Page 20 of Breathless

I laugh out loud.I’mthe one playing games? Jesus Christ, the balls on thiswoman.

Samantha used to be laid back, but in the last several months she’s become super clingy. I make a mental note to encourage her to go back to school where she can make more friends, and then I try to redirect thisconversation.

I promised Zach I’d take him to the movies to see the new Marvelflick.

Is Zach all you careabout?

Pretty much. Yeah. But she already knows the score.Can we talk later? I promise I’ll call youtonight.

My phone is blissfully silent after that last message. I already know what she wants, and it ain’thappening.

When I eventually pull up to the ranch, I have a headache that might split my brain in two, but I plaster on a smile as I stroll into thekitchen.

“You’re late.” Ethan glares at me over his breakfast. He looks like he’s already put in a good two or three hours in the barn judging by the sweat soaking his T-shirt.

“Dad always said, ‘Better late than never.’ Sorry, I needed my beauty sleep.” I hate quoting my father, but this headache is taking its toll on my ability tobullshit.

Tori hands me a plate heaping with pancakes, and I press my hand over my heart. “Swear to God, if Ethan wasn’t marrying you, Iwould.”

Ethan grunts his annoyance, and I chuckle under my breath. I love to get under his skin. Call it the little brother syndrome, but I take great pleasure in yanking his balls. Tori’s hot, sure, but she and Ethan have always had eyes for each other, and they know I respectthat.

Tori smiles and sinks into Ethan’s lap as she waves at me. “You’re a little scrawny for mytaste.”

My brother gives her one of those googly-eyed smiles, and just like that, they’re off in their own little world, and he’s talking in that gentle voice he only uses with her or the kids. “I’m sweaty,baby.”

“S’okay. I don’t mind.” She gazes at Ethan for a second before she plants a kiss on hischeek.

I cough and get back to her diss. “Scrawny? Ouch. And here I was planning to get y’all something nice for your wedding.” Damn. I need to get them a gift. I’d forgotten aboutthat.

She slides the syrup to me. “You know you don’t need to buy us anything. We love having you around. In fact, you’re the brutha I always wanted.” She makes a goofy face at me. My brother is so damnlucky.

“Shucks, Tor. Now Ireallyneed to get y’all something nice.” I make a mental note to pick Joey’s brain. She’ll know what I should get. “Unless I can just go with that homemade coupon book with free babysitting that I saw onPinterest?”

Tori’s head jerks up. “If you think for a moment I won’t jump on that and suck up your Saturday nights, think again, stud.” She picks a piece of turkey bacon off Ethan’s plate and takes a nibble. “And since when do you usePinterest?”

“I’m a man of manytalents.”

“Clearly.”

I shovel in a few bites of breakfast. “Where’re the kids? It’s tooquiet.”

Ethan points over his shoulder. “With Mom. She’s playing Legos withthem.”

With my fork halfway to my mouth, I pause. “Don’t let her overdo it. She’ll tell you she’s not tired when sheis.”

“You do know our mother is an adult, right? She tells me when she’s hadenough.”

This bonehead. “Don’t you know anything about women? She only tells you when she’s at her breaking point, which is well beyond what she shoulddo.”

Ethan shakes his head at me. “That’s really good advice. Maybe you should think on that a littlelonger.”

Tori elbowshim.

“What?” I look between the two of them. “What aren’t yousaying?”

But two tiny demons stomp down the hall and interrupt theconversation.

“I’m starving!” Cody announces as he swipes his arm across hisnose.

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