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I bet every inch of her was just as soft.
The smile fell off my face, and I looked to the side, toward Jeff behind the bar. He wasn’t even pretending to work; he was leaning his forearms on the countertop, a rag thrown over his shoulder, eyes on us. When he saw me looking at him, he made awhat’s going ongesture, but I dutifully ignored him, slow to turn my attention back to Taylor.
Jeff had asked what was going on when I’d called, but I hadn’t told him the details. No one deserved the details. I might trust some people in a work capacity, but I owed them nothing when it came to my personal life.
And Taylor was about as personal as it got.
She was my sister. I shouldn’t have any thoughts about her like that. So what if it’d been ten years? So what if she was now a young woman? She’d grown up having me around—and then I’d left. I knew I’d hurt her by leaving, because I’d also hurt myself.
“Are you sure you don’t want any food?” I asked. She looked pretty skinny, like she didn’t eat enough. That hoodie damn near swallowed her up.
“No, I’m not hungry.” Taylor sat back, moving the hand off the table and grabbing the fabric around her neck, pulling it up over her mouth. I thought I saw shadows of something, but it could be the light in this place. If I said it was well-lit in here, I’d be a liar—and I was no liar. Her drink was almost finished; it didn’t look like she had any bags with her.
“Well, if you’re done, we can get out of here.” I scooted out of the booth and stood up, stepping toward her side and offering her my hand. I guess a part of me wanted to feel that soft skin on mine again, even if it was a mistake wanting it.
The hand holding onto the hoodie neckline dropped, and she took my hand with no hesitation, letting me help her out of the booth. When she got to her feet, I realized she was short. She reached my chest, had to angle her head back to look up at me.
And she did just that, giving me a smile. And then she did something I wasn’t expecting: she leaned into me and whispered, “I really did miss you, Creed.” The hand I was holding onto slipped from mine… but she used that same arm to wrap around my side, holding her to me in a half-hug.
I stood there for a moment, unable to do much else other than blink. My breath came out a little shakier than I wanted it to, and I struggled to wrap my arms around her short frame and hold her in return.
Taylor fit so well against me, like her body was made to be molded into mine. A missing puzzle piece. It was easy to hold her, easier to forget where we were. I closed my eyes, and together, we stood like that for a while, neither one of us wanting to be the one to pull away first.
As much as I didn’t want it to end, I opened my eyes and dropped my arms, stepping away from her as I said, “Go wait near the door. I’ve got to pay for your drink.” It was almost tough for me to get out the words, especially as I stared down into those big green eyes.
Oh, fuck. This wasn’tgoing to be easy, was it?
“Okay,” she said, stepping away from me and going to do as I said, waiting for me near the door. Once she reached the door, she turned around and looked at me from across the bar, and the look she gave me made me feel something I definitely shouldn’t.
She’s your sister, I told myself as I turned to walk toward the bar, to Jeff,get it together, man.
As I scolded myself, another part of me chimed in:yourstepsister.
Jeff was smiling a sly smile when I made it to him, and he turned his head to look at Taylor near the door. “Didn’t peg her for you,” he said, flashing me a set of pearly whites. He rubbed a hand over his goatee, as if he thought he was some wise man. “Who is she? Not that you have to tell me, but I’m curious, because I thought you told me that you—”
I knew exactly where he was going with that, so I cut him off as I pulled out my wallet and slapped down a ten on the counter, “She’s my sister, all right? So shut up.”
“Oh, your sister, eh?” Jeff looked toward Taylor, giving her a smile and a wave. “She’s cute. I didn’t know your mom had another kid.”
“She didn’t.”
“Your dad, then?”
The look I gave him right then could’ve killed. I kind of wish it would’ve, because if he was dead, he wouldn’t have said this next part.
“Ah, she’s from her second marriage, then? Your stepsister?” Jeff whistled, putting it all together. “Why do I have the feeling that Mr. Cold and Cruel is in for the ringer?” He lifted his eyebrows at me, as if expecting an answer.
I only glared at him. I also frowned, because he couldn’t be further off.
“What?” Jeff’s voice dropped to a whisper. He leaned forward on the bar countertop, as if he had a juicy secret to spill. Being the main bartender here, he did hear a lot of gossip. This, though, wasn’t any of his business, and if I had to beat that into his skull, I most certainly would. “Stepsisters ain’t off-limits. Go get her, tiger.”
“You’re dead,” I whispered back, pushing away from the counter.
Jeff laughed, not taking me seriously, even though he totally should. I wasn’t one to make idle threats, but… I guess I wouldn’t kill him. As annoying as he could be, he wasn’t a bad guy. “See you later, man. And good luck!”
That last part he called out to me louder, and as I walked away, I tossed a glare over my shoulder at him. The fool was still smiling in my direction.
When I reached Taylor, she asked, “Good luck with what?”
