Page 33 of The Other Guy

“What?!” Sierra asks, practically exploding from her seat.

“Calm down,” I tease.

Her jaw drops. “You did not just tell me to calm down.”

“She’s my cousin now. When I kissed her, she wasn’t.”

“She’s my niece. They had a very brief love affair…” Dad jokes.

“Gross, Dad.”

“High school romance. For a few weeks. Then they realized they would end up being family from my marriage to his mom and decided it was disgusting.”

“I’m so confused.”

“Maggie and I went to high school together. I had a crush on her then Dad started dating my mom. We quickly shut it down. We’re friends. Cousins. Nothing more.”

“I just like to give Jack shit about it.”

“He is awful fun to tease.”

With plates empty but the conversation still flowing, Sierra asks more questions about my teenage years and taking in every detail he gives her. He tells her what sports I played and how I’d zone out while playing Xbox. How I was always a morning person, waking practically with the sun. He told her that I went to live in Illinois, breaking his heart, to go to culinary school and had offers from five-star restaurants but turned them down because I wanted to repair his broken heart by returning to Michigan. That made Sierra and I laugh.

The waitress returns to see if we would like a slice of pie and none of us hesitate to order, my dad suggesting we each order a different kind and share because there would be no way he could decide what he wanted.

“You’re as bad of an influence on my eating habits as she is.”

“All the more reason to like her.”

Our waitress returns with four slices rather than the three we ordered, saying we just had to try the new mixed berry as well. Lemon merengue, Dutch apple, chocolate peanut butter, and mixed berry.

“Oh my gosh,” Sierra moans next to me. “Gimme.” She rubs her hands together excitedly before diving in with gusto. “There is nothing better than warm pie, is there?”

“I suppose not,” I murmur, wondering if I’ll survive sitting next to her alluring sweet scent while she practically orgasms while eating. Her bright smile so damn tempting. Her bottom lip fuller than her top, and I imagine kissing her and biting it. Those deep brown eyes so dark they’re almost black with thick, dark lashes. A few freckles that dot the apple of her cheeks bring out a playfulness that she doesn’t bother to hide or bury.

I glance up to see my dad staring at me with a knowing grin and I clear my throat, readjusting in my seat so I’m facing forward rather than angled toward her.

Every bite is as good as the last and we struggle to decide which we like the best.

“I need another bite of the mixed berry. That will help me decide, I’m sure of it.”

No, it won’t. She’s already polished off most of each of the slices, practically slapping our forks away when we try to get a bite. I push the plate in front of her and watch as she slides the fork between her lips, her eyes rolling back in her head as she sits back against the seat, chewing and moaning and driving me crazy.

“That. That’s the winner.”

“Winner of what?” I chuckle.

“My heart,” she sighs dramatically, placing a hand on her chest.

“Of course,” I mutter.

All too soon, we are finished with our meal and parting ways. Dad shakes Sierra’s hand and tells her he hopes it’s not the last time they share a meal together. She smiles brightly before spinning on her heel and waves as she climbs into her car. Dad drives us back to my pickup at the gym but not without grilling me about Sierra.

“Dad, she has a boyfriend.”

“She didn’t look at you like she had a boyfriend. She was also quite curious about who Jack Cole is.”

I have no answer for that so I simply ignore him, letting my own thoughts about Sierra consume me.

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