Page 30 of Forever Never
Hadley shushed him.
“Bye, guys,” Brick said, grabbing his hat and flashing the eavesdroppers a wink. Remi used the distraction to slip through the front door. She didn’t make it very far. He caught her by the hood, arresting her progress on the steps.
“Brick, I swear to God,” she said through clenched teeth as he shut the door behind them.
The night air was cold enough that the entire world felt like it was one big ice cube.
“First. Don’t run away from me,” he said mildly, tightening his grip on her hood until she fell into step next to him on the walkway.
“Or what?” she scoffed.
“Or you won’t like the consequence. Second, I’m sorry.”
Her boot caught a lump of snow on the sidewalk, tripping her up. He caught her before she could stumble.
“You’re what? And stop manhandling me!” She batted at his hands.
“Stop asking to be manhandled. I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean what I said before. You know I don’t hate you.” They were two blocks from home. Not nearly enough time for the conversation they needed to have.
“Do I? What gives you that impression?” she said haughtily.
He stopped her and turned her to face him. “YouknowI don’t hate you.”
He waited, and when she didn’t give him a reaction, he gave her a tiny shake.
“Ugh. Fine. You’re sorry. You don’t hate me. I accept your apology. May I please walk home alone now?”
“Not happening. Third—”
“There’smore? Holy Alicia Keys, how much bourbon did you have?” She broke free of his grasp and started down the sidewalk again.
“I know you’re not telling the truth,” he said, his long stride easily catching her. To slow her down and to give himself something to think about tonight, he settled his arm on her shoulders, his hand dangling in front of her.
“About what?”
“The accident. Your asthma. Why you came back.”
She came to a sudden halt. A shiver rolled through her and he knew instinctively it had nothing to do with the cold. She started to speak, but he took his big, gloved hand and closed it over her mouth.
“Before you lie to me again, Remi,” he said, leaning down to whisper the words in her ear, “think long and hard about if it’s in your best interests.”
He could feel her running calculations, wondering how much he knew, what she could get away with. After a long beat, she pried his hand from her mouth. “Maybe it’s inyourbest interests if you don’t know. Maybe it’s in everyone’s best interests.”
“That’s never going to be the case,” he insisted. “So get your head around it. I’ll be here when you’re ready to tell me. But if I figure it out before you talk, I’m gonna be pissed.”
“This big brother routine is not fun,” she complained. “What are you going to do, start terrifying anyone I date with your badge and that nightstick you keep in your pants?”
That fucking mouth.
The way she managed to push so many of his buttons at once made him wonder if she knew his secret. If she knew what he really wanted.
“I’mnotyour brother, Remington,” he reminded her.
They crossed the road as her cottage came into view. The lake rolled out black and glistening before them.
She huffed out a breath. “Well, I suppose if youwere,it would make a few of my teenage fantasies really gross and incestuous.”
Another button pushed.
