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Gavin takes a step toward me, bypassing his sister, and offers me his hand. "Might as well make peace, huh?"
"Aye." I shake his hand.
"Just so you know," Gavin says, "I was in the Marines, and I served in Afghanistan. Not only could I kill you with my bare hands, but my buddies from the Corps would help me dispose of your body so no one will ever find it."
"I don't doubt it." I sling the towel over one shoulder. "I would never hurt Calli or let anyone else hurt her."
"Damn straight. If she gets hurt, I'll hunt you down and take you out."
"You could try."
Gavin stares at me for a long moment, then slaps my shoulder. Hard. "I think we understand each other, don't we?"
He and Rory would get on well, I think. They both like to threaten violence and potential murder to cow the men their sisters want to date. So aye, I'm used to that sort of rubbish.
Calli waves her arms as if to get our attention. "Your bromance has begun, congratulations. Should I leave you two alone?"
Gavin's mouth twists into an exasperated expression. "Real funny, see. But you and me still need to have a serious conversation."
"There's nothing to say. Aidan's staying here, you don't like it, I don't care, end of discussion."
Did he say "see" or was he calling her "C" as an abbreviation of her first name? I think he meant it that way, since the word see didn't fit with what he said.
I start for the hall, tiptoeing away to give them privacy.
"Where are you going?" Calli asks.
Gavin snorts. "I hope he's going to put on a shirt."
Calli covers her face with her hands.
Aye, overbearing big brothers can make any of us drop our heads into our hands in resignation.
I return to the guest room and shut the door, then finish getting dressed.
Just as I'm walking out of my room, I hear Gavin tell Calli, "Going to get my stuff. Back in a tick."
His stuff? Is he staying here with Calli and me? That would mean I have to move into her room since Jamie arrives tomorrow. Maybe I won't mind so much if Gavin wants to stay here.
I can handle Calli's hostile brother, but I know she will be panicking, at least on the inside.
The door has just clicked shut behind Gavin when I reach Calli. Her shoulders slump. When she sees me, the rest of her body slumps too.
I nod toward the door. "Gavin is staying, I gather."
"Yes." She almost moans that word, though not in a sexy way. "This could be a huge disaster."
"No, it'll be fine." I hook an arm around her shoulders and give her a gentle squeeze. "I'm used to bossy older brothers. And I donnae mind at all sharing a room with you. We've been doing that anyway, unofficially."
"Gavin is staying in the hunting shack that's about two hundred feet away from the house."
"And you want me to stay in the guest room." And tomorrow, I'll be sleeping on the sofa.
"Yes, please. This is complicated enough without Gavin figuring out we're sleeping together."
I try very hard not to smirk. "Think he's already figured that out,leannan. I did walk out of the bathroom wearing only jeans. Even the most thick-headed eejit would understand the situation."
"Oh great," she whines, though it's partly sarcastic. "How do you prepare for thermonuclear disaster?"
