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Kim pitched a pillow at her and hit her square in the head. “Bitch. You’re on thin ice already.”
Sara blew out a breath, her good humor fading. It had been nice while it lasted. “Brad wanted to tell you. He begged me repeatedly not to lie.”
“With his past, he’s not exactly a fan of deception. I knew it was all you. Which both hurt more and hurt less, because I know you’re über-cautious.” Kim grunted and twisted her top half to face Sara so she didn’t jar her leg. “You have to know that I’d never begrudge you happiness, no matter where you found it. Don’t you?” Kim’s big blue eyes, so like her brother’s, sheened with tears. “Especially if it meant you might end up my sister for real someday.”
Sara’s throat locked up. “Don’t. See, this is what I was afraid of happening.” She covered her face with her hands. “I can’t handle it along with everything going on with him, which has already been totally unexpected and wonderful and so confusing that I’m still not sure which way’s up. I’ve already had those crazy thoughts myself, and it’s too soon, I can’t deal—”
“Hey, breathe.” Kim stroked her hair. “I didn’t say I was planning a wedding. I said maybe someday. If you and Brad break up, it won’t change a damn thing with us. You’re my sister whether we share a last name or not, Carmichael, so stop being stupid before I’m forced to beat you with my crutch.”
Sara wiped her eyes with the corner of her comforter. They weren’t wet, just itchy. “What crutch? You refused to get one.”
“Greg loaned me one he had.” Kim wrinkled her nose. “I’d rather hop.”
“How’re you going to dance at the benefit? Normally you get up on the tables.”
“Meh. I’ll have to chair dance or something equally lame.” Kim grinned. “Or maybe I’ll settle for making out with Greg in the kitchen. He always wanders toward the food.”
“Greg…that name is so familiar. Wait, you’re not talking about that Greg? The cook in the cafeteria?” Sara’s eyes widened. “But he’s only—”
Kim cleared her throat. Loudly. “Greg is over thirty. I’m a baby puma compared to you.”
“You’re right. He’s not too young, he’s…fresh. Uncontaminated.” She and Kim shared a grin. “At least until you got your hooks into him.”
“I can’t believe you’d say that. Why, I told him I hadn’t been with many men when we got together, so he insisted on trying everything in his bag of tricks to please me. You know how those young guys are with their issues. Actually, never mind. Please don’t overshare.” She covered her ears. “La la la.”
Sara had to laugh. “Ah. The performance issues. I wondered what that meant, since you were screaming your fool head off when we went upstairs.”
“I don’t scream. I purr. Rambunctiously.”
Sara laughed and tipped her head against Kim’s. “Me too.”
“No, you scream. And I do mean screaaaam.”
“Shut up.”
Kim flashed her a sly smile. “I’m beginning to see all the ways I can torture you with this information. This will be the most fun I’ve had all year. Even makes up for Greg—” She broke off, shaking her head. “Never mind.”
“What? Tell me.”
“Why should I? You hold out all the good stuff on me.”
Sara grabbed both of Kim’s hands. “I won’t ever again. I promise. No matter what happens with Brad, I won’t hold back.”
“Well, I’ll know some of what goes on, since you’re both blatantly obvious and hello, you live here.”
Sara shut her eyes and waited until she was sure her voice wouldn’t wobble. “I’m sure my apartment will be ready soon.”
“What? Why? I thought you liked it here.”
“Well, yeah, of course I do, but me and Brad being a couple changes things. If I keep living here, it makes it seem like—”
“Like this isn’t just something we’re doing to pass the time? Like we’re in love?” She whipped her head toward the doorway, where Brad slouched against the frame in a pair of jeans. He strolled into the room, looking more sinful than any man had a right to, wad of tissues sticking out of his back pocket and all. He scooped an arm around Sara’s shoulders and laid a kiss on her that made her already trippy head spin. Why didn’t they ever shut doors in this place? Or spray the walls with heavy-duty soundproofing? “You’re right. It does.”
As close as they’d come to making the declaration earlier, hearing the actual words “in love” set off a tremble in her belly. She didn’t want to get into this in front of Kim, but she’d be damned if she held anything back from him. Not when they were starting all over again.
“You may end up wanting things I can’t give you,” she said softly, hoping he got her meaning without her having to
spell everything out. Though she would if she had to. “I know that’s in the future, but I’d hate for you to go without something that matters so much. It isn’t fair.”
