Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

" W ell, if Lark didn't already like you, she does now. I've gotten three texts so far tonight saying how amazing Quad is. I hope this fake dating doesn't break her heart when they break up after I'm safe." Waverly set her phone down as she snuggled up to Kane on the couch late that night.

"Then why are you frowning?" Kane asked as he pulled her to him.

Waverly rested her head in the crook of Kane's shoulder as he ran his hand slowly up and down her arm. "I was wondering if the same will be true for us."

She didn't look up at Kane's face. Instead she kept her gaze on his chest, but she could feel Kane's frown. "There's nothing fake about the way I feel about you, Waverly. And nothing temporary. Every moment I'm with you, all I want are more moments."

Waverly's heart beat faster at his words. "I feel the same."

Waverly looked up at Kane and found him looking at her. He turned, ran his hand through her hair, and cupped the back of her neck before leaning down to kiss her. His lips brushed against her and sent electricity racing through her body.

The kiss started off gently, but soon it had turned pulse-poundingly hot. Waverly had never been so lost in a moment before. Her brain turned off and she was living in the moment. Living for every touch, every caress, every kiss. She didn't realize she'd straddled Kane's hips until the doorbell rang. And then rang again and again.

The noise jerked them both from the moment. Waverly had her hands on each side of Kane's face as she rubbed against him. His hands were on her hips, pushing her core against his to create more friction. Friction that had both of them panting.

"Door," Waverly said, catching her breath.

The doorbell was nonstop now. Kane groaned as Waverly crawled off of him. "Maybe she'll go away if I don't answer."

"Kane!" Olivia yelled, now knocking on the windows. "I see you!" she sang out in a very annoying big sister way.

Kane closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I love my sister, I love my sister," he chanted as he got off the couch and went to open the door.

Olivia breezed in and sighed as she put her hand to her heart. "Thank goodness. I arrived just in time. Another minute and the beaver would have broken out of the dam."

Waverly felt her brow crease in confusion as Kane muttered, "I'm so going to cockblock you on your anniversary."

Olivia didn't look worried. "Well, Cupid's chamber is closed. So, why don't we go to Harper's and hang out all night long? I so miss my little brother." Olivia reached over and ruffled Kane's hair.

Waverly still didn't get it. "What's Cupid's chamber?"

Olivia turned her attention to Waverly. "You enchanting Eden, your cozy cavern, your enigmatic entrance."

"My what?" Waverly was even more confused.

"Your hoo-ha, your clam, your kitty," Olivia rambled on. "Your vagina," she finally said when it was clear Waverly was lost.

"There are that many names for my vagina? I guess that's what I missed out on when I was in science and math classes."

Olivia slung her arm around Waverly as she walked her to the door. "Well, let me teach you them all. However, you need to know that Cupid lost his arrow tonight, your enchanted Eden is cursed, your cozy cavern has a cave-in, and your enigmatic entrance is closed. Your hoo-ha is a boo-ha, your clam is jammed, and your kitty ran away."

Kane clapped as he glared at his sister. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the most feared woman in the judicial system. Way to put your education to use with your extensive vocabulary and scintillating wordplay. No wonder you're a top lawyer under forty."

"And man, do I love my job. It's so much fun to bring men to their knees."

"Yeah, blue balls can do that," Kane muttered as he followed them out of the house and got stuck sitting in the back of the car as Olivia began regaling Waverly with stories about Kane on the drive to Harper's.

Kane strongly considered grabbing Olivia's seatbelt and tying her to the car seat so she couldn't cockblock him later. However, he couldn't be too angry. He had not been nice to the guys she'd brought home. Never mind. Olivia just mentioned spending the night to get to know Waverly better and tying Olivia up to her car seat was turning into a viable option.

"This is Harper's. Next door is a fancier restaurant that would be perfect for date nights. But Harper's is where you go to watch sports, hang out, and get all the gossip," Olivia explained as she pulled to a stop near Harper's Bar.

Kane hurried out of the car and opened Waverly's door for her. He went to hold her hand, but Olivia linked her arm through Waverly's and dragged her away from Kane. Kane was stuck trailing behind the woman he wanted nothing more than to spend the night with, but that was now an afterthought. At least Olivia was being nice to Waverly.

"Don't even try to resist. It's futile. Come have a beer," his brother Stone said as he and Hunter sat at a table with Forrest, Wilder, and Damon. Stone's wife, Natalie, and Hunter's wife, Maggie, had quickly joined Olivia and Waverly and whisked her away to a different table.

