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“I take it you’re a dog person, then?” I asked, sensing it was time to change the subject.
“Dog, cat, bird…reptile.”
“So, if I had a pet snake…”
“I’d be totally cool with it.”
I was suddenly glad we weren’t having this conversation downstairs. I could only imagine the terrible jokes Parker would be making.
“Do you have a pet snake?” she continued.
“Ha, no. Mom would freak.”
“My mom isn’t a fan of reptiles either. You should have seen the way she lost it when I brought home a bearded dragon after I got my first paycheck. Poor Puff.”
“She made you take him back?”
“No, but he disappeared under suspicious circumstances not long after I got him. He somehow escaped his enclosure, got down the stairs, and went out the front. Funnily enough, the kid next door got a bearded dragon the following week.”
“Highly suspicious.”
“I know, right?” Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she laughed. Her amusement was contagious, and it was almost impossible not to smile at her in return.
It suddenly felt like the space between us had shrunk. I didn’t know whether I’d edged closer to her or she’d moved toward me, but the gap between us on the bed was gone, and I glanced down at where our legs lightly brushed together. She leaned into my shoulder slightly as she laughed, seeming far more relaxed and at ease than any other time we’d been together.
Maybe it was because she’d shared something so personal with me, but it felt like the connection between us had grown. Guilt also churned in my gut because there was still so much I was keeping from her. I itched to let her know how I really felt about her, but I was still worried about scaring her off.
“I’m really glad you’re here tonight, Sunshine.” It wasn’t much of a revelation, but at least it was something. Still, Violet slowly peered up at me, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to change. It became charged and tense, and I struggled to draw in a breath as I looked into her blue eyes. There was no doubt she felt the shift between us too because her cheeks pinkened and her teeth lightly dug into her lower lip.
How I wished it were my teeth rather than hers.
I found myself leaning toward her, unable to fight the pull between us. But a loud pounding on the door made me jerk backward. My cheeks flushed as I dragged my gaze away from Violet.
“You know the rules, Reedy,” Parker yelled through the door. “Doors open when there’s a girl in your room. Also, Dad’s gone to pick up the pizza. Should be here in five.”
The silence that followed Parker was awkward, and I coughed lightly, trying to break the tension. “Guess we better head downstairs.”
“Guess so,” Violet replied, but she wouldn’t meet my gaze.
I wasn’t sure what had just happened between us, but whatever it was, it didn’t seem like either one of us had been going to stop it. One thing was certain though: I’d never wanted to kill my brother more in my life.
18
VIOLET
I wasn’t sure what had just happened. One moment Reed and I were joking around, and the next, it felt like the whole world had shifted. We were staring into each other’s eyes, and my breathing had stilled, but my heart was racing. Something about being with Reed in his home was different from every other time I’d been with him. The connection between us didn’t feel like something we’d contrived. It felt natural, exciting, and safe.
Something had changed while our eyes were locked together. In that moment, I’d forgotten Reed was just my fake boyfriend. Forbidden feelings had rippled through my body as though a kaleidoscope of butterflies had been set loose within me. I silently urged them to get back in their cage. I was not going to let one brief moment cause me to break the most important rule of our arrangement.
I followed Reed from his room and back downstairs to the family living area. Parker had quickly returned to the room after banging on Reed’s door. I wasn’t sure whether I should be grateful he’d ruined the moment between Reed and me or not. I couldn’t afford to let the boundaries of our fake relationship blur even slightly. Getting involved with another hockey player was the last thing I wanted. Still, this wasn’t the first time a moment with Reed had turned my mind a little foggy as to the reasons why.
All but one seat was free as we walked into the living room, and I awkwardly glanced around, trying to figure out where we would both sit. The thought of having to sit on Reed’s lap was too much to handle right now. Thankfully, Reed made the decision for us and sat on the floor beside the chair, leaving it free for me.
“Have fun upstairs?” Cammie asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively and grinning in the mischievous way she and Parker seemed to have trademarked.
My cheeks flushed, and I quickly glanced to the corner of the room where Reed’s mom was sitting. Her head was bowed, and her eyes were focused on her book. There was a topless man in a kilt on the front cover, and he appeared to be distracting her enough that she wasn’t listening.
“Violet met Stanley.” Reed said, smartly ignoring the cheeky intent behind Cammie’s question.
