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I try not to stare for too long in Abby’s wake as she hightails it out of the living room and upstairs, but it’s difficult not to look in that direction and wonder what’s going through her mind right now.
Because I’m fairly certain she was no more aware of this being the direction the day would take than I was.
“I don’t know what’s up with Abby, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” Rusty says, humor in his voice. “I’ve always told you she marches to the beat of her own drum.”
I nod, trying to push an easygoing smile onto my face.
“You said earlier that you forgot to tell her I was staying with you guys,” I say, hoping to play down her reaction to me being in her house. “That’s probably all it was.”
My friend chucks a few M&M’s into his mouth and bobs his head. “Well, regardless, I’m sure we’ll be able to convince her to come with us tonight. She’s the most important person in my life, and I want you to get to know her.”
A prickle of unease settles along the back of my neck.
For as long as I’ve known Rusty, he’s been a protective kind of guy, always looking out for others. He was that way when we met freshman year, and that part of his persona only intensified once his parents died and he left school a year early to come home and take care of his sister.
He used to tell me that in some ways, he’s been more like a father to her than a brother with the kind of role he’s had to take on in her life. How the hell am I supposed to live with the fact that I spent last night with my mouth all over her body and my fingers inside her?
Clearing my throat, I have to work not to get hard at just the memory, at the thought of what she looked like on her knees, her big green eyes looking up at me like I was a fucking king…what she looked like as she tossed her head back in pleasure while I brought her to an orgasm that nearly set me off as well…
Fuck.
“I’m gonna head to the store to grab some burgers to throw on the grill tonight. You wanna come with or stay here?”
The sound of Rusty’s voice as I’m thinking about his sister is jarring, but I manage to respond.
“I think I’ll stay here,” I tell him. “Still a bit tired from the drive yesterday.”
He nods. “Sure thing. Feel free to take a nap or something. We can eat whenever and swing by The Mitch later.”
“Thanks.”
Rusty grabs his keys and wallet off a small table in the corner, then gives me a wave before heading out the door.
I stand there for a long minute, my hands on my hips, looking around the room after he leaves. It looks different now with all the Christmas decorations and the tree and the two stockings hanging on the fireplace, but I’ve been in this house before. Once when we were still in college, before their parents died, and once a few years ago.
I can’t help but wonder how in the hell I didn’t realize that was Rusty’s sister last night.
Crossing the room, I pick up a framed photo sitting on the mantel behind a string of garland. Two proud parents. Rusty. And Abby, still in braces and her hair in two French braid pigtails with little bows on the ends.
I set that one down and look at the next. This one I’ve seen before. It’s Rusty and Abby at her college graduation. He sent it to me a few days afterward, telling me how proud he was.
How the fuck did I not make the connection?
How did I not recognize her from this picture?
Better yet, how did I never ask her for her name?
Abby.
If I’d just asked for her name, I would have known. Surely, I would have put two and two together.
But I didn’t ask. I didn’t think to ask. Couldn’t think at all. I was too overwhelmed by how turned on I was by her cute pick-up lines and then the way it felt to kiss her. One thing led to another, and I could barely think straight.
I’ve never had a girl pick me up like that before. Normally, that’s my job. And damn if it wasn’t one of the hottest things I’ve ever experienced.
Both the picking up part and the time in my hotel room.
Fuck.
