Page 112 of Wildest Dreams

“What?” I instantly blurt, eyes growing wider as I stumble over my words. “Tanner? The hockey guy? Help out? I d-don’t know what you’re… what you’re talking about–”

“I am so glad that you aren’t one of those chicks who wanted to get into acting,” Connell says with a grin, swatting away my fist as I try to punch at his abdomen, and hunching low so that he can shove his shoulder into the back of my knees. I yelp loudly as he stands upright, bouncing his shoulder up and down so that I have to claw my fingers into his giant quarterback neck.

“Shoulder throne,” he grins, and I squeak as he jerks me into the air, laughing as he easily catches me.

Okay, I admit, I do kind of enjoy that.

“You’re so freakingannoying!”I yell, even though I can’t hide my smile, knowing that he’s just trying to distract me from my anxious thoughts about the lake house.

“So do you like him?” he asks, and I smother my face in my hands as colour rushes to my cheeks.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up,” I whisper, peeking down at him through a gap in my fingers and then shoving my whole palm in his face when I see that he’s still smirking up at me.

“Shouldn’t you hate that?” I ask him as he grabs my wrist, shoving my hand off his face.

“Hate what?”

“That,” I say, giving him theduheyebrow raise. “The idea of melikingsomeone likehim.”

Connell drops the smile and inhales deeply, looking briefly away from me.

“Well, uh,” he murmurs, his voice deeper than it was a moment ago, “maybe we don’t need to think about it that deep right now. About his, uh” – he clears his throat hard, frowning as he tugs at the brim of his cap again – “reputation and shit.”

I give him a sulky look, crossing my arms over my chest. “I thought you were just saying how you were always going to look out for me.”

“And I am,” he says immediately, deep and resolute. He blinks away from me, shaking his head as if he hates having to think about this – which is, admittedly, very understandable – before doing another chest-swelling inhale and flicking his eyes back to meet mine. “Look, I’m a guy, and my college experience was pretty similar to his.”

“Ewwwwww!” I start, even though I already know that Connell was a total player when we were at Carter U.

He snickers. “Yeah, yeah. My point is, I got to talkin’ to him while we’ve been here and… you can tell when someone’s being genuine. You’d know right off the bat if someone’s intentions weren’t good. Or maybe” – he looks away and laughs – “maybe Tanner wears his heart on his sleeve the same way that you do.But when we spoke, especially when we spoke about you, I could tell that he’s–”

“You spoke about me?” I squeak, cheeks heating in alarm.

“Shit,” Connell mumbles, ducking his head so that he doesn’t have to look me in the eyes, avoiding our secret twin bond that lets me see exactly what he’s thinking.

“Well, what were you saying about me?” I ask, brow arching at the horrifying thought.

My brother’s eyes flash up to meet mine, to where I’m still sitting on his ‘shoulder throne’.

“You think I’d talk smack about you?” he asks, genuinely offended. “As fucking if, Ash. Besides, we weren’t really talking about you. Tanner asked some questions that he thought were subtle, but I could sense what he was trying to ask me loud and clear.”

“Which was?” I ask, unblinking and alarmed.

Connell shrugs and I almost go flying.

“If he thinks that you’d give him a shot. And if I’d chop his dick off for even thinking about it.”

I press my face into my hands, muffling my squeal of mortification.

Connell gives me a tap on the side of my leg, silently asking me to look at him. My face is almost as bright as the sunrays kissing my shoulders when I finally drop my palms and look down at him, so embarrassed that I’m almost in tears.

“I’ve never seen you be so shy about a guy before,” Connell murmurs, head tilting slightly to the side as he looks deep into my eyes. “But you don’t need to be embarrassed. Whatever happens, you know I’ll support you. But in case you were wondering,” he adds, giving me a vicious grin, “Iwillchop his dick off if he doesanythingto hurt you.”

Wow. I don’t really know what to say to that.

“…Thank you,” I say, watching him warily.

He gives me another grin. “Anytime.”

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