"Welcome to the club," Hunter said, taking a long drink of beer. "I'm married and Olivia still finds ways to cockblock me."

"It gets better," Stone said, looking longingly at his wife. "I hope."

"Olivia said she's spending the night with us tonight. She won't actually do that, will she?" Kane asked. The grimace on Stone and Hunter's faces answered his question.

"Fu—"

"There will be none of that," Forrest said with an amused chuckle.

Kane glared at his younger brother. "I'll help Olivia when you find a girlfriend, asshole."

Forrest just laughed louder.

"Screw that," Wilder told them. "Not that I plan on getting in a relationship anytime soon, but when I do, there's no way I'm telling Olivia. Nor Forrest since he finds this so amusing."

"You will. You'll love a woman so much that you won't want to hide her. Forrest, too. But we'll all torture Forrest," Damon said before taking a sip of his beer.

"What the hell?" Forrest asked, suddenly insulted. "What did I do to you all?"

"Um, besides feeding Olivia info on our dates and gleefully watching us suffer at her hands?" Hunter asked. "Don't think I didn't know it was you who told Olivia where Maggie and I were that one night when we were dating."

Forrest just blinked innocently. "Me? Never."

"You were always the peacemaker. I bet he made a bargain with her. He feeds Liv intel on us and she says she'll go easy on him," Wilder said, calling out his brother.

"I think the better question is: why isn't Damon dating? He's the oldest and has been talking about love a lot recently. Is there a special someone you're not telling us about?" Forrest asked, deflecting the attention with ease.

"Because I'm too busy taking care of you all," Damon grumbled. "And you haven't changed. Olivia used to bribe you with Legos when you were young to get information on us. I can't wait until you fall because we're all coming for you, brother."

Kane smirked at the worried look on Forrest's face. He'd been the sweetest kid. Olivia was just better at getting what she wanted and thus the tattling began. Forrest was still a good brother. He'd always shown up to help. But if Olivia needed dirt on any of them, it would be Forrest to give it to her. That didn't stop him from being protective of Olivia though. In fact, he was very protective of her since they were so close.

Kane looked over at Waverly and the Townsend women. Waverly was smiling and Natalie was talking animatedly while Maggie was laughing. Olivia looked content and happy with her new sisters.

"Waverly fits," Damon said, putting a fresh beer in front of Kane while his other brothers were talking about Stone's hockey season.

"She does. I like her, Damon. A lot. I just wonder if it's enough."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Damon asked.

"When this is all over, when she's safe and back in the lab, will she still want me? Or will I just be this adventure she had? Once back in the real world, will I fit?"

At that moment, Waverly looked over at him and smiled before being drawn back into the conversation. "I don't think you need to worry about that, Kane. What little I know of Waverly, she's not someone who is flighty with her feelings."

Kane looked at his eldest brother. "Are we really the reason you're not dating?"

"I date," Damon said, suddenly defensive.

Kane raised an eyebrow. "Since when are one-night stands considered dating?"

"It's a one-night date." Damon shrugged as if it were nothing.

"But are we the reason?" Kane pushed.

Damon took a sip of his beer. "I love you all. I want to see you happy."

Kane knew Damon wouldn't say anything more. But what he didn't say was enough. Their parents loved them. They worked hard to provide for them. But as the oldest, Damon picked up a lot of the parenting, especially since their father was always working two jobs.

"You're a good brother, Damon, and we want to see you happy too," Kane assured.

Damon grunted. He was done talking about feelings. Kane was used to being somewhat left out as the middle child. He was too young for his older brothers and too old for his younger brothers. It's part of what made him so good at his job. He observed people and learned to understand them. It was time Damon had some help looking out for the family. Stone and Hunter were newlyweds and had very time-consuming and demanding jobs. So did Kane, but he saw what others didn't. He saw the way Forrest had looked a little sad when talking about finding love, as if he didn't think he would. Kane saw that Wilder pretended to be nonchalant and disinterested in having a serious relationship but then saw how he listened to Stone and Hunter talking about married life. Then there was Damon. He kept his feelings close to the vest, but his quest to find happiness for his siblings reflected his own desire to find happiness.

"You know," Kane said, deciding to poke the bear. "Angelica is single. I have a feeling she'd be able to handle you. How do you feel about being dominated?"

Damon looked at him over the beer glass and simply shook his head and went back to his beer.

Nope, not that kind of woman for Damon, but Kane wouldn't give up until his brother was in love. After all, someone had to look out for Damon.