His fingers clicked faster against the wornFormica as he waited for her to reemerge. A key turning in thelocks brought his attention to the door as Kyle entered theapartment. His brother’s bloodshot, deep blue eyes landed on him,and he hesitated before closing the door.
“What are you doing here?” Kyle asked.
“I lost my key at the bar last night,” Juliantold him.
From down the hall, a door opened, but itsounded too far away to be Aida’s room.
“Uh-huh,” Kyle said, obviously not buyingwhat Julian said.
When Kyle ran a hand through his alreadydisheveled, wheat-blond hair, it stood more on end. They’d seeneach other last night and hung out at the bar, but Julian stillwalked over to hug his little brother. Soon, Kyle would stop agingand become more out of control with the women. Julian wished hecould help him, but each of them had to go through this; he couldonly hope Kyle didn’t get lost.
“That’s too bad; the pullout sucks to sleepon,” Kyle said as he slapped Julian on the back, and theyseparated.
“How would you know?” Cassidy asked as shepunched him in the arm while she strolled past. “You’re barelyhere.”
“Ow,” Kyle said as he rubbed his arm. “Do youblame me? Look at the way you treat me when I am here.”
Cassidy rolled her eyes as she plopped ontothe couch and pulled her knees up to her chest. “Sure,that’swhy you’re never here.”
Kyle grinned at her as he continued rubbinghis arm. “What can I say? The chicks dig me.”
“You’re gross,” Cassidy told him.
Kyle’s smile didn’t falter when he turnedtoward Julian. “I’m sure you understand what it’s like to beirresistible.”
“Iunderstand what it’s like to beirresistible,” Cassidy said. “I can also say no.”
Kyle shrugged. “Why?”
Cassidy rolled her eyes again. “You’re suchan ass.”
“But I’m an irresistible ass.”
Julian smiled while he listened to theirbanter. At one time, he had the same easygoing relationship withthem, but nothing felt easy anymore.
“So, Julian, what are the women of the worldlike?” Kyle asked as he sat on the couch beside Cassidy.
“You haven’t seen each other in almost fiveyears, and that’s the question you ask him?” Cassidy inquired.
“We saw each other last night,” Kyle remindedher.
“And how much talking did you get done whileyou were working and hitting on women?”
“I’m a very talented multitasker.”
“More like a talented slack off.”
“That too,” Kyle agreed. “But I don’t plan ontraveling any time soon, so if I’m going to learn what the women ofthe world are like, I have to ask the man who’s been around theworld. So, Julian, what are they like?”
“They’re like the women here,” Juliansaid.
Exceptnoneof them were like onewoman. Over the years, countless women had thrown themselves athim, but none of them compared to the one he left behind.
“I bet you had a girl in every country, maybetwo or three of them,” Kyle said. “What fun it must have been.”
Cassidy punched him in the arm again as Aidaemerged from the hallway. Julian knew she’d heard Kyle when her jawtightened. Her golden eyes landed on him before flitting away. Overthe years, he’d wanted to choke his brother more times than hecould recall, but right now, he couldkillhim.
“Stophitting me,” Kyle said as herubbed his arm; Cassidy shot him a look.
