Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2)(34)

“She moved her stuff. You make her do that?” Cage asked from behind me.

Guess we were going to get that private confrontation after all. I pulled out a stick of butter and turned around closing the door behind me.

“I didn’t make her do anything.”

Cage snarled and glanced back at my bathroom door. This was the first time she’d showered in my bathroom too. Normally she used Cage’s.

“Why Low? You could’ve had any damn chic in this town. Why’d you have to go and mess with Low?”

When he said stupid shit like that it made me question his belief she was special.

Sitting the butter down I reached for a knife to slice off some pats to put on our pancakes. Without looking back up at him for fear I’d lose my temper I responded, “You of all people should know how special she is. Girls like her aren’t easy to find. From the moment I opened that door,” I stopped slicing and looked up at him. I wanted him to see my face when I told him this. I needed him to believe me. “I knew she was going to get under my skin. Then the more I got to know her. The more I watched her and talked to her I wanted to get closer to her. And as much as you hate to hear this she wants to get close to me too.”

Cage let out a hard laugh and turned to go back to his bedroom. I went back to slicing the butter.

“I want to believe you won’t hurt her. But I know you will. I’m going to stand back and let this play out. Because in the end, she’ll come running back to me.”

His door slammed behind him.

He was wrong. But I wasn’t going to argue with him about it anymore. As long as he stood back and left us alone I was good. That was more than I could have hoped for.

I set the table and poured us both coffee adding some cream and sugar to Low’s. I also placed a glass of orange juice beside her plate of pancakes. I wasn’t sure if she liked coffee with her meal. I liked cold milk with my pancakes so I poured her a glass of that too.

The door to my bathroom opened and she stepped out dressed in the clothes she’d had on earlier but this time her hair hung damp and loose down her back. The ends curled just a little when wet. Her face was scrubbed clean of any makeup and she was beautiful. Big green eyes taking in the table then lifting to meet my appreciative gaze.

“Wow. That looks really good.”

I pulled out her chair and waved my hand for her to have a seat. Giggling she made her way over and stopped right in front of me. Standing on her tip toes she kissed me softly then leaned back and whispered, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She slid into her seat and I pushed her chair in then walked over to my side and sat down.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a guy pull my chair out and push me to the table before. I always thought it would be kind of awkward but you made it look as smooth as it appears on television.”

I smirked then reached for the syrup.

“I worked for Jax Stone for a few summers at his vacation house on the island. One of my jobs was serving their food. I pulled his mother’s chair out a million times.”

Her mouth made a small o shape.

“That’s how you know Sadie then?”

I nodded and once again I was surprised that my chest didn’t ache at the mention of Sadie’s name. Damn if that didn’t make me smile.

“Um, Marcus,” she giggled and I looked up to see what was so funny.

“Why did you give me three drinks?”

This time I laughed and shrugged, “Wasn’t sure what you’d want.”

Willow bit her bottom lip still smiling then reached for the milk.

“With sweet stuff, I like milk.”

“I’ll remember that.”





Willow



I had to work tonight but Tawny called and asked me to watch Larissa for a couple of hours this afternoon. Marcus hadn’t argued with me like Cage would have. He seemed to understand family craziness and gave me a ride over there. He’d made me promise to call him as soon as I was ready to leave. He was going job hunting today and he had a paper to write for one of his online courses. Leaving him was still hard. I was already addicted to him. Not exactly healthy behavior.

As usual Tawny was running late. She’d promised I’d have time to go home and change before work but it looked like I’d be going to work as is. Glancing at my phone for the tenth time in like five minutes I let out a frustrated growl. Why couldn’t she just call or text when she was running late?

The sound of gravel crunching under tires outside ended my frustration and I went to close Larissa’s door so Tawny wouldn’t wake her up from her nap. I’d go outside to call Marcus after I’d dealt with Tawny. I didn’t want her listening in on our conversation.

Walking by the window I stopped. Instead of Tawny’s piece of junk Ford Taurus there was a very expensive black car in the driveway. That couldn’t be good. Turning around I went to the door expecting a knock when it opened and in walked my sister followed by an older guy. Much older.

“You can go now,” Tawny said sauntering into the house and glancing at me as if I were the hired help.

“Um, okay,” I stared back at the strange man. Was this her new sugar daddy? Whoever it was I was getting an introduction before I left. If Tawny was going to bring strange men around my niece I wanted to know who they were.