Chapter 6: Caught in the act

Jenny

"Hello, I'm calling to speak to Jenny Ward, my little sister who seems to have forgotten that she owes her big brother at least one proof-of-life text a week."

I grin as I listen to my brother's passive-aggressive greeting. He's one of my favorite people in all the world. He's six years older than me, so when I was born, he saw me as a new toy. At least, that's what he's always told me. Six years is just the right age difference for him to be super protective of me, like a second dad. Since my actual dad is very much alive and involved in my life-and always has been-I've often told Kyle that his role is redundant. He doesn't seem to care. He still tells me what to do and how to do it.

"Hey, smartass." I flop onto the chair in my bedroom and prop my feet on the end of the bed. "I'm great, thanks for asking. Love the new job. Digging the Florida life. Everything's peachy. How's it where you are?"

Kyle chuckles. "Okay, okay. I might have been just slightly snarky, I'll cop to that." He pauses. "But now that you answered all of my questions, I don't need to ask them, right?"

"Sure." I lift up my foot to study the polish on my toes. I just finished a home pedicure right before Kyle called. "If you say so. If you don't really care about the details."

His sigh is long and exaggerated. "Fine. Tell me the nitty-gritties, squirt. But remember to leave out the gory parts of your patient stories."

I giggle. My brother has a notoriously weak stomach for anything that has to do with blood and guts. Dude passes out whenever he has to have a blood draw. I got all of the strength in our family when it comes to medical stuff.

"You're in luck. I haven't started working with patients yet. The wing doesn't open for another week. So far, it's all been training, meetings and working on policy and procedures. You know, real stimulating crap."

"I get that." He really doesn't, because his career has very little of that in it. Still, I give him a pass because I don't feel like arguing. "But the hospital's everything you hoped it would be? The people are nice?"

"They are," I confirm. "I've already made friends. Matter of fact, I hosted a meeting of the book club here last week." I tell him a little about our get-together, but I leave out the part where Nico showed up at the end. I'm hoping to avoid going down that road.

"Sounds like a blast." His tone is dry, telling me that he thinks it sounds like anything but. "So you like Florida, huh? It's not too hot for you?"

"It's plenty hot," I admit. "But everything is air conditioned-and I have this amazing pool right outside my back door."

"Ah, that's right. You're living in that swank place Nico sub-let you. I take it he wasn't bullshitting about it being like a resort?"

"No, he wasn't." I'm jittery about Kyle asking too many questions that involve his best friend. I haven't talked to Nico about whether or not he's updated my brother on his current location. I think I just don't want to know. Ignorance is bliss.

So to distract Kyle from giving me the third degree about the house and Nico, I turn the tables on him. "How're things going in Richmond? You're right smack in the middle of training camp, aren't you?" My brother is a fullback for the Richmond Rebels, the football team in Virginia's capital city. Football has been his life and his passion for as long as I can remember. He was a quarterback in high school, but when he was in college, he switched to fullback in order to get more playing time. He was drafted by San Diego, played there for a couple of years, and then was traded to Richmond during the off-season this year. My mom and dad are thrilled to have him so close-they already bought season tickets. Kyle, though, hasn't exactly seemed to be over the moon about the move.

"Yeah. We ended early today because of the heat. Did some conditioning in the training center, but I still got home before dark, which is the first time that's happened in weeks."

"Are you adjusting to life in Richmond?" I ask the question cautiously, not sure what to expect for an answer.

"It's not bad." Kyle sounds like he's hedging, too. "The team is pretty great. Everyone's been welcoming."

"That's awesome!" I try to sound enthusiastic for him. "What about your new place?"

"I'm renting a townhouse from one of the guys-he and his wife just bought a big farm south of Richmond. He said they didn't want to sell this place yet, because it's got sentimental value to them, but they're expecting their second kid, so they need more space. Leo-that's my teammate who's renting it to me-says he's not sure he and his wife are cut out for the country life."

I stifle a squeal. "Are you talking about Leo Taylor? As in Leo 'the Lion' Taylor? He's married to Quinn, who was his high school sweetheart, but then she married their friend because he was dying-"

"Whoa." Kyle's laughing at me. "How the hell do you know all this shit, Jen?"

