Chapter 4

Chapter Four

I’m a whirlwind of emotions the following day. Going to get my car at the bar means no time for a regular run, but I don’t mind. All my anxiety has been replaced by a seed of thrill that, while small, is growing quickly, and it has my blood running hot.

I can’t wait to see Jace again.

I don’t tell Aisling and Hannah what happened last night, not after all my ranting about the brothers. Instead, I hoard my secret over the weekend, eagerly anticipating a text message or a call from Jace. I don’t hear from him by Monday, but I assume he’s busy having fun with his brothers.

He’s all I can think about as I try to focus on work. Mr. Bosley jumps on mistakes like a fox on a mouse, and the last thing I need is for him to bring down my good mood. By the time work ends, though, I still haven’t heard from Jace. I find I’m disappointed, even though it’s only been a few days. It seemed like we had something, but now I’m not so sure. I’m probably just being insecure and should give him time to reach out to me.

Still, I’ve been ghosted so many times, it also wouldn’t surprise me if I never heard from him again.

On my drive home, I find myself passing the landscaping project on Work Street. Maybe I’m just hoping to see Jace, and he’ll tell me he’s been busy but wants to take me out again. I want to feel his lips on mine again—and maybe, if I’m lucky, even more of him.

I hope he doesn’t think it was a mistake to kiss me.

To my surprise, the Lupine Landscaping truck is still parked out front of the huge house, but only one of the brothers appears to be working. It’s getting late, and surely he’s been at it for ten hours now. He must be exhausted.

I slow down when I drive by, wondering which one of them it is. The man working glances up at my car, and when he sees me in the driver’s window, he grins. It’s Leon, the oldest one, with the bright blue eyes. They’re stark against his dark hair and tan complexion.

He waves at me and jogs over, so now I feel compelled to stop. I shouldn’t have come past here. Now who knows what kind of awkward conversation I’m in for?

“Tiff!” Leon’s got his shirt on this time, but it’s soaked with sweat stains. I’ve never found sweat stains hot before, but here we are. His broad chest strains the fabric perfectly, and it cuts off just above his jeans, so I can see dark hair trailing down his groin. Holy shit.

When he gets close to the window, I have to admit that strangely, he smells good, too. Really good. It’s obviously body odor, which probably should disgust me—but on him, damn. The scent of him wafting into my car is like a drug that immediately fills up my head with warm, airy bubbles.

“What’cha doing here?” Leon asks, leaning casually on the door of my car.

I try to play it cool. “Just heading home for the night.”

“Do you live in this neighborhood?”

As if I could. I shake my head and point down the street. “No, I’m over in the apartment building across the road.”

Leon leans in farther through my open window with a knowing grin on his face, and that intoxicating smell of his completely envelopes me. “Too bad you’re not on foot, because I’d love to walk you home. And apologize for the other day.”

I wave a hand dismissively and offer him a smile. “It’s fine. I don’t hold it against you.”

“I’d still like to get to know you better,” he says, an almost wicked tone to his voice. And then he winks .

Is Leon... hitting on me? Did Jace not tell his brothers we saw each other?

“Um,” I say, not sure how to broach this subject. “Did you talk to Jace today?”

Leon squints like he doesn’t understand the question. “Yes? We worked all day together.”

“Did he tell you that, uh, we...” Shit. Maybe he kept it a secret from them on purpose and now I’m sticking my foot in it.

“Jace told us he met you last night at the bar,” Leon says, a quirk in his eyebrow. “Is that what you’re asking?”

I breathe a sigh of relief. So he knows. That’s a good start.

“He also told us,” Leon goes on, his voice dropping low and his eyes going half-lidded, “that he got to taste you.”

I stare at him blankly for a moment, processing the words. “What?” I finally ask, my voice cracking. I’m not sure if I heard him right. Who refers to kissing as tasting ? And Leon said it with such a seductive lilt that I’m tingling. “I... um...” I don’t even know how to respond to that.

There’s a twinkle in Leon’s eye. “Did you like it?”

I swear my face is about to light on fire. What an extremely personal question—and from Jace’s brother , no less. I’m so flustered I can barely squeeze out an answer.

“Y-yes?” I manage. Not that it’s any of his business how much I enjoyed kissing Jace. But Leon doesn’t seem uncomfortable at all, not nearly as uncomfortable as I feel right now.

“Good.” He leans even closer, and the scent of him rushes into my head—then straight down to the empty space between my legs. Holy shit. He smells amazing . “Are you busy tonight?”

I’m genuinely speechless. Is he asking me out? This just keeps getting weirder.

“I thought I would have plans,” I begin uneasily, “but Jace didn’t text or call.”

Leon nods, as if he already knows this information. “I told him it wasn’t time yet. And I’m the big brother, so he listens to me.”

My heart drops. “You told him not to call me?” Why would he do that? Now I’m annoyed that he interfered, and a little disappointed. Jace is his own person who can make his own choices, so why would he let his brother tell him what to do when it comes to his dating life?

“Jace will call,” Leon reassures me. “He’s very interested. Now, about the two of us going out.” He tilts his head. “Do you like Lucky’s? I’d love to buy you dinner.”

I wonder if Leon’s even heard half of our conversation.

“If I want to date Jace,” I say hesitantly, “then I shouldn’t also go on a date with his brother.” This should be obvious, but apparently it’s not.

