Maybe This Time (Maybe #1)(38)

“Who has the bigger penis?” I ask, wanting to shake him up. Of course Reid decides to walk out at that moment, scowling. “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Old Fashioned,” I grumble into my sandwich. Like an olden day lord pissed off because he found out his wife was a soiled dove on his wedding night. The thought makes me giggle. I am so funny.

“Our cocks are equally large,” Ryan answers, chuckling.

“Did you think I was a virgin?” I ask Ryan.

He laughs harder. “No way, not with the way you move on the dance floor. Hips don’t lie.”

I blink twice, and then crack up laughing. Reid shakes his head at our antics, but I can see the smile on his lips that he can’t stop from forming.

“Nothing is sacred in this house,” I muse, finishing off my breakfast. Reid walks past me, gently tugging at a lock of my hair, before grabbing a plate and piling it with food.

“If you think you’re going to get away with that as an apology, you have another thing coming, Reid Knox,” I tell him, washing my plate and putting it in the dishwasher. I do the same for the other few plates and cutlery left in the sink. I spin around to find him leaning against the table, eating a piece of bacon with a smirk etched on his face.

“What’s with the smirk?” I ask. I look around to see Ryan has left the kitchen.

“You’re f*cking hot when you’re angry,” he says, licking his finger.

“The way you act sometimes, you better get used to it.”

“Ditto.”

“I’m going home, I’ll see you later,” I say, walking past him. Before I can get out of his reach, he pulls me back by the belt loop on my jeans. My back crushes against his chest, and my heart flutters as he pushes my hair to one side so my neck is bared and vulnerable.

“I’m sorry. Last night was perfect, okay? I didn’t mean to ruin it,” he whispers, nuzzling my neck.

“Hmm,” I sigh.

“Do you forgive me, beauty?” he says, his stubble tickling my neck.

“I suppose,” I say ungracefully.

“I’ll make it up to you,” he says, and then proceeds to whisper exactly what he will do to me in my ear.

“Forgiven!”

Reid laughs at my eagerness. “Okay, drive safe and text me when you get home. I’ll pick you up before the fight.” Shit, how did I almost forget about that?

“Okay,” I say, not sure how I feel about the fight.

“You don’t have faith in your man?” he asks in disbelief.

“I do. I’ll see you tonight,” I say, kissing him on the cheek. He slaps my butt as I pass.

Men.





*****


I walk into the house to find an unhappy looking Xander standing in the kitchen, his arms crossed against his head.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, putting my bag down on the table.

“You weren’t here so I haven’t eaten any breakfast,” he says, sulking.

I purse my lips. “What did you do before I moved in?”

“Well, there were usually girls lying about so one of them…”

“You guys are disgusting!"

“Or we had leftover pizza, or something,” he says, shrugging.

“Fine, I’ll cook you breakfast but you’re washing up.” I point my finger at him and pull out some eggs.

Xander hugs me. “Thank you.”

My heart melts. I love my baby brother. “You’re welcome.”

“I need to talk to you about something.” The hesitance in his voice has me glancing at him.

“What is it?”

“I was thinking about getting in the ring sometime,” he says.

“You wanna fight?” I say, enunciating each word.

“Yeah, I don’t want you to get all upset, but I’m a pretty good fighter, and I wanna do this,” he explains.

“Okay. Why are you telling me this?”

“Dad said I needed to...” he clears his throat. “Run it by you.”

I can’t help it when laughter bubbles out of my mouth. “Dad said you needed my permission?” I say through bouts of laughter.

“You done?” Xander growls, not looking impressed.

“Baby bro. Do I wish you wouldn’t fight? Yes. But it’s your life and I’ll be there for you no matter what.”

He looks at me with a softness in his eyes that makes me believe in the saying ‘everything happens for a reason’.

“Right back at ya, Summer,” he says. I smile and face the stove, cracking eggs into the frying pan.

After I finish Xander’s breakfast, I get changed, tidy up the house and then drive to the library. Grabbing my assignment file, I walk inside and take my usual table.

“You’re back,” a deep voice says. I lift my head and stare into the eyes of the mysterious guy who sat next to me the last time I was here.

“You stalking me?” I tease. His lip curves as he sits opposite me, same as last time. He pulls out a thick text book, and I read it upside down.

“You’re studying law?”

“Guilty.”

I wince. “Looks painful.”

“Trust me, it is. How about you?” he asks, gesturing to my folder.