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“What’s going on?” Sunny stood at the top of the stairs. Her hair was wet and Tay was cradled in one arm. The sight made him smile. It had taken a while for Tay to get used to his sister. He was glad they were getting along. Although the kitten started meowing and wiggling to get down when she saw Corbin.
“Belle got tossed off a horse.” He put Belle down and took Tay from his sister.
Sunny looked at Belle with stunned surprise. “And my brother came to your rescue?” She glanced at him. “One of the meanie high school girls?”
Corbin had never slugged his sister and he never would, but there were times, like this one, when he wanted to.
He scowled and she laughed. “Sorry, big brother, but I’m just a little surprised. I thought you would hate the Holiday twins forever.”
“He didn’t have a choice,” Belle said. “He was the only one there when it happened.”
“Ahh.” Sunny nodded. “Then that explains it. No matter how big of a meanie you are, my brother can’t ignore a damsel in distress.” She looked at Tay cuddled in his arm. “That cat is the perfect example. Tay scratched the hell out of him when he first got her and still he couldn’t toss her out in the cold.”
“She didn’t scratch the hell out of me.”
“That’s not what Jesse told me.”
“You and Jesse talk too much.”
“And you don’t talk enough.” She hooked an arm through Belle’s and pulled her down the hall. “Speaking of talking, I need all the details. How did you get tossed off a horse and what was my brother doing there when he’s terrified of horses?”
Corbin watched them walk away and knew he was in trouble. Sunny had never had a filter. Which meant Belle would get to hear more about his life than he wanted her to. But there was nothing he could do about it. He had never been able to stop Sunny from being Sunny.
He headed for the bathroom.
He ran out of hot water halfway through his shower. He figured that had to do with Belle taking one at the same time. An image of a naked, soap-slick body popped into his head, but he pushed it right back out.
After he stepped out of the shower, he realized he had forgotten to bring clean clothes with him. He wrapped a towel around his waist and then peeked out the door to make sure no one was in the hall before he hurried to his room. He slipped inside without running into anyone and then almost jumped out of his skin when he turned and saw Jesse reclining on the bed with a pudgy pug snoring softly on his chest.
“Geez, Jess! You scared the shit out of me.”
Jesse scowled. “You know what scares the shit out of me? Your cat. She attacked poor Buck Owens like a disgruntled tiger when all he wanted to do was say hi.”
Corbin’s muscles tightened. “If that dog of yours hurt Tay—”
“Relax. I wouldn’t let Buck hurt her. Not that he would. Unlike your pet, he’s a sweetheart.” He tousled the pug’s ears and the dog woke up and licked his face as he laughed.
“Tay is a sweetheart when she wants to be.” Corbin glanced around. “Where is she?”
“She’s with Mimi. For some reason, that woman has the magic touch.” Jesse sat up and Buck jumped to the floor and started sniffing around. “So how did moving day go?”
“Not well,” he grumbled as he closed the door and walked to the dresser. “There’s no Wi-Fi and Belle showed up in the middle of a rainstorm and got tossed off the horse she was riding.”
“So I heard. Liberty completely lost it until she discovered her sister was okay.” He paused. “I’m glad you were there to help her. All I can say is I’m proud of you, Whitty. I know it wasn’t easy for you since you’re still not over what happened in high school.”
“I’m over it!” he snapped as the door opened and Liberty walked in. He had pulled on his boxer briefs, but that was all. He couldn’t help holding the T-shirt he’d just taken out of the drawer in front of him like some blushing virgin.
Liberty didn’t look at all embarrassed to walk in on a man dressing. “Oops. I didn’t realize you had taken my room.”
“I didn’t take anything,” he said. “This is the room your mother gave me.”
She held up her hands. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch.” She glanced down and smirked. “Or should I say boxers.”
Jesse laughed. “Stop teasing, Libby Lou. Can’t you see you’re embarrassing Whitty?”
“Sorry, Whitty.” She didn’t leave. Instead, she crouched down to greet Buck who was wiggling around with excitement. “Hey, my sweet boy.”
“What am I?” Jesse said. “Chopped liver?”
