Sweet Twins For My Brother's Best Friend: An Enemies To Lovers Romance (The Sweet Twins Collection)

Chapter Twenty Five

Hannah

I wake up before Chris does, sliding out from underneath his sweaty body so that he can keep sleeping while I cook him something to wake up to.

I feel so domestic, padding to the kitchen in Chris’ house wearing nothing but one of his shirts.

I’ve never had a serious boyfriend, and I’ve certainly never cooked for anyone. But, then, I’ve never had to slide out from underneath someone’s body to cook for him, either.

A little thrill zaps through me as I go through his cabinets, looking for his oil and pans and vegetables.

I settle on some carrots and potatoes, something easy to roast that I think will impress him. I do it the way he taught me, tossing them in oil and spices, tasting as I go. I try to do it all as quietly as possible so as not to wake him.

I look in on him, his arms spread out above him, his broad back shining in the daylight, his hair tousled from our fest.

Just seeing him brings a smile to my face. In this moment, I feel like I would do anything for him.

I toss a carrot to Lucy, and when she eats it, I offer her a couple more while I microwave her some eggs to put in a bowl next to a bowl of water. She crunches loudly, spitting splintered pieces of carrot all over the floor.

I slip a pan into the oven and go back to the couch to lie across Chris’ splayed body, wrapping my arms around him and under him, feeling his happy trail running down his stomach.

He stirs quietly, a little moan escaping him, before he turns over and yanks me toward him and on top of him. “Got you. Now you’re never getting up.”

I settle my face into his neck, inhaling deeply and smelling his scent, the fresh pine and the sweat mix that screams Chris to me.

“I won’t fight it.”

He pets my hair then runs his hand down my body until he gets to my ass, which he spanks. “You’re naked still?”

“Mmmhm. I didn’t feel like putting my clothes back on. Is that okay?”

“It’s more than okay, pretty baby.”

He wraps himself around me and holds me tightly.

I feel safe and like the smallest person in the world, something I’ve never felt before, given my tall frame.

“But, you know, if you don’t let me up, you won’t get your dinner.”

“My dinner? Are you cooking?”

“I am. Are you brave enough to try it?” I tease as he rocks me.

“Am I brave enough. Ha!” He props me back up on my feet and sits up himself, rubbing his eyes.

“I can’t wait to taste the culinary stylings of Hannah Jackson. If it’s anything like your art, I know it’ll be amazing.”

“Please, don’t raise your expectations so high. It’s easier to deliver if they’re low,” I beg, putting my hands together in a prayer.

He stands up and takes my hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world for me. “Let’s see,” he says.

Then, as though suddenly remembering, he stops when he sees Lucy.

“Oh, I..I don’t know how I almost forgot. Hannah, I can’t believe everythingng you’ve brought to me.”

His hands hover over her, wanting to pet her but letting her eat.

“I can’t believe this is my life.”

“I can’t either. Can you believe it, Chris? Lucy is Noodle. It’s so crazy. I guess we’ll have to co-parent now, huh?” I ask jokingly but sort of meaning it.

This has been on my mind, the idea that once Chris realized that Lucy was Noodle he might want to be a permanent part of her life.

“Well, that’ll be easy since I’m your client and all.” He winks at me.

“Stop, you make it sound so inappropriate.”

“It is inappropriate.” His voice is joking, but I see his face fall as the weight of his words hit him. He wraps his arms around me from behind me.

He mutters, “What are we going to do about Tyler? I can’t keep lying to him.”

I jump back from his touch.

“Well, tell him then. I don’t want to be a secret.”

He chuckles, running a hand through his hair.

“That’s easy for you to say, Han. He’s your brother. He’ll never stop talking to you. He could decide he doesn’t want to be friends with a guy who would screw his sister.”

“Screw?” I ask him, taken aback by his verbiage.

“No, come on, you know I don’t mean it like that. I just mean that’s how it’ll look.” He readjusts his weight awkwardly, looking around. “You know?”

“No, Chris, I don’t know.” I cross my arms. “What is this, the 1800s? You don’t need my brother’s permission. That’s disgusting.”

“This is all coming out wrong. I’m just concerned that he’ll be angry, okay? There’s a code. You wouldn’t get it.”

His tone is so intense, but I’m still upset by the concept that my brother gets any say in who I date.

“A code, huh? So the brotherhood is real. How quaint.”

I roll my eyes and pet Lucy as she greedily laps at the water, her eyes looking sideways at me anxiously. She’s always been good at sensing tension in a room.

“If there’s no code amongst men, what are we?” he asks me seriously as he pulls two plates out of the cabinets, preparing for my dinner.

“Oh, yeah, the code is what differentiates you all from animals. Fine. Don’t tell him. We’ll wait.”

“Well, I don’t want to wait if it’s going to make you angry.”

“I don’t want you to hold back from being straight with him just because you might be worried about making me angry.”

“And that’s not better?”

“No. That’s not better.”

“Hmm.”

He pretends to consider my admittedly insane mental gymnastics.

“Han, how about this? Today, let’s go take our dog out for a walk and hold hands and feel how it feels to be a couple. And let’s just pretend nothing else is happening.”

He reaches for me and holds my jaw in his hands. He kisses me deeply.

“Pretend I didn’t just insult your independence, pretend my ex isn’t crazy, pretend your brother isn’t my best friend, pretend I’m not your client. Let’s pretend it all, okay? I just want to feel your little hand in my big hand and watch our dog walk in front of us. Can we do that, Hannah Banana?”

I smile at the nickname. It’s a new one from him, and it feels familiar, like he’s called me that all the time we’ve known each other.

“Fine.”

“Fine? I pour my heart out to you, beg you, and all I get is fine?” His blue eyes are shining, teasing.

I shrug. “Take it or leave it.”