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I cleared my throat. It was hot in here, and she hadn’t even started the water yet.
Water. Naked. Shit, I needed to get out of here.
“Yes?”
“Towels, Austin.” She looked at me like I was a weirdo. “I need towels. I don’t want to be here all night.”
“I ordered a late dinner,” I responded, feeling like an idiot once the words were out.
“Okay?” After two long beats of silence, she tipped her chin. “I’d like to shower before I eat though.”
I shook my head through the sweaty Sydney fog. “Yes, right. Towels.”
An internal monologue began in my head. One where I was reasoning with myself, trying to convince myself that I wasn’t attracted to Sydney, which was a lie. Maybe I just needed to get laid. I’d be attracted to anyone right now since it’d been a while.
But as soon as I thought it, I knew it was another lie.
Maybe it was just the Nightingale factor—her nursing me. Sort of. There actually wasn’t a whole lot for her to do other than keep me occupied, which she had been doing a hell of a job lately.
Maybe, hopefully, once she was gone, I’d no longer feel this need for her.
Maybe …
I opened my linen closet, standing there and realizing all my convincing was not going to work because, yes, I was attracted to her, but it was more than just attraction. I cared about her. She was beautiful, but she was also selfless, caring, thoughtful, funny, smart … I could go on all day.
“Austin!”
Shit. Towels.
I rushed to the bathroom and handed her two fluffy white towels, ones that Brandy had bought because I didn’t have any extra. I wasn’t the type of guy to buy linens when I had a robe—also bought by my sister—and one towel, which was all I needed.
“Thanks,” she said, grabbing them from me. She bounced on her toes, shy all of a sudden.
I wanted to ask her if I could help her in the shower, but damn it, I could barely shower myself at this point.
“I’ll be out in ten.” Then, she shut the door in my face, leaving me there, imagining her naked in my bathroom.
I couldn’t even jack off properly, which made every part of me hurt in the worst possible way.
Taking my mind off of it, I decided to take care of dinner. I ordered chicken breast and broccoli, given it was my choice for our meal today. Sydney would cook sometimes, tired of our fast-food festival. Still, she cooked pasta meals that had me groaning at the carb count, yet I didn’t deny her cooking either.
A knock at my door forced me up from the couch.Well, shit. That was fast.I went to the kitchen island and grabbed my wallet. I opened the door, ready to tip the deliveryman when my mouth slipped ajar.
It wasn’t the delivery person; it was my sister.
She walked in, uninvited, and my eyes immediately flew behind me to my room, where Sydney was showering in my bathroom.
“I’m done. Okay? I’ve broken it off with James,” Brandy said, her hands splayed in front of her, pacing my floor. “I know it’ll take you forever to forgive me, but I’ll wait. I’ve said I’m sorry, but I’m saying it again.”
“Brandy …” I blew out a breath. “You can’t be here right now.”
Trying not to be obvious, I grabbed her arm, steering her out, but she extracted herself.
“I’m done,” she repeated. “I’m done with you ignoring me. We’re family.” She placed both hands on her chest. “You can’t ignore me forever.” She ran her hands through her hair. “I know Alec will never forgive me, but you … you have to.” She stepped into me, reaching for my arm. “Please. I can live with anything else, but I need you in my life.” Her voice shook with emotion. “What I did was wrong and stupid. And it just made me realize, maybe I don’t even know what I want anymore.” She visibly swallowed. “I don’t understand why Alec wasn’t enough. Maybe I was confused.”
I snapped, “Well, that’s a stupid way of …”
“Did the food arrive?” Sydney walked in, her hair up in a towel. She was wearing the jeans and black turtleneck she’d been wearing earlier. She’d brought her workout clothes in a bag.
