Page 8 of Instant Heat
Sucking in a steadying breath, I twisted the cap back onto the bottle and slowly turned to face my brother."It's been nine months, Thatch. I'd really need to get some normalcy back into my life."
The features that looked so much like my own softened as he pushed off the frame and approached me."I worry about you." I heard the concern in his voice, so when he pulled me in for a hug, I went willingly."You had a good night, then?" he asked into my hair.
My lips lifted into a smile out of their own volition."The best."
After he released me, Thatcher snatched the orange juice from my hand, unscrewed the cap and swallowed down what was left of it. After wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he bared his teeth in a wide grin.
Seeing him smile was such a rare occurrence, I couldn't help but do the same.
"Were you out with a boy?" he asked, waggling his brows.
A very unladylike snort-laugh sounded from the back of my throat before I planted my fists on my hips and gave my brother a pointed stare, "I am twenty-two years old; I do not go out withboys, thank you very much."
Thatcher practically howled with laughter while I did my best not to tell him exactly how much of a man Griffin was. I might've been wrong, but I didn't think my brother would want to hear about his little sister's sexpeditions.
I let out a yelp when Thatch hooked his ginormous arm around my neck and rubbed his knuckles against my scalp. No matter how hard I pushed at him, he didn't budge. He only let go of me went he was satisfied that my hair was thoroughly mussed.
Idiot.
"Well, now that the prodigal daughter has returned, I can finally get some shut-eye," my brother very dramatically announced. He pulled a face of disgust before he said, "The new guy starts in the morning."
I felt bad for Thatch; he'd worked his butt off only to get passed up for a promotion yet again. For as long as I could remember, my brother had wanted to be a firefighter; he was good at it. But he was also a bit of a hothead; he acted without thinking things through and that had landed him in trouble more than once.
It also meant that he wasn't a very strong candidate when a new position became available. Even though I understood the reasoning, I still hated this for my brother. But if I told him one more time how sorry I was about it all, he'd flip his lid. Instead, I placed my hand on his forearm and squeezed gently."Your time will come. Promise."
He eyed me for a long moment."Yeah, maybe you're right."
"Of course I am."
Thatch draped his arm over my shoulder as we walked out of the kitchen together."No more late nights withboys, yeah?"
I brought my hand up and patted his chest."No more late nights with boys." Shrugging out from under his arm, I paused just inside my bedroom door."Now, strong, virile men… that's an entirely different story."
My brother made a face. I threw my head back and laughed right before shutting my door and resting my forehead against the wood.
Yeah, I definitely couldn't promise my brother there wouldn't be anymore late nights with a certain dark-haired Irishman.
4
GRIFFIN
What the hell?
Sitting up, I aimed me frown at the empty space next to me. Where a warm, sexy body should have been were nothing but cold sheets. No strewn about clothes on the floor when I looked there too.
I wasn't being cocky, but I could honestly say this was the first time a woman had slipped out of me bed in the middle of the night. Usually, I was the one doing the early morning sneaking.
I wasn't quite sure how to feel.
It didn't take long for me to settle on disappointed. Because as much as I was hoping to love on Rae's body again, I wanted to sit and have breakfast with her. Learn more about her. Get her number, so I could take her out on a proper date.
She intrigued me. A lot.
With a heavy sigh, I closed me eyes and leaned back against the headboard. Images of Rae dancing behind me lids almost immediately. The goosebumps popping up when I brushed me fingers over her soft skin. The way her lips parted right before me name rolled off her tongue in a breathless whisper.
I swear, I could still feel her, smell her.
Heaving out a frustrated groan, I scraped a palm over me face. How the hell was I going to find her?
