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Shit, what if they’re close? What if she likes him? The idea of her with another man makes me want to strangle him. My fists clench at my sides as the possessiveness overwhelms me. Talia isn’t even really mine. For fuck’s sake, we only just met and our goddamn parents are married and yet … I know down to the marrow of my bones that, despite it all, she isand will be mine.
So fuck Daniel and fuck any other man who ever even looks her way. They don’t deserve to bask in her sunny glow. Hell, I don’t either, but I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of her.
Talia ignores my admittedly rude question, shoving past me to accept the empty Tupperware Daniel’s holding out to her. The position puts her tucked under my arm, and the contact calms the raging urge to slam the door in Daniel’s face. She’s close, and I want to keep her there. Closer too. As close as we can get.
Fuck, those pajama shorts she’s wearing shouldn’t be legal.
“Hey, Talia,” Daniel greets with a grin that I want to smack off his face. “Thank you again for the cake. It was delicious, and Lucy loved it. She’s already told me it’s my brotherly duty to get her one every year for her birthday from now on.”
Talia giggles. My cock roars to attention, and my heartbeat picks up at the sound. “I’m glad she enjoyed it,” she says, blushing a little at the compliment. “It was fun to bake.”
“Everyone loved it,” Daniel insists. “I’ve never had chocolate cake that good before.”
“The trick is to add some coffee to bring out the cocoa flavor,” Talia explains, smiling brightly, eyes sparkling.
It’s obvious she’s genuinely excited about cakes and baking, and I make a mental note to ask her more about it later. I need to know everything about her, need to know her better than Daniel does. Fucking Daniel.
Daniel’s eyes flick to mine. He must see the dark thoughts written on my face because his smile falters a little and he turns back to Talia.“I should get going, leave you guys to it.”
“Will I see you tomorrow?” Talia chirps, sweeter than any cake, and taps her nails against the tupperware she’s holding.
“Of course, you will,” Daniel says before he gives us a wave and turns to head back home.
The second he turns around, I slam the door shut, locking the rest of the world out. I stomp over to where I left the take-out containers on the kitchen counter, Talia following closely behind. She sets the Tupperware down and pulls out two plates, helping me to unpack the many containers of food we’ve ordered.
“Why does Daniel think he’ll see you tomorrow?” I ask through clenched teeth, opening a container so aggressively that it rips and rice falls out onto the counter.
Surprise crosses Talia’s features, but she quickly smoothes her expression out, spooning noodles onto her plate. “Because he will see me tomorrow. We volunteer at the city’s soup kitchen, and we’re both on the Monday morning prep shift.”
I grunt in response, trying not to let all of my feelings show on my face. There’s no fucking way I want her alone with Daniel tomorrow, not when I saw how he looked at her. Talia is all sunshine and sweetness, and Daniel, or any of the other guys shevolunteers with, could take advantage of that. No, there’s no way she’s going alone, not without someone to protect her.
“Sweet and sour?” Talia asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
I accept the container of sauce she’s offering, and we finish filling our plates before returning to the sofas and the game she’s destroying me at.
I don’t even try to win. There’s far more satisfaction in watching Talia cheer and tease and light up every time she makes grabby hands for more of my dwindling stack of fake cash, building a new hotel, and gloating about her property empire expanding.
I never thought I’d be happyabout going broke, but as Talia leans across the coffee table to take the last of my money, I’m grinning deliriously. My chest aches with laughter, and I don’t remember the last time I had this much fun.
Talia’s cheeks are pink with humor as she looks up at me through her lashes, waving the fake bills like they’re a fan in front of her face. She’s still leaning over the table and the neckline of her cotton pajama top dips with the angle, revealing the swell of her breasts just before she sits back up to count her cash.
“Told you I’d wipe the floor with you,” Talia declares.
The game finally ends with me penniless and grinning so hard it’s painful.
“Only ‘cause I let you, cupcake,” I tease right back, surprised at my own words. My voice is laced with the possessive darkness I’ve felt all night, and Talia’s breath visibly hitches in response. The air between us changes, charged suddenly. It lasts only asecond, though, before Talia stands up and starts packing the game away.
I grab our plates, taking them to the kitchen to wash and tidy up the leftovers. When I’m done, I find Talia hovering by the sofas with a frown on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just…um…there’s only one spare bed here, and I don’t want to kick you out of it,” she explains. “It was your room first after all.”
I have an easy solution to her concern. Like hell am I kicking Talia out of the bed. It’s hers now. “I’ll be just fine on the sofa, cupcake,” I reassure her, that stupid nickname slipping out again. It’s teasing, but considering her sweetness and apparent talent for baking, oddly fitting too. And she hasn’t told me to knock it off yet. In fact, she just smiles at me. Then her smile fades into a yawn, and I realize how late it is.
I make quick work of grabbing my bags out of her room and snagging some blankets from the laundry cupboard to make the sofa my new bed. I gather the plush cushion from the smaller sofa Talia sat on during our game to use as a pillow.
“Goodnight, Trey,” Talia calls out from the doorway, slipping out and heading up to her room.
