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“I don’t exist because of a man I’m related to. Two hundred plus years and not much changes, apparently.”
“What?”
“The Regency era. A woman’s brother’s behavior could decide her fate. Ridiculous that it still does. He chooses you as a friend, and suddenly I’m invisible. Men! Jane was right about so many things.”
“Okay, well I don’t know fuck-all about the Regency era or who Jane is, but Tobias would probably see red if Xander touched you. I doubt Xander thinks all that drama would be worth it.”
“What would make it worth it?”
For Xander? I don’t know. For me? I’m starting to wonder if there might be a price I’d be willing to pay.
“I don’t know…”
“I just… I’ve always had this crush on him. It never goes away. He’s so hot and so passionate about the things he cares about. I know with him going to the pros that I don’t have a chance in hell of being a girlfriend or anything, but I was hoping I might at least get him to—”
She stops abruptly like she’s realized she’s talking to me and not one of her girlfriends. But I’m curious now what she wants from him. She doesn’t strike me as the one-night stand type and that’s the only way I can imagine that sentence going.
“Get him to?” I ask after the pause continues.
“Never mind.”
“I mean there’s only a couple of ways that sentence ends and given the way you were bending over I assume you want him to fuck you.”
“Something like that.”
It surprises me when a flare of jealousy rises in the wake of her answer. I shouldn’t even be thinking it. But there’s something about the fact that she won’t even give me a shot. That she’s so sure I wouldn’t even be a candidate, that she’s content to be having a late-night sleepover chat with me on the bottom bunk—fucking stings like hell. At a time when most of my nerves are raw. I still feel for her though. What it’s like to be up against terrible odds and hoping it’ll still turn out in your favor.
“Well, good luck with that. Being Tobias’s sister makes you practically invisible to him. It’s not your fault. Anything you do or not do. He just has blinders in place.”
“Ok. You’re still not helping here. What would make me visible?”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to be helping. I guess… Suddenly having a different family and name might help.”
“I mean something practical…” she huffs.
“You’ll be shocked to know I don’t know the inner workings of what my friend finds fuckable.”
“You’ve never paid attention to who he takes home?”
“Not really. Unless we’re after the same girl.”
“Okay. Well, see… you’re not that different from him, if you go for the same girl sometimes. What would change your mind?”
“Oh little Westfield,” I laugh. “You don’t know me very well if you think me and the senator’s son aren’t that different.”
“Little Westfield?” I hear the creak of the springs and suddenly her hair’s draped over the edge and two blue-green eyes are glaring at me from above. “No.”
“Goldilocks and the top bunk?” I tease her.
“Also no.”
“Madison… Mads. Nah. That’s not quite right. Madness? Yeah, I think that fits if you’re pursuing Xander.” I laugh at my own joke but the blue-green eyes don’t shift from their perturbed state.
“You’re not being very helpful.”
“Again… Why should I be?”
“I mean, I did share my bedroom with you. I could have left you on the lumpy couch. I feel like that should count for something.”
