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“Only you would take something like that and turn it into something bad.” I glance into the nursery and find Claire carrying Lilly to the changing table, whispering gently and stroking Lilly’s wispy, chocolate-brown curls.
We reach the spare bedroom, and Nathan slams Claire’s bag onto the bed. “You know what you’re doing,” he whispers, jamming a finger against my chest. “And I’m not letting you fuck this up for me.”
“Back up.” I fling his hand away and snicker. “What the hell does it have to do with you? The girl was hungry.”
“Do me a favor and stop acting like we just met. You took her out because you wanted to spend time with her when I wasn’t around.”
“You’re out of your mind.”
“Oh? I guess I’m imagining the way I saw you looking at her, too. Like you’re the big bad wolf in some old cartoon—tongue hanging out and eyes bulging.”
“Maybe you’re the one with the problem,” I whisper back. “You’re the one jumping to conclusions. Are you trying to fuck all of this up for yourself? Because that’s what you’re gonna do if you get all possessive of that girl.”
“There’s being possessive, and there’s making sure she doesn’t fall for any of your bullshit.”
“Fuck off,” I mutter with a shove.
“Maybe you should fuck off.” He shoves me back, and I stumble against the bed. “You know what? Now that she’s here, I don’t need you anymore. You can go. Thank you for your help.”
The idea sets off panic in my head. “You don’t get to show me the door after I’ve backed you up for two months. I’m not gonna walk away from…from Lilly.”
“Just from Lilly?” My whole life, he’s been giving me the look he is now. The know-it-all big brother. The one who sits on high and laughs at his fuck-up kid brother.
“Maybe you’re the one who needs to look at himself because, change the subject all you want, but you’re going to fuck up a good thing if you blur the lines here. And you know what I mean,” I insist when he rolls his eyes.
“I think I can handle myself.”
“Oh? Are you sure about that? Because from where I’m standing, you’re acting like a possessive creep, and it’s going to drive her away. Maybe you should think about that.”
“And maybe you should mind your own fucking business.”
“Oh? The way I bailed you out when you were alone? Was I minding my own fucking business then? Because you didn’t seem to mind very much, did you?”
In the next room, Lilly lets out a familiar cry. “Congratulations,” Nathan growls. “Now she’s fussing again.”
“She only started fussing because you started shit the second I walked in the door.”
“Maybe if it hadn’t taken you so long to walk through the door, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”
“Now, listen up.” I hear Claire before I see her rounding the open doorway. The wide-eyed, innocent girl is gone. The girl standing in front of us now with her arms folded and her eyes blazing isn’t the Claire I had dinner with. She looks at me, then at Nathan, scowling. “I don’t know what is going on here with you two, but I do know you upset the baby. And since I’m here to take care of the baby, I’m going to have to ask you to grow up and knock it off. Or else she’s never going to get any sleep, which means none of us are going to get any sleep. So, learn to work your stuff out without upsetting her, okay? Do you think you can handle that?”
How can I handle that when I can barely handle my reaction to her? And I thought she was tempting before this? There’s an erection stirring in my pants as I stand helpless and silent in front of her fiery temper. Nathan doesn’t say a word, either. For once, he’s at a loss for words.
“Yeah,” I murmur once I remember how to speak. “We can handle that.”
“Good.” We both get another dirty look before she goes back to Lilly, her voice now quiet and soothing.
I look at Nathan. Nathan looks at me. Neither of us says a word, but I don’t think anything has to be said. Certain things, we both understand about each other. When you’ve known someone your entire life, that’s how it goes.
And I know he is just as impressed with her as I am.
And he wants her just as much. Maybe even more than before.
We are both in so much goddamn trouble.
4
CLAIRE
