Page 28 of My Wild Mountain Man

“You saw who two? I mean, which you two? Ugh, you know what I mean.”

“I saw you and Bash,” she said quietly as we reached her car, which was parked next to mine. I leaned against my driver’s door.

“Where?” I asked, trying to school my expression, but I wasn’t sure I was that good of an actress. Not when my heartrate started to pick up nervously.

“Look.” Her hands moved up between us. “It’s none of my business, unless you want to talk or… you know, some advice about anything.”

“Oli!” I groaned.

“He’s a good guy,” she said softly.

“The best,” I answered softly.

“And I know you. You’ve been crushing hard… I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Hurt from talking to him?” I acted like she wasn’t onto me. But my sister wasn’t going to sweep this under the rug. Olive rolled her eyes and reached for my hand.

“I see the way you look at him.” My face heated. “How you’ve always looked at him. But since you came back from school, it’s different.”

“How do I look at him?”

“You look at him like he put each and every star up in the sky just for you.”

“That’s not true,” I argued, feeling a little defensive.

“Hey.” Her eyes softened in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. “It’s okay because he looks like he wants to put each and every star up there for you. And only you.”

“I just… he does?” I licked my lips, and she nodded.

“But he’s older and complicated. Not to mention, Onyx would shit a brick if he found out from anyone else than you two. He’s his best friend and business partner.”

“I’m not… we haven’t…” I stuttered, stumbling on my lies. “I haven’t done anything… yet.”

“That ‘burn’“—she used air quotes—“says differently.”

“Olive.” I probably looked like a fish out of water with the way my mouth opened and shut. “I love him.” She smiled and looked away for a moment before our gazes locked.

“I think he’s in love with you, too,” she whispered.

“He’s not.” I shook my head. I didn’t want to let myself hope for the impossible. “He wants me but…”

“Onyx?” she guessed, and I nodded.

“I’m spending the long weekend with him at his place,” I blurted out and wish I’d had a camera ready. Not much shocked Olive, but I’d just left her stunned!Me!The youngest sister, who was always too busy reading to deal with the real world.

“Wow. How… how did that happen?” she asked and then made a face. “Or do I not wanna know?”

“It’s complicated,” I mumbled, not wanting to share everything with her. Not yet at least. “I know I have to be careful, and I’m trying to be smart. He’s not the kind of guy who…” I glanced down at the floor.

“Who what, Rave?” Her hand squeezed mine, silently encouraging me to share a little more with her.

“Who would pick me? Who would fight for me?”

“You read a lot, babe. Sometimes, men in the real world––“

“Don’t say they’re not like that,” I said softly, meeting her green eyes head on. “Dad would burn the world down for Mom.”

“He would,” she confirmed, “but not everyone is the same.”

---