“I’m guessing it’s one of Mom’s hookups.”
“He said something about stealing.” I want to know what I’m dealing with so that I can keep Rory safe.
Rory flushes and stares at her plate in gloomy silence.
“Rory?”
“I don’t know,” she says finally. “Sometimes my mom gets into stuff over her head.” She pushes away from the table and takes her half-eaten plate to the trash.
“I just want to keep you and the boys safe.”
“It’s not your job.” She dumps the food and then rinses the plate off.
“I want it to be my job.”
“Well it’s not.” Her words are punctuated by the sound of the garbage disposal and then the clanging of dishes into the dishwasher.
I’ve managed to piss her off—a skill I’ve perfected in the last four years. To hell with it, I decide. If she’s going to be mad at me, let it be about something good.
I grab the dish towel out of her hands and press her up against the sink. “It’s gonna be my job, so you might as well get used to it.”
I slam my mouth against hers. She makes a muffled sound of surprise, and I make the most of the opportunity and slip my tongue inside. Her hands come up to my shoulders, and I tense, thinking she’s going to push me away, but instead her fingers curl around, and her nails dig into my skin.
The world tips upside down as she kisses me back. Right. She’s never getting rid of me now.
CHAPTER 6
RORY
I know I should pull away. This is the last thing I need to be doing right now but damn does this feel so right. For the first time in my life, I did something I shouldn’t do. I convince myself that I’ll only be selfish this one time. I part my lips, letting him deepen the kiss. I even start to kiss him back.
His lips are surprisingly soft. His tongue makes sweet slow strokes, and I know he’s savoring this kiss. He’s taking his time, and I let him as my body starts to awaken. He pulls the tie in my hair, letting it all fall free before he sinks his fingers into it.
He tightens his grip on it as he tilts my head back to deepen the kiss even more. I don’t know what I was expecting my first kiss to feel like, but I do know this surpasses anything I could’ve imagined.
I press my body into him, a whimper of need leaving me as heat pools between my thighs. My breasts feel heavy. What is happening to me? My hands slip under his shirt, my fingers trailing the hard lines of his stomach. He might not play football anymore, but his body is still in shape from the many years he did.
“Rory.” He groans my name, and damn is that hot too.
“Oh shit!” Dean says. It’s the splash of cold water reality that I need to bring me back to my senses.
I jump back from Tyson, almost tripping over my own feet in the process. His arm comes out, catching me before I can fall. “Finally! Now I can tell everyone Tyson Carter is my sister’s boyfriend.”
“I said you could tell them already,” Tyson responds with a smirk. His mouth is red and a bit puffy. Did I really do that to his lips? Wait, did he just say that he told my brother to tell people we’re dating?
“Tyson.” I say his name in a tone that lets him know we need to talk about this.
“What? They were saying you were hot.” He shrugs.
“They do say that, and it’s freaking gross.” Dean backs Tyson up.
“Thanks,” I say dryly. “Back to bed. I’ll be in shortly.”
“You’re not gross. I only think it’s gross that they like you in that way. No brother wants to hear that shit about his sister.” He walks over and gives me a side hug. I lean down and kiss the top of his head. He’s getting so grown up that I know it’s only a matter of time before he no longer lets me show him affection.
“I know.” I reassure him that he didn’t hurt my feelings. Dean and Tyson bump their fists together before he leaves us alone in the kitchen.
“Tyson, we—”
“Don’t, please don’t say it. Not tonight. Give me this one.” His eyes are almost pleading with me. Something inside of me cracks.
“All right,” I agree, but guilt weighs on me. “Tyson, you know this isn’t about you, right?”
“You really going to give me the It's not you, it’s me talk?” He gives me a teasing smile, making me laugh. But I can still see the emotion written on his face.
“My hands are full. I can’t let myself get distracted.” If this were another time in my life when things were more settled, I know without a doubt I would be ecstatic that Tyson Carter wanted me to be his girl. But those are not my circumstances, and now is not the time to be selfish when my brothers are counting on me.
“And I’m lazy, as you said. Maybe you could give me things to fill my hands with.”
“Tyson!”
“Ah, shit. I didn’t mean it like that, but either way. Give me shit to do. I can help.”
“But it’s not your responsibility.”
“It’s not yours either, Rory.” That’s where he’s wrong.
“They're my brothers.”
“And I want to be your man so your shit would be my shit.” Now he’s full-on smiling.
It’s one of the things I’ve admired about Tyson. He always has that smile even when things are going to hell. His outlook is always positive. He’d even been that way on the football field. They’d be losing, and everyone else was pissed off, but he’d smile and get them through it. In the end he always won.
A knock sounds at the door. “Let me go talk to the cops. You tuck the boys in.” Before I can answer him, he’s dropping a kiss on my mouth and heading for the front door. I reach up and touch my lips, which are still tingling.
Damn, was that kiss good. My body is still screaming for more. I can’t remember the last time I’ve enjoyed something as much as I did that minute of getting lost in Tyson. It’s only going to make it harder now to push him away.
The man really is wearing me down. I think part of me keeps waiting to see when he’s going to give up. I know it will crush me. Not that I’d ever let anyone else know that. There is something in him showing up every day that gives me this trace of reassurance that I’m not always alone.
I busy myself, making sure the boys are set in bed. I don’t want to deal with the cops. They always give me these sad looks and remind me of the local food pantry. When I come back out, Tyson is standing in the living room, clicking away on his phone.
“Taking Jessica up on her offer?”
“Jessica?” He gives me a confused look, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
“About being your girl. She’s pretty.”
“You wound me.” He puts his hand over his heart. “I belong to a sexy, smart blond with green eyes and a killer ass. Whether she wants me or not, I’m all hers. “He clears the space between us. “No reason to be jealous.”
“I’m not.” I roll my eyes. “Everything okay with the police?” I ask, changing the subject, knowing I already showed my ass.
“About that.”