“No, I’m an expert lock picker. Of course he did.” The door slamming follows her words. “What are you doing anyway? Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“I’m not alone,” he says flatly.
“You’re not—oh! Oh, bollocks!”
Oh, bollocks indeed. I’m apparently about to meet Tyler’s sister and the only clean item of clothing I have is panties.
Fanfuckingtastic.
“Mm,” Tyler says. “Give me a minute.” He walks back through the door and closes it behind him. He leans against it and covers his eyes with his hand. “Shit. I am so sorry. I swear she said Sunday.”
“It’s okay,” I squeak out.
No. It’s not. It’s not fucking okay. Not at all. I am not ready to meet any of his family I don’t already know.
Shit. No. No. No.
Can I climb out of the window? Scale down the wall a la Spiderman?
“Then why do you look like you just saw a ghost?”
“I’m thinking how lovely it is that I get to meet her?” I offer lamely.
He walks to the bed and bends in front of me. His palms are soft as he lays them on either side of my cheeks. “I know you’re not ready for this yet. I don’t expect you go out there and be best mates with her. I can take her for breakfast so you can leave.”
“Who said I’m not ready?”
The lead weight in my stomach, perhaps? The erratic beat of my heart, maybe?
The panic written all over my motherfucking face?
“I can see it in your eyes, baby girl. You look like you’re about to shit a brick.”
My lips twitch in a mirror of his. “Okay. I’m a little freaked out. A lot freaked out.”
He raises his eyebrows.
“Freaking the fucking hell out,” I admit. “Like, look.” I lift my hand so he can see the tremble there. “This is…big. Like. Yeah. Um.”
“I’ll take her for breakfast.” He kisses me softly.
I shake my head. “That’s so rude, Tyler! I have to meet her. It’s not that I don’t want to. I’m just a little afraid.”
“She won’t bite, I promise. I got that trait.” He stands and winks with a wolfish grin spreading across his face. “There’s no need to be afraid.”
Maybe not for him. Maybe meeting the family isn’t a big freaking deal for Mr. Addicted To Sex. For me? It’s huge. Massive.
“Liv? What is it?”
“Aside from the fact that I have no clean clothes?”
He holds up a finger, opens a drawer, then throws a pair of jeans and a shirt at me. I raise my eyebrows and he shrugs.
“Don’t ask. Now what is it?”
I look down, fiddling with the tag on the pants, and say softly, “I’m afraid to meet her because it’s another part of you I could love.”
“Hey.” He bends over and tilts my face back up. “No worries. I’m way more lovable than Tessa.”
I take a deep breath and smile at him. “You’re such a twat.”
His lips curve into a grin. “What can I say? You bring it out in me. Now stop fussing and get dressed woman.”
I raise my eyebrows.
“And you better believe that’s the only time you’ll ever hear me say those bloody words to you.”
I laugh into my hand and take my clean panties from him. I note that they’re not the ones I left before. What the hell has he been up to? And why did I not know that there are brand-new clothes in his apartment that happen to fit me perfectly?
Why are they here?
I close my eyes briefly, shove those thoughts to the back of my mind, and swing my legs out of bed. I’m half dressed when I hear, “Tyler! Why are your trousers on your balcony?”
Blood rushes to my cheeks. Holy fuck!
Tyler bursts into laughter. There isn’t a trace of embarrassment on his face, but mine is flaming.
“I gave the old bird in the opposite block a striptease last night!” he yells, winking at me.
Holy nonononono!
“I’ve changed my mind,” I breathe. “You can take her for breakfast!”
He looks at me, still laughing. He moves quickly, tugging me toward him, and presses his lips against mine. His teeth graze across my bottom lip as he pulls away.
“C’mon. Time to face the music, little exhibitionist.”
“It was your idea,” I murmur, trotting behind him. I hope I’m not still blushing.
“Yeah, well,” his sister says, “they’re soaking wet because it rained last night.”
“So you can dry them. You’re not staying here for free.”
“I’m not picking up your shit. I’m your older sister, not your slave, you messy git.”
I hide my laughter behind my hand, and Tyler looks at me. I shrug. “You are messy.”
He clicks his tongue. “I can see the next three weeks are going to be fun,” he says dryly. “Tessa, this is Liv. Liv, my sister.”
“And who is Liv?” Tessa asks, grinning.
“Tess.”
“Ty.”
I chew the inside of my lip.
“Tessa, this is my girlfriend.”
She smiles widely and bounds forward to hug me. Oh, wow. Okay. Apparently these two are huggers.
“I’m so glad to finally meet you!” She squeezes me then pulls back, holding me at arm’s length. “You’re gorgeous! Gosh, Ty. She is gorgeous.”
Now I’m definitely blushing.
“Tessa. Shut up. Not everyone has word vomit like you.” Tyler knocks her arms down.
“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry. I kind of did the same thing to Dayton last year. She looked at me like I had two heads,” Tessa muses. “I thought we were supposed to be the reserved ones, hmm? You guys are all shy and stuff.”
“Um,” I say. Way to make an impression, Liv. Good job, you fucking star.
I sigh internally.
Seriously though. How am I supposed to respond to that? ‘Thank you?’ I’m not even sure who she’s calling gorgeous.
She’s fucking stunning.
She’s the spitting image of Tyler, just oh so feminine. Her nose is tinier, her lips plumper, her eyes wider, her hair curlier.
The Stone family is so unfairly blessed with good genes.
I kind of hate them all.
“I’m sorry. I am kind of overwhelming sometimes.” Tessa smiles apologetically. “And I’m really sorry for barging in here like this. I didn’t realize Tyler wasn’t alone. In fact, I didn’t realize he was here at all.” She shoots him a glare.