A massive smile takes over Leon’s face. “So you do want to go with me?” he asks, and I think if he were a dog, his tail would be wagging. “Jace is the only thing holding you back?”

Of course I want to go out with a sweet, hot guy like Leon. If I had a clone, I’d happily do it.

“I mean...” I begin, then trail off. I’m far too ashamed to say yes , even though I’d love to.

“Tiff.” Leon’s voice is firmer now. “I promise Jace doesn’t mind if we go have a night on the town together. You can call him and ask, if you want.”

I don’t get it. This isn’t how I was raised. One person dates one person, the end, over with. There’s no “date one person and that person’s brother, too.”

Still, I find myself pulling out my phone anyway. If I call right now and Leon is wrong, then I’m potentially destroying whatever I had with Jace. Do I really want to risk it?

Leon gives me another one of his big grins, and it makes his full lips look quite kissable. “I think you’ll be surprised by the answer you get.”

His certainty is rather convincing. My heart racing, I give in and dial Jace’s number.

I can’t believe I’m doing this.

Jace picks up on the second ring. “Tiff.” He says my name as if he’s been expecting me.

I swallow hard, dreading what I’m about to ask. “Hi, Jace. I’m with Leon, and, um...” I take a deep breath. “He’s telling me something wild. I don’t know if I believe him.”

“How wild?” Jace asks, an edge to his voice.

“Well...” I trail off. How do I even bring this up? “He says he wants to take me out, on a... uh, on a date?”

Jace breathes a sigh of relief. “Oh, that’s all?” He asks this as if it’s one of the less surprising things he’s heard today.

“He says you would be fine with that.” I take a sharp breath. “That isn’t true, right?”

“Leon’s a great guy,” Jace says, sounding upbeat and casual. “I really look up to him. Figuratively speaking. Though I suppose he is taller than I am.”

“But?” I ask, waiting for the next part, where he tells me how ridiculous I am for even asking this question.

“No ‘but.’ I think he’d treat you well and show you a good time.” Jace sounds so cavalier about it that it stirs a budding hurt in my chest.

“What about you, though?” I ask. Doesn’t he want me just for himself?

Jace is quiet for a moment. Finally, he answers, “I want you to have fun.” Now his tone is thick and sultry. “Get to know Leon a little, the way you got to know me.”

I think of our kiss outside the bar, and how good his arms felt around me, his lips hungrily lapping up mine.

“What?” I ask hoarsely. “You want me to...?”

“I want you to do what you want to do, Tiff,” Jace says with a powerful certainty. “Whatever that is, without worrying about me.”

“You have to be kidding.” Is it not enough that one hot guy expressed interest in me? Now I’m seriously considering two of them?

“I’m not. This could be your and Leon’s night, just like we had our night last night. And I shouldn’t keep you from it any longer.”

I still don’t believe what he’s saying. “Jace?—”

The phone goes dead. I stare down at it, then up at Leon. He looks expectant.

“Well?” he prompts.

“He told me to enjoy myself.” I slip the phone back into my purse, still dazed. “Whatever that means.”

“What do you want it to mean?” Leon asks. His blue eyes dance with mischief.

I don’t know how to process this information. Somehow, for some bizarre reason, they’re both interested in me. And they’re fine with sharing me.

It’s too much. I have no idea what to make of this situation.

“I can’t do this.” My hands are trembling now, and I feel like I’m caught in a storm. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but I have to go.” The urge to flee is so strong, so overpowering, that I put my car’s transmission into drive.

Leon’s smile fades. “What’s wrong?”

I can sense my heart starting to race, my throat tightening up. This is all too strange, too foreign, too... exciting. And I hate myself for wanting it.

My voice is trembling as I say, “Whatever you guys are after, I’m not going to be a part of it.” I need to get out of here before I even consider Leon’s offer.

“We’re not after anything.” He furrows his brow. “Well, except going on a date with a super-hot, sweet woman.”

This must be some kind of alternate dimension. There’s no way a drop-dead gorgeous guy like Leon really feels that way about me.

“Sorry.” I put my foot on the gas. Leon jumps back as the car starts to move, surprise—and hurt—on his face. “I have to go.”

“Wait!” he calls out, but I’m already driving away, my pulse racing. But there’s also an ache in my belly, like I’m making a mistake.

I’m still shaking when I get home, thoroughly conquered by my tangled mess of emotions.

What Leon was asking me was crazy, right? I’m breathing hard as I toss my keys and purse on the table and flop down on my couch. I close my eyes and concentrate on slowing the racing of my pulse.

Unbidden, I imagine Eli’s hand around mine. Try to take deep breaths rather than short ones , he’d said. Focusing on those words, I suck in as far as I can, then let the air out again, willing my throat to open back up. I close my eyes and slowly, my breathing grows steadier again, my heart beating a little less frantically. I lie there prone, wondering what set me over the edge.

I’d wanted so badly to say yes , but the words stuck in my mouth. All I could think is what my mother would say, the way she would look at me. How would I explain it to Hannah and Aisling? It’s just too ludicrous.

Still, Leon’s scent, the playful tilt of his mouth, sticks with me. In a different world, with different rules, I would have happily agreed.

But that’s not who I am. That’s not the world we live in. Right?