Page 74 of Last First Kiss
“Well, I’m smarter than that.”
“Screw you both. It was the best option at the time!”
“That is never the best option,” Joey replied quickly.
His jaw ticked and Annie just sighed. “What is it? Just say it.”
“I can’t lose you again. It would kill me, Mom, the brothers. Annie, maybe this isn’t for you, this life?”
“Why because I fell for my client? Because I have feelings? Because you are insecure? Soldiers can have feelings too. Fuck, maybe you’d be better at your job if you left the fucking computer lab and started having feelings too.”
“Annie—“
“No. I don’t need you to talk down to me. I’ve been through hell, Joey. Now, I have a chance at happiness. Maybe it won’t last forever, but while it lasts, it gives me hope. Something I haven’t felt in years. Don’t take that away from me. Be my brother! Be happy for me!”
“Annie—”
“That’s it. This conversation is done,” Rocco interrupted, his eyes square on Joey. He’d tried to let the siblings hash it out for themselves but that was it. “Take us to Annie’s house. Now.”
* * *
She seemed so upset he wasn’t sure how to handle her. She was the kind of woman who needed space. She needed to come to her own conclusions and make her own decisions, otherwise she’d resent him forever.
“1993 Ford Taurus?”
She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. They’d just gotten out of the car and Joey wouldn’t look at either of them. Jax bid them both a goodnight.
Annie gave Rocco a quick tour of the small apartment and then took out a toaster. “I need to eat something before showering.”
“I can’t do anything until I shower. I’m so itchy.”
“Okay,” she said, not looking at him, lost in thought. He didn’t like to see her that way. “So, let’s talk about your bathtub at this house of yours?”
She turned to look at her and her big scowl turned into a little chuckle. “Shower only. Sorry to disappoint.”
“There’s fun to be had in a shower. I could make it work. First, though, we have to take off about two pounds of mud.”
“I have a roommate, so you have to be quiet.”
He laughed. “Be quiet? Me? You’re the loud one, baby. Super loud. Not complaining, but thought you should know.”
“I’ll bite you to keep things under control.”
“I like your style of crazy, crazy.”
She chuckled again and he was glad he’d gone the route of cheering her up and pretending the argument with her brother didn’t just happen.
“I didn’t know you had a roommate.”
“Yep. For years now.”
“Cool. I’ve only ever lived with Paul.”
“Really? I thought I read you lived with Jessica Anton when you guys dated.”
“We never dated. It was all a PR stunt. And no, we never lived together.”
“Really?”
