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“She’s pretty,” I say.
“Yes,” he answers absently, his eyes fixed on Lily. “I need a favor.”
I frown. “What kind of favor?”
“I need you to walk over there and pretend to be her boyfriend.”
“What? Why can’t you do it?
His nostrils flare. “She’ll throw a fit if I do it, but with you, she’ll probably just be…confused.”
Ah. My sweet little brother, protecting the woman he wishes he didn’t want. What would I do if Mariana were wasted and surrounded by a bunch of creepy men?
Probably something stupid. Something that would wind me up in jail.
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Make it seem like she’s your girlfriend and lead her outside. Use your pastor coaxing to get her to go home with you. I’ll order an Uber for her.”
I drain the last of my beer and set it back down on the counter. I turn to Ethan, holding his gaze. “Okay, I’ll do it.”
Ethan’s shoulders visibly relax. “Thank you.”
After pushing off my chair, I make my way through the crowded bar. As I get closer, Lily’s giggles grow louder, and the three men surrounding her are closer than before. One of them has his hand on her lap, making my skin crawl. What if that were Mariana’s delicate thigh?
No wonder Ethan wants me to do this. I’d be far less calm right now if one of these men tried to touch my Mari.
I square my shoulders and take a deep breath, fixing a smile on my face as I approach. “Hey, love.”
Lily turns to look at me, her bright-red hair tumbling over her shoulders. Her eyes are wide and glazed. “Who are you?” The lilt of her voice tells me she likes what she sees.
Good. That’ll make it easier.
I shoot her a teasing smile. “We can play that game when we get home. You’ve had a few too many.”
She laughs again, this time into my chest, and it’s a relief to see the men backing off, each one looking down at their drink or phone, likely to avoid a confrontation. I don’t wait around to explain, leading Lily away from them and toward the exit.
With Lily leaning heavily against me, I walk her outside into the cool night air.
“So you’re my knight in shining armor?” she asks, the words thick with drink, “or were you just trying to get rid of the competition?”
“You’re going home,” Ethan says. “I’ve already called your roommate.”
Lily’s wide eyes dart to Ethan. “I should have known.”
“The Uber’s around the corner,” Ethan says, not meeting her gaze.
A saucy smile spreads over Lily’s face. “My lord and master, Ethan Harrington.”
Ethan only rolls his eyes, and I fight the urge to laugh. My poor brother. This one is even more trouble than Mariana.
He’s in for it.
The Uber comes shortly after, and I lead Lily to the car. She doesn’t put up any resistance, which is a relief. After the car drives off, I turn to Ethan. “You’ve done this before.”
His jaw is set. “She needs a lot of hand-holding. She’s a fucking mess.”
I pat his back. “You can’t take care of her forever. If you don’t want her for yourself, eventually you’re going to have to let someone else do this.”
