Page 90 of Cactus Heart
Just like Austin and Dallas were always pushing me, too.
I felt a flash of guilt for sitting here with their sister on a secret date. We never kept things from each other—especially when it came to dating. I’d been there for Austin more times than I could count, especially when he’d gotten his hopes up about someone or after a night he thought might turn into something more.
That was the thing about Austin Whynot. For someone who constantly sabotaged his sister’s dating life, he was a romantic—maybe even more than Dallas. He just buried it beneath all the stress wrapped tight around his heart.
“How was your day?” I bounced back to them. “Did you even make it out of bed before noon?”
Avery laughed. “Only because I had classes to teach. I don’t need the elderly population of Whynot knocking my door down.”
“I don’t know. I think they’d enjoy what they might see,” I teased. “Levi looks damn good naked.”
He wrinkled his nose, his cheeks rosy as he piled salad on his plate. “I don’t need them seeing me like that. For your eyes only.”
Avery snickered. I took a bite of lasagna and groaned, a little surprised. “Did you make this?”
“Yep. Me and the frozen section are in cahoots.”
I laughed and took another bite. “Would never have known.”
“You certainly did,” she chided. “You know I don’t cook like that.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I do know that.” I knew a lot about Avery, actually. In the back of my mind, there was this little part of me that’d been taking notes for two years.
Levi raised a brow, studying the two of us thoughtfully. His green eyes sparkled with amusement. “How in the hell have the two of you waited this long to get together?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but my words failed. Avery turned her attention to me and let out a soft hum.
“Well,” she said. Her hand settled on top of his and she gave him a gentle squeeze before picking up her fork again. “I think there’s a short answer and a long one. I think the short answer is maybe we were just waiting on you, Levi.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Mateo
Levi’s expression softened. “I don’t think you need me.”
“Hey. You told me if I talk about myself like that, you’d—what? Bend me over your knee and spank me?” she said. “So cut that out.”
My brows shot up. “Did you spank her?”
“I wanted to,” he said, holding her gaze. “Still want to.”
“And I wantyouto,” she answered.
“So do I,” I said. “I think that may be important to make clear. I want you just as much as I want Avery, Levi. You’re not an extra in this. And as far as why we waited for so long—I’ve been telling Avery for two years that we’re just friends.”
“Probably because of my brothers,” she sighed. “They have their reasons for being overprotective, though. I dated someone who used to be their friend. His name was Kevin.”
Levi scowled. “You datedKevin?”
Avery made a face. “Right. I forget you lived here.”
“Yeah, and I hated that fucker. He was always a dick to me.”
Oops. Well, he was about to hate Kevin even more.
Avery sucked in a breath. “Okay, well. I moved to Austin to go to UT, and Kevin moved out there too. We reconnected andstarted dating, but our relationship didn’t go well. Bad enough that Austin and Dallas came to bring me back to Whynot.”
Levi was quiet for a moment, his gaze meeting mine. I was holding my tongue, and he knew that. This wasn’t my story to tell, even though I wanted to blurt out just how fucking awfulKevinhad been. But then again, I didn’t know everything.