"Uh, it's called entertainment news, K. I follow football, and I know all the important stuff, but I also read the lighter side. Leo's wife did an interview a couple of years ago, and she told the whole story. It was so romantic. And sweet." I sigh, laying my hand on my heart.

"Yeah, well, whatever." Kyle clears his throat. He acts like he's the big macho guy, but actually, he's so sentimental that he cries at mushy ads around the holidays. I snicker now, and I'm about to bust him about it when he takes a page out of my playbook and turns the topic right back to me. "So . . . I haven't talked to Nico in a while. Have you? Is everything working out for him in Chicago?"

Just at that moment, I hear something outside my window, and out of instinct, I turn to see what's going on. And there he is . . . Nico, in all of his Greek god glory, is walking around the pool. He's in his bathing suit, which, sadly, is not one of those tight, skimpy things, and as he heads to pick up the skimming net, he sheds his T-shirt with one fluid movement.

Holy mother of all hotness. My mouth goes dry as other parts of me go in the opposite direction. There's a burning deep in my core that's urging me to go join him poolside. I watch, fascinated, as he skims a couple of errant leaves and bugs from the water's surface. The muscles in his arms ripple, and his pecs are a study in masculine perfection. I want to touch my lips to each side and then lick my way southward over those washboard abs and-

"Jenny?" My brother's shouting across the phone now. "Hey, did I lose you? Can you hear me?"

"Sorry!" I force my gaze away from the window and turn my back to the show outside, trying to focus on what Kyle's saying. "Uh, you were asking about . . . Nico?" I cough slightly. The safer thing to do would be to pretend ignorance about anything that happened with Nico in Chicago and his return here. After all, Kyle wasn't going to just show up on my doorstep any time soon-not with the season opener breathing down his neck. He'd never have to know the truth.

But I don't lie to my brother-or I try not to lie to him. My feelings toward Nico are among the very few secrets I've kept from him over the years. So I come clean.

"Actually, things didn't work out in Chicago," I explain. "It turned out the buddy who offered him the head chef gig didn't have the authority to do it. Nico came back down here about a week ago. He's looking for something else."

"He's there?" Kyle's voice rises an octave. "He's living at the house with you?" I'm pretty sure all the dogs within a five-mile radius of my brother are currently cringing and covering their ears. His tone of disbelief is that high.

"He's living in his house, yes," I confirm. "The house he's been renting for a few years, and which he graciously agreed to sub-let to me. What was I going to do, Kyle? Tell him-sorry things didn't work out for you, but guess what? You can't stay here." I snorted. "Even if he was a stranger, I wouldn't do that to him. But this is Nico. The dude's been your best friend since you started kindergarten. You've known him longer than you've known me."

"That's absolutely true," Kyle agrees darkly. "Which is why I'm not cool with him shacking up with my baby sister."

"Oh, please." I roll my eyes, even though my brother can't see me. "We're not shacking up, K. There are three bedrooms in this house. Four bathrooms. He's in his own space, and I'm in mine." My space was actually the master suite, because Nico had insisted I stay in the room where I'd already settled. He'd taken one of the guest bedrooms . . . right next to mine. "I don't even really see him that much. I'm working, and he's busy looking for a job. We're like two ships that pass in the night. Or more accurately, the day, because I never see him after dark. I promise. Stop flipping out over something so stupid."

"Do Mom and Dad realize you're living in a house with a man who you're not married or even engaged to?" Kyle demands. "I can't believe they know. Dad would lose his shit."

"They don't know, but not because I've been trying to keep it a secret." Actually, I haven't even considered sharing this news with my parents, but I don't need to tell Kyle that. "They're in the Poconos with the Smiths for two weeks, remember? I haven't spoken to them since Nico moved back. But they're not going to care, brother, because they know that Nico is like their son, making him like my brother, meaning that it's no different than me living with you."

