Page 44 of That One Night
She looked across the lane to see Hendrix standing by his bike. She wasn’t sure if he was leaving to head to work, or if he had just come back.
The red convertible was still there, though. She quickly pulled her eyes away, not waiting him to notice.
“Just about.” She forced a smile onto her lips. “I gotta go get some eggs.”And not talk to you. Because you had a woman in your bed and it’s killing me.
He frowned, like he knew she was trying to blow him off. But really, this felt excruciating. Not just because she’d embarrassed herself by lusting after him when he was taken.
But because the woman he was taken by was in the house right now.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine.” It came out terser than she’d planned. Enough to make him wince. “I’m sorry, I’m just so busy. I really have to go.”
He looked her over for a moment. Like he was trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with her. But then the door to his cottage opened andshewalked out.
The beautiful blonde was still wearing the black dress she’d had on when she arrived last night, but over the top she had a huge denim jacket on that looked like it belonged to Hendrix. It was way too big for her tiny frame.
Emery watched, her mouth dry, as the blonde walked over to Hendrix and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for last night,” she said, her voice sultry. “I owe you.”
Slowly, she turned her head, her brows lifting when she saw Emery standing there less than thirty yards away. Her mouth formed a little ‘o’. “Who’s this?” she asked Hendrix.
He let out a long breath, like he really didn’t want this to be happening.
Ditto, babe.Emery wasn’t exactly enjoying this either.
“Sabrina, this is Emery, the neighbor I was telling you about. Emery, this is Sabrina.”
“You’re the one who got a tattoo?” Sabrina asked.
And somehow it felt worse that he’d told her about that. Like he was betraying her, even though he wasn’t.
“Yeah.” Emery nodded. And to her surprise the blonde’s mouth lifted into a full-on grin.
“I’ve heard so much about you. Well, as much as this ass is willing to tell.” She full-on slapped Hendrix in the stomach, making Emery’s eyes widen. “Which isn’t much, because like his brothers, he’s a complete loudmouth until you ask him a personal question.”
“I don’t answer because you talk too damn much,” Hendrix grunted. “And what’s with the criticism after I just did you a favor?”
Sabrina rolled her eyes. “I would have done it for you.” She looked over at Emery. “I was on a date last night. And I didn’t want to go home, so Hendrix let me stay the night.”
“You were on a date?” Emery asked, the lift in her voice betraying her surprise.
“Yeah.” She let out a sigh. “But then it all went a bit wrong. He got called into work on an emergency. But I’d already told my parents I wasn’t coming home, so I opted to hide out here.”
“Yeah, well, the next time you want to lie to Uncle Cam and Aunt Mia, don’t involve me,” Hendrix muttered.
“You have to help me.” She pouted at him. “We’re family.”
“So are Marley and Pres. Go bother them.”
“Wait, you’re family?” Emery asked, trying to place the blonde. She knew most of the Hartsons, she’d grown up with them.
“Oh Lord, you don’t remember me.” Sabrina started to laugh. “I was a couple of grades below you in school. Wait…” She looked at Hendrix. “Did you think I stayed with him and… eww. He’s my cousin.”
“I didn’t think…” Oh, what an idiot she was. She vaguely remembered there were some female cousins in the Hartson family, but she hadn’t remembered Sabrina specifically. It had been a long time since she’d been in school.
And Sabrina was now a bombshell.
“Hendrix told me he’d taken you to get a tattoo,” Sabrina continued, ignoring her cousin as she walked closer to the road. “Can I see?”
