Page 31

“Why are you going red?” She narrows her eyes on me. “You, of all people, don’t get flustered about a hookup. What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“Bradford Rhodes.” Sky props her hands on hips.

“Shhhhh. Just … I can’t tell you. And you cannot say anything to anyone about what you saw here.”

Her brow furrows, then those baby blues grow wide. “What have you done?” She peers around me again.

“Nothing.”

Just fucked my ex’s brother. And if you hadn’t walked in, I probably would have wanted to propose to him if I wasn’t so obsessed with having his cock in my mouth.

“This whole lot of nakedness doesn’t look like nothing.” She shakes her head, fluttering both hands in the direction of the pillow shielding my groin.

“Well, consider yourself blinded in both eyes, rendered incapable of sight at this present moment. Now run your pretty backside off to campus and I’ll call you when I get home for the holidays.” I jerk my chin at the door, having to quickly grab the pillow with my other hand again when I feel it starting to slip.

“You’re telling me everything, and I mean every last detail, at Christmas.” She rolls her eyes, blowing me an air kiss as she walks toward the door.

“No, I’m not,” I call after her.

“Text me later. You can tell me all about how good that D is.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“Your lips are blow-job messy, is what they are.” She cackles and shuts the door, leaving me damn near slumping to the floor in a heap.

Grabbing my phone from where it was plugged in at the kitchen counter, I see a trail of messages from Sky informing me that she was coming to “save the day” with bagels and caffeine. God, I owe her one.

There’s also a text from my dad. I quickly send one back to him confirming that I’m packed up and gonna be heading back to the ranch tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Ugh. The worst sort of sinking feeling occupies my stomach.

I can only assume this is where everything comes crashing to a halt. The road is obviously passable, and Flinn will be gone the moment he emerges from the shower. In fact, he’s probably having an existential crisis in there right this very second.

Tossing the pillow aside, I drag my sweats and a hoodie on. Every second longer that shower runs, I’m beginning to imagine the worst. By the time the water cuts off, I’ve convinced myself the length of time Flinn has spent hidden in the bathroom is cowboy code for “I’m having regrets about everything and can’t wait to run as far away from you as possible”.

Whatever, I suppose I can understand. Fuck, do I wish we were two different people, that our situation was anything but this. And yet I can also fully appreciate there’s no fucking way. Even though his sister screwed me over, ultimately, what the hell does it look like to have family gatherings—how do you in good conscience meet the parents and shake hands—when you’ve slept with both of their darling children?

God, I’m an idiot with no hope.

The bathroom door opens, and Flinn emerges. This time he’s wearing the clothes he originally turned up in. A slightly rumpled suit, collar left hanging open to accentuate that strong throat, and those glasses framing his face. He looks like some sort of cover model for horse trainers.

“Don’t worry, Sky’s gone.” My exhale is heavy with unspoken declarations and regret that I have to swallow them all down. “I guess this is the bittersweet goodbye part, huh?” I swallow, drinking in a last look at him. Maybe this will be the only time I ever get to fully appreciate the sight of him, without having to catch myself … you know … if we ever cross paths again in the future.

Flinn gives me a crooked smile, one that doesn’t quite touch his eyes.

I hate everything about this.

“C’mon. Walk me out?” He tilts his head in the direction of the door.

“Sure,” I grumble. Stupid goddamn tree-clearing people doing their job too well.

“Don’t let me catch you sharing food with the cat for supper,” he playfully scolds, and I know he’s joking, but I also love the fact that he cares enough to think about a detail of that insignificance.

He shoves into his boots, then straightens up, reaching for the door. But it’s all happening too fast. This man is slipping through my fingers, and I can’t fucking stand it. Before he can touch the handle, before he can walk away, I catch his elbow and tug him back toward me.