Even as I say the words, my stomach flips. Living with Nico is totally and completely different than living with my brother. Sleeping with just a wall between us, hearing him shower every morning and evening, now and then running into him shirtless-that's him without a shirt, not me-all of it is keeping me buzzing and thrumming twenty-four-seven. My dreams have become an agonizing exercise in erotic creativity. I keep thinking of new and creative ways in which I'd love for him to touch me.

"You're so full of shit, Jenny." Kyle laughs, but there's no humor in it, just incredulity. "Do you seriously think I don't know you've had the hots for Nico since you were a teenager? You think I haven't noticed the way you stare at him, the way you talk about him . . . you must think I'm a clueless moron. Give me a little credit."

Holy shit. "I don't know what you're talking about it." I need to play this off. "Even if I did have a crush on him when I was in high school, that's totally normal. Teen-aged girls have crushes, and their older brothers' friends are fair game when it happens. Nico was hanging around the house all the time, and he was nice to me. He's always been nice to me. But just because I was sighing over him when I was sixteen doesn't mean I have the same feelings now. I'm a grown woman, K, in case you haven't noticed. I can handle myself."

"You're a grown woman living in a house alone with a grown man," my brother retorts. "I know how these things happen. One night, you guys have some beers together after work, you get a little wasted, one thing leads to another . . ." He sniffs. "Next thing you know, you're waking up together. Naked. In bed." He makes a gagging noise. "Ughhhh. I don't want to think about this. I need to bleach my inner eye."

I can't help laughing. "Kyle, for the love of Pete. First of all, you've been watching too many con roms. You need to branch out and turn on some action movies before you melt into an emotional mess. Second, that's not going to happen. Nico isn't interested in me. He only sees me as his surrogate little sister."

Kyle's silent for a long moment. "Nico's a stand-up guy, that's true," he allows. "He'd never do anything to violate the bro code. I guess I trust him."

"Oh, you trust him but not me?" I should just let it go, since Kyle is sounding more reasonable, but it irks me that he has confidence in Nico's honor while not acknowledging mine. Or maybe it just stings that my brother doesn't think Nico could ever be overcome with passion for me. Either way, I'm pissy.

"I trust you both," he soothes. "Like you said, you're both grown-ups." He pauses. "Sorry about that, squirt. I guess I got a little crazy. I'm tired, and I haven't had anything to eat since early this morning. I'm probably just hangry."

"Yeah. Maybe." I want to be annoyed at my brother, but my irritation dissipates in the face of his apology, even if it is a little lame. "Go get something to eat, K. Order in pizza or grill a steak. And take it easy, okay? Don't overdo it. I only have one brother, and I really don't have time to fly up there to nurse your sorry ass if you end up with heat stroke or something."

He laughs, and I feel better. "I hear you, Jen. I'm gonna go get some food. I'll talk with you later." He's quiet for a second before adding, "Tell Nico I said hey. And tell him I'll give him a call when I get a chance, so we can catch up."

"I will. As long as that call isn't about me." I don't quite trust that Kyle wouldn't threaten Nico, which would make this situation all kinds of awkward.

"Of course not. Just one friend shooting the shit with another." Kyle sounds all too innocent, but before I can object, he goes on. "Talk soon, baby sister. Behave yourself. Love you big."

I sigh, relenting. "Love you big, too, K. Be good."

After I hang up, I toss my phone onto my bed and stretch, giving myself permission to glance out the window again. Nico's in the pool now. He's swimming laps, his body moving swiftly and smoothly through the blue water. When he pauses at one end, droplets cling to his shoulders and hair. I fantasize about licking all of the water from his skin, letting my tongue chase the errant trickles down his stomach, following his happy trail to the ultimate reward.

I'm still staring when Nico turns his head. The shutters on my window are open, so he can see that I'm watching him. He gives me a little wave and a grin. I return it as best I can, fighting off the mortification that I've been caught leering at him and hoping that it doesn't look as embarrassing as it feels.

He breaks our gaze and pushes off the side of the pool to launch into the next lap. He seems to be giving it a little more now-maybe showing off just a bit. I wonder if it makes me crazy to hope that this display is for me.

And I wonder if it makes me hopeless to keep replaying the sight of his toned body sluicing through the water . . . again and again and again . . .