Page 19 of My Brother's Enemy
Tyler: Why? You ARE a doc, aren’t you? I know enough to know a Ph.D. still gets that title.
Rain: Call me Rain.
Tyler: Can I call you Slick?
Some nerves kicked my stomach.
Rain: Slick? Because…?
Tyler: A few reasons, but let’s go the professional route. Because you’re fast as fuck on the ice.
I huffed, shaking my head.
Rain: That makes no sense.
Tyler: To me it does. You can ask about the other reason later.
Rain: Do I dare take this new bait?
Rain: Later when?
Tyler: Thought we were keeping this professional.
Rain: You’re being anything but professional. Just tell me.
Tyler: When I’m sliding inside of you and feeling how slick and tight you are.
Heat unfurled inside of me, smoothing away the nerves. Damn him. Seriously. Damn him, because he was right. I did want him, and this was so bad.
Rain: You can’t type that to me.
Tyler: Honestly? Fuck that bullshit. You’re texting me what can you do to help, and the only thing I want from you is to escape some of this shit. But I can’t do that. I’m retracting everything. I don’t know why you changed your mind, but you did want me. I saw it on your face. And I want you, so fuck everything else. The team hired you. Not me. I almost lost my niece. Life’s short, Rain. I want to fuck you, so I’m going to tell you I want to fuck you. I guess the real question is what are you going to do about it?
My body was an inferno.
My hands shook, and despite all evidence to the contrary, thoughts blared in my head that hedidn’tactually want me. I started to shove it all aside before I drowned in my own confusion. That would’ve been my normal response. I liked to just ignore everything that didn’t make sense to me, but I couldn’t in this situation. I’d reached out because of what he was going through with his niece. That was important. She was important.
My fingers trembled, which made the next text take three times as long to type.
Rain: I don’t know. I’m just going to be honest because I don’t know what else to say or do. I don’t understand when you say things like that to me, but I feel horrible about what you’re going through with your family. If you need something, let me know.
And fuck. That was even more confusing. I sent another text right away.
Rain: I’m good at my job. Personal life, I’m a mess.
Tyler: What the fuck does any of that mean?
I sighed.
I should text back something polite but professional. Something a colleague would say, but I couldn’t do it. If I did, I’d close the door on whatever he’d opened it to. When I said I was a mess, I wasn’t lying.
If he actually was attracted to me, it was just because he needed an outlet right now. I was there. I seemed available. That was all.
I nodded, and some of the clouds began to lift.
That made sense to me—more sense than if he actually did want me.
Maybe he still thought he wanted me, but it’d pass. He’d learn how fucked up I was when it came to that stuff, and he’d walk away. I wasn’t worth the effort.
