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Either way, he’s interested in Leo, and he’s my… what is he? My not-a-boyfriend’s brother… that should come before any kind of whatever the hell this is between us, shouldn’t it?
“Can I get you ladies anything?” Leo asks, turning to Eileen and Ruby, clearly seeing how tongue-tied I am right now. “I have red wine…”
“Red would be great,” Eileen agrees with a nod, looking up from Ruby’s nail with a grin. “But there’s no rush.”
I suddenly realise how close we are, how intimate this must look, and how quick his heartbeat is under my palm. When on earth did I place that on his chest? Shit.
“Sorry,” I apologise, removing it and wrapping both hands around the glass. At least they’re safe, wrapped around the wine glass.
“Don’t worry about it,” he replies with a wink, taking a half step away. “You know how I feel about propriety anyway.”
With that, he strides away, need curling in my stomach. I pay way more attention to his ass than I should as he fills up Eileen’s glass, Ruby declining with a shake of her head and a dip of her shoulders. It’s almost as if she’s avoiding him… interesting.
“Girl, that boy is into you,” Eileen calls with a wave of her hand, Leo’s fine ass barely out of the door.
“No, I don’t think so,” I argue. She’s not seen the way he looks at Jacob. It’s not a fair comparison.
“So, he’s not the one that gave you that gift either?” Ruby asks, looking at my wrist.
“Leo? Nope.”
“Well, if him strutting around like that for you isn’t a gift, I don’t know what is,” Eileen counters. “That boy is hot.”
“They all are,” I add.
“Wait, there’s more of them wandering around here?” She’s half out of her seat and attempting to peer around the doorway within seconds, laughter bubbling up inside me. “Does this happen often?”
“Sorry to disappoint you but the guys live in the house you passed on the way in, just the other side of the pool,” I explain.
“How many are there and when can I move in? Shit, that’s one seriously good place to be. He ishawt.”
“You’ve already said,” I reply, watching her get seated properly again and taking Ruby’s hand in hers. Apparently, that came out more possessive than I planned, if the way Ruby’s eyebrows raise is anything to go by. “Anyway, there are eight of them, at the minute. Nick and Jacob, they’re twins, Oliver, Taylor, and the four who came this afternoon; Wyatt, Leo, Jasper and Emmerson.”
“So, Nick, your boyfriend—”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I interrupt.
“Whatever.” Ruby rolls her eyes. “He’s a twin, and even hotter than these guys? That just doesn’t seem to be possible.”
Fishing, fishing, fishing for information.
“If you wanted to see a picture of him, why didn’t you just ask?” I reply. Apparently, the wine and adrenaline combination makes me sarcastic, as well as flirty.
Flicking through my phone, I pull up his socials.
Most of his photos are atmospheric, moody landscapes, or ab shots, very little that shows his actual face, but eventually, I find a photo of him and Jacob, arms slung over each other’s shoulders in front of their car. The background is some huge house that seems vaguely familiar, but I’m not sure why, and I guess it must have been as they set off for Pendleton Prep.
“Here,” I say, wandering over and showing them both. Ruby nods and Eileen fans herself, whistling excessively.
“Oomph,” she says. “Look at those forearms and that jawline. That man knows how to show you a good time. It doesn’t even matter which one he is, have them both and live your best fucking life.”
“Jacob is gay.” I chuckle.
“That one is going to make some guy really happy,” she says. “I’ll watch.”
The three of us burst out laughing, and it feels like the first time Ruby really lets her guard down around me enough to enjoy the moment.Thank God for Eileen, and Nick, I guess.
“Shit. Right. Let’s get these nails done and get you girls out in that steam room. I’ve got massage tables to coordinate once you’re out of my hair,” she says, placing Ruby’s hand back under the nail lamp.
