy nods, remaining silent.

“I’m notplayingat anything. This isn’t a game, Emmy. None of this is a game to me.”?

“Okay, okay, so you’re not messing her around. What are your intentions then?”

I can’t help but let out a chuckle. I wonder if she even hears herself. “Well, sir, my intentions with your daughter are completely and utterly honourable. And innocent,veryinnocent.”

With lightning speed, my baby sister slaps my bicep.Hard.

“Ow!”?

Emmy furrows her brows in my direction, arms crossing over her chest once more as she leans back in her chair. “Serves you right. Are you evernota sarcastic shit?”

That question sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?Of course, I’ve heard it from my own mouth, only it’s been directed at Lara. I’m amazed it’s taken me so long to realise we have that in common.Perhaps we’re more alike than I originally thought.

Uncertain whether it’s a rhetorical question or not and unwilling to give Emmy another reason to slap me, I just shrug and flash her a cheesy grin only she can pull from me. Whenever I’d piss her off when we were younger, I’d grin at her so intensely that my nose would scrunch, and my dimple would pop. For whatever reason, she thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Any ill feelings towards me would vanish, replaced instead by her contagious giggle—the same one she’s eliciting now. My cheeks are aching from laughing with her,but I know my sister well enough to know she’s still waiting for a real answer.

“Honestly, I just want to spend as much time with her as I possibly can before her visa expires and she’s half a world away.”

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