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“Us being too much for her.” Jett frowned.
“We’d be gentle.” I groaned, and the asshole’s expressionless face crumbled into loud laughs.
“That’s not what I meant, but I’m glad you think we could be gentle with her.”
“We would be anything she needed us to be,” I cut in. “I know how I feel, and I’m done wasting time.”
“I know.” The tone in his voice changed. “I am, too. I just mean… she’s not like us, you know? She has a sister and a niece and a nephew. Family”
“Oh.” I got what he meant. None of us had any family left, each for different reasons, but all the family we had was each another. “I worry her sister won’t get it. What would she tell Betsy and Mike? How would she introduce us?”
“As their new uncles?” I guessed and shrugged. “That’s a long way aways,” I muttered quietly. “And a hurdle I’m more than happy to figure out when the time is right. The three of us just have to get on the same page.”
“You think Mal’s going to be pissed.” It wasn’t a question but an observation.
“As much as he likes to crab and get pissy, he doesn’t like to feel left out,” I reminded him.
“That’s why we’re including him.” Jett rolled his eyes.
“I know. I just hope he doesn’t feel ganged up on.” I sighed before taking a healthy drink of my coffee.
“He got jealous of you talking to Rosie,” he reminded me. “He got pissed at me for coming out of my room the way I always do. She doesn’t blink at me being shirtless anymore.”
He shrugged, and I set my fork down while observing Jett. He almost seemed sad about Rosie not blushing and stammering when he came out wearing nothing but his sleep pants. Not that he would know she stared at him when she thought no one was watching.
“She still checks you out.” I tossed the poor sap a bone. That made his ears perk up, and when our eyes connected across the table, I shrugged first for once. “When she thinks you’re not looking, so wipe that look off your face.”
“What look?” His brows burrowed together, and I chuckled.
“Like someone stole your puppy. Look, she likes us. She’s attracted to us.”
“Even Mal?” I had to bite away a laugh.
“Even Mal.” I grinned and took another healthy chug of my coffee. “This is going to work because we all feel the same way about one another.”
“If she doesn’t feel that same way towards him, too, I don’t know if this will work.”
“It’s going to work,” I reassured him.
“He shouldn’t have talked to her that way. And he shouldn’t have left without apologizing.” The tips of his fingers tapped the top of the table impatiently.
“I know. He will, though.”
“You sure?”
“You’re not?” I challenged, and I knew he did when he exhaled slowly and got back to finishing his breakfast. After picking up and clearing the table, I got dressed for work.
I hated wearing a suit, but it was the price to pay for what we got paid. Soon, though, our business would be changing. We’d still be in real estate, but each of us would be taking on different positions. I couldn’t wait. I wanted something easier, less stressful, and had talked them into buying a couple of investment properties for me to renovate. I’d always loved working with my hands, and I had been so busy stuck in offices and meetings, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d created anything.
I was running late, but even so, I went around the house looking for her. I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye and checking on her. I found her in the pool house folding towels. I knocked on the open door, and when she turned to look at me, her eyes were glassy and slightly red.
“Rosie?” I stepped closer, unable to keep the distance I had promised Jett. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of her holding her face, staring down at the beauty before me. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. Her eyes drifted down to the floor. Something came over me. I tipped her chin up, not letting her look away from me. “Is this about Malcom?”
“Oh!” Her eyes widened. “No.” She sniffled and shook her head. “I think it’s just allergies,” she sniffled some more, and I noticed how flushed she seemed.
“Allergies?” I questioned, but I was so fucking captivated by her I was too slow to realize she stepped back and away from my touch. My hands dropped to my side, and I stuffed them into my slacks in tight fists. I swear I could still feel the smoothness of her skin against my palms.
