Real Men Knit(36)

“You can sleep in here,” he said, opening Damian’s door and flipping the light on in the room that was usually off limits to everyone but his prickly brother. He was instantly assaulted by the heat of the closed-in space and rushed over to crank up the in-window air conditioner. “You don’t have to do that for me,” Kerry said. “I don’t want to put you through any extra trouble or add to your mounting bills.”

He shook his head. “Stop with the trouble. It’s hot as hell in here. I need you rested and comfortable to be at your best anyway.”

Kerry nodded and looked away from him, nothing further to add to his comment.

Feeling the need to fill the silence, Jesse continued, “Sorry, it’s been a while since anyone has been in this room, and when he’s not here, Damian keeps everything shut tight.” He glanced at the bed. It was, as always, made to almost military precision. But the fact that it hadn’t been slept on had him worried about dust. Jesse leaned over and gave the linens a big sweep of his hand.

“It’s fine, Jes. You don’t have to do that,” she said, looking around. He knew she was taking in Damian’s various sports plaques and trophies that Mama Joy had still kept up and on display for him. As if Damian needed any further motivation to remember his greatness.

Jesse cleared his throat. “You’re right. I was just, um, making sure. The sheets should be clean.”

“Even if they’re not, at this point, I’m too tired to care.”

He smiled, then blinked, getting her meaning but not really wanting to leave. He was suddenly glad she was there. Though she wasn’t saying much, she made the silence of the house that much less quiet. “Oh yeah, right. Well, I’ll leave you, then. The bathroom is down the hall. I’ll hang in my room for a while so that you can go first.”

She nodded. “Thanks.”

“Yeah, thanks. I mean, you don’t need to thank me. Just good night or, well, see you in the morning,” he said on the way out the door.

He couldn’t stay and say more, and he’d already taken things past the point of awkward, he thought as he now stood in the hall outside the room. He knew if he stood there any longer, he just might ask her to sit up with him. To talk to him until he fell asleep. To let him hear her voice and take away this terrible overwhelming feeling of loneliness that was getting old every night.

But just then Damian’s door opened, and Jesse jumped. NERD!! went screaming through his head.

“You’re still here,” Kerry said softly.

He looked at her with surprise he had no business feeling. “Oh, um, yeah. I was just going to ask if you had remembered to pack your toothbrush and tell you where the towels are.” He went to the linen closet and selected a towel and washcloth for her. It was an old set that had been in the closet for ages, unused by any of his brothers. The guest set. Cream with a pretty rosebud embroidery on the edge.

Jesse handed them to Kerry, and she took them with a small smile. “Thanks. I didn’t remember a towel.” But then she waved a toothbrush in his face. “But I did remember my toothbrush. At least I was thinking that far.”

He nodded. This was getting weird. Things had never been this awkward between the two of them. It was getting into the land of Strangeville. “Well, okay then,” he said quickly. “My work here is done.” Okay, beyond Strangeville—he was entering Weirdville. Who talked like this?

Kerry raised a brow and started off toward the bathroom. “Good night. Again.”

He nodded and waved. “Good night.” Fucking waved with a goofy shake of his hand like a full-on rom-com movie dweeb. He looked down to see if perhaps his pants had hiked up to past his belly button and tight around his balls.

Jesse closed his door and said a silent prayer that both sleep and the morning would come quickly, because the sooner Kerry was gone, the better for all involved.





10




Sooo, Kerry thought. She was taking a shower for the second time in just a few hours, but she was hot and maybe a little bothered and Jesse Strong was just a few feet down the hall sleeping. That wasn’t awkward. Much.

Nope, she told herself. It wasn’t awkward at all. But it was morning now, and she’d had her more than way past awkward night and then some. Cheap wings, a minor explosion, wet body and pointy nipples on parade included. But today was a new day, and she would not make more of this little sleepover than it was.

After changing into a top that was overly wrinkled, due to the duffel bag throw-in, and last night’s leggings—that was what she got for not being as prepared as Mrs. Robins with the go-bag—Kerry let out a calming breath and told herself once again that none of this was a big deal. She was lucky and grateful that Jesse had come to her rescue last night, and today she’d let him know in the most unawkward, easygoing way possible. She’d get coffee going and make a quick breakfast—wait, maybe not on the breakfast. Cooking would just make the situation more awkward. To the point of bordering on desperation, she thought as she went back into Damian’s room and once again made sure the bed was perfectly made and nothing was out of place. Her stomach growled. Maybe she’d run to the corner and pick up some breakfast sandwiches. That wasn’t weird. It was closer to something that coworkers did, anyway, and nowhere near as intimate as what making breakfast implied.