The Plight Before Christmas(86)

A pause.

“When did you know Brenden was it for you, Erin?” Serena asks.

“You don’t want to hear it. He’s your brother.”

Whitney chimes in. “We can pretend like he’s a man for a few minutes. As long as it’s not too sexual.”

“It’s not,” Erin slurs. “It was at a company softball match. Believe it or not, your brother had one hell of a body years ago.”

“This is already testing my gag reflex,” Serena snarks.

“Hear me out,” Erin pleads. “So, he was shirtless, all solid muscle as he walked up to me all cocky, full of swagger.”

“More like piss and vinegar,” Serena quips.

“Shut it, Serena,” Whitney scolds in a slight slur.

“It was a slow-motion attack,” Erin recalls.

“Oh no, what did he do?!” Whitney asks.

“First the hand went up…sure and steady. He gripped the top of the hat so tight all I saw was muscle, forearm muscle, and veins,” Erin sighs.

“So, he knew what he was doing,” Whitney pipes in accusingly.

“Oh, he did, he knew,” Erin confirms, “It was obvious he had done it before….and I couldn’t help myself. I watched.”

“I think I know where this is going,” Whitney chirps.

“It was like magic…he just grinned at me, bit his lip, and slid that shit home.”

“Yep, yep. Gets me every time,” Whitney admonishes. “It’s voodoo is what it is.”

“I’m lost,” Serena interjects.

“He did the backward hat trick, didn’t he?” Whitney prompts.

Erin groans. “He so did.”

“Yeah,” Whitney says in a sympathetic tone. “It’s like Mac Daddy handbook rule #1. No woman is safe from that. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Oh no!” The lounger scrapes again. “We have to warn Gracie! We have to prepare her!” Whitney squeaks, clear panic in her voice.

“She’s nine, Whit.”

“Shit, we may already be too late.”

I shake my head as I hold in my chuckle.

“What is it about men? Why do we try so hard?” Erin asks.

“It’s chemical at first,” Whitney sighs, “and then sadly, the memory of the chemicals.”

The idea that she genuinely might believe that sends my gut churning.

“Who was your guy, Whitney?” Erin asks.

“The gorgeous man sleeping in our den.” Her words have me perking up as the lowlying fire flames in my chest.

“I thought he might be,” Erin says softly.

“He was gloriously naked the first time I laid eyes on him. I never had a chance.”

My grin only widens.

“He was naked?”

“Yeah, Alyssa got sick at a party at his house, and we crashed into his bathroom. He was in the shower.”

“Oh, my god,” Erin says with a giggle.

“The second our eyes met, instant chemistry.”

“I’ll bet. He’s pretty hot,” Erin says.

“Gorgeous,” Serena agrees. A pause. “Sorry, sis, but he is.”

“Yeah, well, he used it well. He tortured me for like a hundred dates before he kissed me. Strung me along for eight months before he shoved a knife into my heart while facing me. He didn’t even have the decency to let me turn my back on him.”

This admission has me swallowing, the guilt instant.

“What broke you up?”

“I don’t want to get into it. But he does.”

“He’s here. He’s right inside that door,” Erin urges softly. “Why don’t you go talk to him?”

I decide Erin wins the day, and it’s a given I’ll have her back when she needs it. Jury is still out on Serena, but I can’t fault her at all for her protective streak.

“I’m good here. If I get too close to him right now, it could be disastrous for me.” I don’t have time to decipher that statement before she speaks up again. “He told me he wanted another chance today after he kissed me.”

“What?!” They both shout simultaneously.

“And you’re just now telling me?” Serena scolds.

“Uh, sis, you were a bit busy War of the Roses-ing with Thatch.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“So, how was it?” Erin prompts.

“I can still feel it,” Whitney says softly. “I’m still spinning, and I don’t know if it’s good or bad.”

A dozen scenarios come to mind in the way to prove how good the idea is as I wrestle with myself on whether or not to shut the window.

“God, why can’t I forget that man’s chemicals?”

The ache in my chest intensifies as I fight the urge to go to her so we can cut through the red tape of our past. So we can hash our shit out before I demand that she be as honest with me as she’s being with her sisters. But I know that admission has to be earned. I’ve barely scratched the surface of my own.

“I miss that,” Erin says. “The firsts.”

“You and me both, sister,” Serena chimes in. “I can’t believe I broke down in a store today.”