Out Of The Blue (The Wrong Bed #12)(29)

In the way of family, she didn't bother him with trivial details or minor observations. No, not his sister, who knew him better than most. Instead she waited until he caught his breath, until he tipped the water bottle to his mouth.

Then she went directly for the kill. "You going to sleep with Hannah?"

He nearly drowned himself.

She waited patiently while he recovered.

He glared at her.

"Are you going to hurt my best friend?" she asked calmly.

"What makes you think it's Hannah who's going to get hurt?"

"Please. Your heart is safe, it always has been safe. How can it be anything else when you put work first? I'm not worried about you." But then she relented. "Should I be?"

"Nah. I'm tough."

"Oh yeah. You're rough and tough, you're the big, bad, older brother who's invincible, right?" She sighed and smacked him upside the back of his head. "Get a grip, Zach. Matters of the heart can lay even a superhero low."

"Who said anything about matters of the heart?"

"I did, because in case you didn't notice, that's what this is."

Zach stared grimly out at the waves. "She's just looking for something new and exciting."

"You don't really believe that."

No, he didn't. But believing that it was him Hannah wanted was just as unsettling.

"So? What are you going to do?"

"Alexi … don't."

"Don't what? Don't tell the truth? That for years Tara and have I have watched Hannah put everyone else's needs before her own? First her family, then us. She always covers for us, whenever we need it, no matter what, and much as it shames me to admit it, it never occurred to us that we were taking advantage of her. She'd do anything for the people she cares about, and it's time we do something for her back. So she wants to see what she's missing. What's wrong with that? Especially when she's missing plenty!"

Not anymore, he thought, digging his heels into the sand. Thanks to him and his very questionable self-control, Hannah wasn't missing anything now.

"Do you really want her to find out exactly what with some guy that won't care about her as much as you do?"

He stared at the waves and tried to tell himself it was okay that Hannah would eventually find a man to love her the way she deserved.

"Do it, Zach. Sleep with her and make it right. Show her everything she wants to know."

He'd already shown her, and he wanted to do it again. "And then what?" he asked. "Just leave? Don't you think that will make it worse?"

"No," she said. "I don't. Because this time you'll come back."

He stared at her, saw her thoughts as if she'd spoken them out loud. "I'm not going to fall in love, Alexi. Not a chance."

"Hmmm."

"I'm not."

She smiled. "Methinks maybe you protest too much."

Dammit. "I love you, I really do, but I'm not ever coming back for good."

Alexi's smile faded. "I know."

Zach tipped up his head and watched a lazy white cloud make its way across the sky. "Besides, we both know I have nothing to offer a woman permanently."

"Oh, my God."

"What?"

"You just said woman and permanent in the same sentence." She softened immediately. "Oh, Zach."

"No." He managed a laugh and sat up straighter. "Don't use that dreamy voice on me." She merely smiled and he lifted up a hand. "I mean it, Alexi. Wipe that look off your face."

"There's hope."

"No."

"Yes. You're already half in love, you're just not ready to admit it."

His heart nearly stopped. "Stop it."

"Can't." Smiling into the sun, she plopped back on the sand and tucked her hands beneath her head, looking satisfied with the world. "You and Hannah, it'd be just too perfect for words."

"No, it wouldn't."

"I'll miss her of course. So much. Just promise you'll stay for the rest of your time off, just to give us a little time together, you and me. Like old times. Please?"

How did she so effortlessly manipulate him into both guilt and remorse?

"Zach… Please?"

He didn't want to deny her, but to do as she asked and in such close proximity to Hannah… "You want me to stay even if the only thing that's going to happen between Hannah and me is a friendship?"

"A friendship?" Her expression told him how ridiculous she thought that was.

"We have a genuine affection and warmth for each other, but it's not going further than that. I'm going back to L.A. soon, and Hannah … she belongs here, no matter what's between us."

Alexi lifted a brow.

"Or not between us," he muttered.

"Are you saying you've already slept together?"

He clenched his jaw tight and remained silent.

"No, of course not." She laughed. "I would have known. Right? Zach?"

He just shook his head. "Stop it."

"Okay, tell me this. Truthfully. That warmth and affection you mentioned … could it have been more? You know, if things were different?"