Page 48 of Love Hate Relationship

“I’ve been up since four. Cass’s got Restless Leg Syndrome, or whatever the hell the doc called it. Kicked the shit outta me all night long. Couldn’t sleep worth a damn.”

“Aw.” I giggled as I made my way into the living room and folded onto the couch, knees to chest with my free arm wrapped around my legs. “Pregnancy giving her trouble?”

“You’d think, but the woman’s tough as all hell.”

“Don’t I know it. So, what warranted the early morning call?”

“Well,” he started before trailing off, intentionally keeping me in suspense. The jerk.

“Spill it, Carson.”

His chuckle resonated through the line, flooding my chest with warmth. “How do you feel about having a couple houseguests in two weeks?”

“Are you kidding?” I squealed excitedly before remembering to keep quiet. A quick glance over my shoulder showed an empty hall so I continued, softly. “Are you kidding? You’re really coming?”

“We’re really coming, little bit.”

“I can’t tell you how happy that makes me,” I whispered, more than a little teary-eyed. “You’re the best brother I never had,” I told him, using the words we’d made up for each other years ago to let him know exactly how much he meant to me.

“And you’re the best sister I never had,” he followed accordingly.

Talking to Carson was a reminder of how much I missed everyone at Willow Ranch. That, combined with the somberness of my situation with Rowan, sent a wave of sadness through me. “God, I miss you, Carson. You have no idea.”

I should have known he’d read my tone perfectly. The man had been in tune with my emotions since I met him when I was only eleven years old. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I lied, making sure to put a smile in my voice to reassure him even though I wasn’t feeling it.

“You sure? You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?”

“I swear, Carson. Everything’s good. It’s just early. I’m not properly caffeinated yet.”

He remained silent for a few seconds. “If you say so,” he spoke skeptically. “But if something’s ever wrong, I’m only a phone call away, little bit. I’m always here for you, no matter what. Cass, too. Hell, every damn one of us at the ranch.”

I giggled again, feeling just a bit lighter. “I know.”

“I love you, you know that?”

“I do know, Carson. And I love you, too.” I smiled again, and that time it was genuine.

“Me and Cass will see you in a couple weeks, yeah?”

“I can’t wait,” I answered honestly.

“Talk soon, little bit. Have a good day.”

I had just enough time to reply with a, “You, too,” before the line disconnected.

I stared at the black screen of my phone for a few seconds when a throat cleared from behind me, giving me a start as I spun around on the couch. “Good Lord, Rowan.” I laughed. “You scared the hell out of me.”

“Who’s Carson?” His stony tone wiped the smile off my face and I took in his frigid demeanor as he rested his shoulder against the doorway, arms crossed over his bare chest. If it hadn’t been for the fury radiating off him, I might have had a chance to appreciate the way he looked in nothing but a pair of gray sweats, but that wasn’t in the cards for me.

“What?”

“I asked,” he ground out slowly as he pushed from the door and came toward the couch, “who thefuckis Carson? And don’t lie to me. I heard you tell that asshole you loved him and missed him.”

Whereas any sane person would have cowered down in fright at Rowan’s murderous glare, I had a different reaction… mainly because he’d just referred to Carson as an asshole.

“He’s my brother!” I clipped as I shoved from the couch and came nose to nose with him, the best I could. Just as always, he had me flipping from cold to hot in a heartbeat, and my anger was enough to match his as we stared each other down. “And don’t you call him an asshole, you dick!”

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