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She shook her head and explained, “You might be the first person since it was built to call it a nice place.” A grin flashed across my face as she said, “I prefer dated and borderline criminal.”
“And you worry about us escorting you home,” I mocked, gesturing her forward when she cut her eyes toward me.
“I take it the motel is on the way home?” She verified, taking a wary step forward.
Caleb nodded as I answered, “Actually it’s a little past our turn but like the gentlemen we are, we’ll escort you to your door.”
“Gee, thanks,” she said dryly, turning slightly so she wouldn’t brush me on the narrow path. “Next you’ll be carrying my book bag.”
I snagged the strap of her bag, sliding it off her shoulder, and let it dangle from the tips of my fingers, curious what her reaction would be.
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “I’d protest about feminism or something, but you look like you can handle it.” She turned around before she could see my grin and I hooked the narrow strap over my arm, as I followed behind them.
She walked next to Caleb, but I could tell she was aware of my presence from the tautness in her shoulders. She didn’t like having me behind her, out of her line of sight, and once again I admired her instincts.
“Did you happen to put every textbook you have in here?” I grumbled after we’d walked in silence for a few minutes, and her shoulders relaxed as she laughed, her gaze catching mine over her shoulder.
“I didn’t get a chance to go to my locker today. My bag was locked up during lunch and I was shanghaied after school,” she retorted, her voice teasing.
“Shanghaied? I do believe that would be considered a rescue mission,” Caleb exclaimed, pouting at her dismissing his thoughtfulness. I had to stop myself from knocking the back of his head, glad when she laughed, seeming to be completely immune to his charm.
“You are ridiculously adorable, you know that?” She remarked, her tone more sisterly than flirtatious fortunately for Caleb’s continued existence.
“I’ve been told that numerous times,” I answered deadpan.
“What, that your face was going to get stuck like that?” She shot back, causing Caleb to bust out laughing as I fought back my own smile, not wanting to give her the satisfaction. I studied the path ahead, squinting slightly in the sun as we trudged forward.
“You know I’m not really into hiking,” she informed us, waving at her tennis shoes, and my eyes narrowed, knowing she’d need sturdier shoes once it got colder.
“Anna, you’ll need to take Jess shopping,” I commanded over the Pack link, and her agreement came quickly, as Caleb shot me a bemused glance.
He glanced away when I raised my eyebrows, turning his attention back to Jess as he hooked his thumbs in under the straps of his backpack. “Why don’t you have a car?” He questioned her to my approval, curious about that myself.
“Why don’t you?” She rejoined, startling him.
“I do,” he replied and I cleared my throat helpfully. “Well, Dom does,” he corrected, glancing at me. “According to my dad, I’m not responsible enough for a car.” She didn’t miss the bitterness in his voice and I kept my face intentionally blank when her gaze wandered to me in question. Caleb’s relationship with his family had long been an issue within the Pack, but it definitely wasn’t something to be discussed with an outsider. “Not compared to my older brother at least.” His words echoed with hurt and Jess’s gaze darted between us.
“You’re not brothers, are you?” She blurted out, shocking us both, as Caleb cast her a ‘are you crazy’ kind of look. A laugh rumbled out of me at the idea, startling them.
“Is he laughing or choking?” I heard her whisper to Caleb.
“Laughing. I think,” Caleb said hesitantly, his tone hinting at uncertainty, until he saw me smile widely, my teeth flashing white in the dim forest. Jess took a quick step back, away from me, and Caleb confirmed, “Laughing, definitely.” He nodded in reassurance, not that it seemed to help as she stared at me in a horrified fascination.
“Remind me to never make him laugh again,” she murmured, her voice faint as Caleb pulled her back toward us.
“Really, he’s a teddy bear,” Caleb assured her, dropping her arm as I growled at him over our private link.
“Sure,” she agreed, her tone so doubtful I almost thought she heard my growl.
“Did you really think we were brothers?” I asked bluntly, distracting her from the conversation.
“I wasn’t sure!” She protested, raising her arms over her head.
“Maybe it’s the fact that we look nothing alike?” I purred, ignoring the fact that Caleb did have a brother who looked nothing like him.
“You could be half-brothers,” she argued, refusing to concede to my logic.
