Page 8 of Smoldered
He laughed and carried on walking.
“Seriously, Ray, Jonny can find his own bed buddies. He’s got a smooth way with women when we’re out and I haven’t seen any of his targets turn him down when he unleashes that smoulder on them.”
“Are you sure he’s not unleashing hissmoulderon you? You’re pretty much fangirling over him here.” She knew exactly what her brother was playing at.
As kids, they had never needed to fight; they had three cousins all of a similar age who at times they practically lived with. There had been the odd occasion when the boys had ganged up on her, but it had been short-lived. Like Sadie Grace was proving to be, she was a master manipulator and revenge had never been a difficult task.
Even with the cousins, Jake had been her closest family member. She loved Zack for all of his stability and consistency; he was Mr Reliable. Scott was the protector of all of them, being the oldest, and Alex, was the quiet and watchful one, the one who would drop subtle hints when she was about to do something a little too crazy.
Jake was her friend. Occasionally irritating, always there. And he knew her.
His laugh was musical and Rayah was reminded that he was a better singer than Scott, he just chose to only sing to his animals. Plus, occasionally serenade the lady of his evening.
“Rayah, you’ve been going weak-kneed over Jonny for ages.”
“I haven’t.” Always deny, always deny, always deny. Especially in public.
Jake laughed again.
“He’s like another brother.”
“Try pulling the other one. It’s got bells on.”
She shook her head. The saying was one of her brother’s favourites. She could lie. Jake would know that she was lying, but it was a reasonable wall to erect to stop having to give any convoluted answers. Or she could tell him enough to keep him from embarrassing her in front of Jonny, because if he thought she had a crush, he would do exactly that.
“Let’s get inside and I’ll explain.” The latter was the better course of action. Possibly.
“I’m not sure what more there is to explain.” He picked up the pace. “You like Jonny.” His face had erupted into a wide beam, delight filling his expression.
Rayah groaned. “Jake, you cannot say anything.”
The beam dissolved, his eyes turning piercingly serious. “Ray, when have I actually interfered in your love life since you were sixteen?”
She shrugged, rooting in her bag for her keys. Losing them was her signature. At work she was banned from having them. “You have a tendency to evaluate anyone I might be out on a date with.”
“True.” Jake followed her inside her small terraced house.
She’d been living here for about nine months, having rented out her flat, wanting something with two storeys and an extra bedroom. Occasionally she had Sadie Grace for a sleepover, so Jonny could have some dad and lads time with his boys. Then they’d swap and she’d have the boys while he did somelove-bombingwith Sadie.
Jake collapsed on her sofa, swinging his legs over the arm. “Jonny’s a good guy, Ray. Why not just tell him you’re interested? Because not saying anything is not healthy. Trust me – I know.”
“Because he’s not interested in anything serious. Because if he was interested in me and we went there, when it didn’t work it would make things awkward with me and the kids.”
“So why set him up? Why even encourage him to do something more than take a woman home that he’s met in a bar or he vaguely knows from somewhere and fuck her? Why push him towards a relationship when you know it’s going to make you feel like shit whenever you see them out together in town or hear about them from someone who’s gossiping?” His words were said leisurely, as if he was discussing the day’s football results, but she knew exactly where he was coming from.
“Maybe I need to date more too. There are a million reasons why I can’t go near Jonny, not in that way. I need to let it go.” She sat down on the sofa next to her brother and hid her surprise when one of his big arms came round her shoulders.
“Sis, if you need me to beat him up at any time, just say the word.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’ll send someone round to do it. I wouldn’t want to break a finger nail.”
Rayah laughed. Her brother’s mission accomplished.
Chapter Three
“Shall I help blow up the balloons? I’m skilled at blowing?”
