Page 47 of Wrong Car, Wright Guy
“That’s because she’s his half-sister who lives in a care facility. He’s very private in public, so I think he only talks about her to people he’s close to. He’s very protective of her. That’s actually where he was that night I scratched up his car. She had an episode, and he went in to calm her.”
“Oh, and here we were thinking he was sneaking out on a booty call.”
“Right?”
“Totally misjudged the guy.”
“We did—well,Idefinitely did. Thankfully, we have that all straightened out now, so we can get on with the business of loving each other.”
“For real? You’ve exchanged I love you’s already?” She places her hand against her chest. “I’m so jealous. I wanna be your maid of honor at the wedding.”
I laugh. “Let’s not gettoofar ahead of ourselves. Remembering Tanner and I have a habit of clashing with each other. As wonderful as this is right now, I can’t afford to just decide that this is it, we’re together forever from here on out. I think that’d be really naïve.”
“Well, I’m gonna think it for you. One of us needs to be excited here.”
“OK, you do that,” I say with a smile. “Meanwhile, I’m going to get my suitcase from across the hall.”
“You need help with anything?”
“Maybe grab my stuff from the bathroom if you don’t mind?”
She gives me a salute. “Consider it done, captain.”
I head across the hall and knock since I made the mistake ofnotknocking a few weeks back and caught an eyeful of naked, sweaty bodies.No oneshould have to catch their brother in the act. It’s all kinds of no thank you.
“Are you guys awake?” I call out, knocking again. The door opens and Darren is on the other side wearing a red kimono robe and a silk turban.
“Welcome to your humble abode, my dear goddess of hot men,” he says with a smirk. “How was your night? More importantly, how was your man? And should we drink coffee or shots?”
I laugh as I walk into the living area. “I’ll give you one word to describe all things, and that’s ‘wonderful’. However, refreshments are unnecessary since I’m kinda in a rush. He’s invited me to stay with him while you guys are using my place, so I need a suitcase.”
“Oh, sugar. You don’t have tomoveout. We’ll go sleep at Tahlia’s on the pullout if you want your space back.”
“No, no. I’m totally fine with you both subletting my apartment for as long as you need. I wouldn’t have moved to Tahlia’s if I wasn’t. But Tanner is kinda hot, and I kinda enjoy spending time in his bed, so this isnoimposition.”
“Aren’t you worried that it’s too soon though?”
I stop moving toward the bedroom where my suitcase is and turn back to face him. “This is nuts, isn’t it? I should tell him no.”
“Tell who no?” Theo asks, exiting the bathroom with a towel around his waist and a frown on his face.Here we go. Big brother time.
“Tanner wants her to move in,” Darren says, pursing his lips.
“No,” I interject. “He’s just offered to let mestaywith him while you guys look for your own place.”
“That’s great,” Theo says, shocking the life out of me.
“It’s great?” Darren says. “Honey, she just started dating the man.”
“And they’ve been dancing around each other for months,” he points out. “Need I remind you,Coco,that we barely spent a night apart forthreemonths after we got together? She’d likely be at his place most nights anyway at this point, so why not pack a bag? We’ll have our own place within a couple of weeks, anyway. No big deal. Tanner isn’t going to hurt her.”
“Wow,” both Darren and I say in unison. Theo normally hates any man who comes near me.
“Do I need to be worried here?” Darren teases.
Theo laughs and leans in, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Never. I just think Tanner is a cool guy, and Iknowthat Ruby is head over heels for himandthat the feeling is mutual. And I want my big sis to be happy.”
“Oh, my god. You guys are all gonna make me cry. Was Ithatobviouslylonely before?”
