Page 61 of Burning Skies
He licks my neck. “I like your kitty too.”
Arching back into his morning wood, I grin. “Really? Tell me more.”
Just then, a door slams somewhere in the house. “Bro! Get your ass up!”
“Shit.” Beau sits up, alarmed. “You’d better?—”
He doesn’t finish his sentence before Jace charges in the bedroom. Thankfully, the blanket is pulled up, but Jace’s eyes widen. “Well, slap my ass and call me pretty. I did not have this on my bingo card this year.”
Beau chucks a pillow at his brother. “Have you ever heard of knocking?”
Jace scratches his head. “I’ve never knocked before. But then, you’ve never had a woman over here.”
I pull the blanket higher and sit up to look at Beau, who leaps out of bed to yank on some jeans.
I pause my internal freakout over being discovered to appreciate his muscular ass. How did I not notice that in the shower?
And, oh my God. Is that true? Am I the only girl he’s had over here?
Making himself at home, Jace leans against the doorframe and takes a bite out of an apple. “So when did this happen?”
“None of your business,” Beau growls as he heads for his dresser to grab a t-shirt.
“Gotta say, Honey McAllister is outta your league.”
“Thanks, asshole. Tell me something I don’t know.”
Jace chuckles and takes another bite of his apple. “I just mean, she’s Cartier and cashmere, and you’re turnout gear and grease.”
Annoyed, I huff. “I’m right here, you know. And I’m not out of anyone’s league. I’m a schoolteacher, for Pete’s sake.”
He points the half-eaten apple at me. “But you’re an heiress, and your dad’s richer than…” He snaps his fingers. “What’s that saying?”
“Richer than Croesus.”
“That.” Turning to his older brother, Jace smiles. “She’s smart. I like that. Nice job, bro.” He holds up his hand to high-five Beau, who ignores him as he heads into the kitchen.
When Jace just stares at me, Beau grabs him and pulls him out of the bedroom before he turns back to me. “Sorry about that, babe. Get dressed, and I’ll make us some breakfast.”
After he closes the door, I grin. He called me babe. And he called me baby again last night.
Grateful for the en suite bathroom, I duck in there to get dressed and braid my hair because it looks like it’s been blown by a wind turbine. When I join the guys in the kitchen, they stop talking suddenly.
“What did I miss?” I ask as I lean against the counter, knowing they were discussing me.
Jace peels an orange on the other side of the bar. “I was asking my beloved older brother if you two were common knowledge or if I was the first to discover your little love nest.”
I chuckle as Beau rolls his eyes and reaches for the eggs. “Jace, shut up before you embarrass me.”
Beau looks so disgruntled, I decide I have to do something to make him feel better. I take the egg carton out of his hands, place it on the counter, and rest my hands on his shoulders. Leaning up on my tiptoes, I graze my lips against his. “Thanks for the ice cream last night.” I smile at him, hoping that he knows how grateful I am for everything else. “But I should probably go. I have a million essays to grade that I’ve been neglecting.”
His arms wrap around me as his serious eyes study me. “You okay? Sorry about my brother.”
Jace, who’s two feet away, whistles. “Is this why Baylee put y’all together in her wedding?”
I turn to him. “No one knows except you. Can you keep this a secret?” I glance at Beau, hating that we have to sneak around. “At least for a while, right?”
He nods. “Unfortunately.” Leaning down, he kisses me. “Let’s go out next weekend. We could go a couple of towns over for dinner so we don’t see people we know. Maybe do some country dancing.”
