AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A throat clears, and I glance at Brady standing awkwardly in the doorway, holding a half-dozen blankets. All the years I’ve known Brady, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so...out of place. Usually, the room and people mold to fit him.
“I wasn’t sure what type of blanket you wanted.” He sets his shoulders and heads over. “I got a few different types of fleece, because each one felt different. There’s a sherpa blanket, a twin-sized comforter, because those are always soft, and then there’s the scratchy one.”
He sets the blankets at my feet and straightens, staring down at me before quickly looking away. Beside me, I feel the remaining brothers exchange looks. I wish I could crawl inside of their heads and hear their thoughts. They’re probably wondering what the hell happened to the Brady we knew.
I don’t think he’s gone, I just think he’s hiding, too afraid to show his face and ruin things. I appreciate that he’s trying so hard.
“I love the sherpa blanket,” I confess, grabbing it and beaming up at him. “Thank you, Brady.”
His shoulders visibly relax when I say his name, and he nods, leaving the rest of the blankets while he goes to clean up the mess we made. I watch him leave, chewing on my cheek and wondering how long it’ll last.
Will it only be today?
Or is he serious about trying to make it up to me?
“Well, I never thought I’d see the day Brady met his match,” Austin says with a soft laugh. “I love my brother, and I want this to work out, but don’t go easy on him, Quinn. He’s an even bigger control freak than I am, and he needs to learn who the real boss is.”
“That’s you,” Dylan stage whispers.
I roll my eyes. “Thank you, Captain Obvious.”
Dylan snorts. “Wow, you’re so humble.”
“You’re the one who said I was the boss.”
“Yeah, but you don’t have to be so cocky about it.”
Austin releases a drawn-out sigh, pretending to be annoyed. “Dylan, don’t pick a fight before the movie starts. Quinn, do you want lo mein?”
My first instinct is to wonder how he knows my favorite dish, but after everything he’s shown me, it’s not so surprising anymore. Austin has paid as close of attention to me as I have to him.
“That sounds perfect.”
“Cool. Brady likes the chicken fried rice and hot and sour soup. Dylan? Do you want the kung pao or the beef and broccoli?”
“Eh, get me something I’ve never tried. Maybe something with shrimp.”
I eye him. “You can’t be serious.”
“What?” Dylan’s eyebrows pinch together.
“You can’t just order all willy-nilly, Dylan. What if you don’t like it?”
“Dylan likes everything.” Austin mumbles something about him being a human garbage disposal under his breath.
“Fuck you, I heard that.” Dylan side-eyes me. “Are you scared of a little adventure?” There’s a challenging glint in his gaze, butit’s something deeper than Chinese food. It’s a question he wants answered.
Will I embrace the chaos with him?
Dylan lives outside the lines, I’ve always known that, but a good mate wouldn’t just watch him waltz through the unknown alone. A good mate would take his hand and trust that we’d find the way.
“Fine. Austin. I changed my mind. Get me something with chicken.”
A delighted smirk cuts across Dylan’s face, and he tugs me into his lap, nuzzling my neck. “What should we do next? Jump off the roof?”
“Shut up,” I grumble.
He bites my neck, but it doesn’t hurt. It feels perfect.
