26. Shep
26
SHEP
My phone dinged just as I pulled to a stop in front of Thea’s house. Glancing down at the screen, I saw that one of my siblings had changed the name of the chat to Please Return to Sender . I grinned as I shook my head.
Cope
Shep, what in the actual fuck? You’re moving in with a WOMAN? These are the things you inform your brother about.
A few days had passed since Thea invited me to stay. I’d wanted to give her time to back out or change her mind, but she hadn’t. So, here I was, with all my essential belongings in the back of my truck and everything else in storage.
Me
Chill. Not that kind of moving in.
But that wasn’t exactly right either. I wasn’t sure what Thea and I were. Not only friends but not more than that either. We were in some sort of in-between. But I’d take that over anything else any day of the week.
Kye
Why do I find it hard to believe that you’ re moving into a random broken-down house in the middle of nowhere but have zero interest in the woman who lives there?
Me
Her house isn’t broken down. And even if it was, it’d be a hell of a lot better than living with you.
Kye
You built my house, asshole.
I chuckled to myself, and my fingers flew over the keyboard.
Me
Your house, I love. It’s you residing in it that’s the problem.
Rhodes
Children, play nice.
Cope
You all suck. You never keep me in the loop.
Fallon
Then maybe you should come home once in a blue moon. I swear I’m going to forget what you even look like.
Kye
Just find one of those billboards a few towns over. What are you selling now? Boner pills or tube socks?
I flicked the chat on mute. They’d go on like this for hours. But I knew it was only a matter of time before I got cornered at a family dinner and was forced to explain my relationship with Thea. Only I didn’t have the words to describe it. The only thing I knew was that I felt good when I was around her. And that was a welcome reprieve.
The front door opened as I turned off the engine and slid out of my truck. When Thea stepped out, the sun hit her, and I sucked in a sharp breath. That was the kind of beauty Thea had. The type that sucked the air right out of your lungs.
It was clear she’d been working in the garden or greenhouse. She wore jean shorts that were frayed at the edges, the loose threads hanging down. I wanted to trace each and every one. Wanted to know what that smooth, olive skin would feel like beneath my fingertips.
Thea’s tank top revealed sun-kissed shoulders and then dipped down in the front to tease with more skin there. Her body was all long, lean curves that I’d give anything to memorize.
What the hell had I been thinking? Living in close proximity to a woman who haunted my every waking thought and my dreams, too? I would end up doing something monumentally stupid. Something she wasn’t ready for.
Thea sent me a hesitant smile. “Hi.”
It was the uncertainty I saw that had me giving in. My legs ate up the space between us before I had a chance to tell them to stop. It didn’t take me long to reach her, and the moment I was in her vicinity, I caught the scent of flowers and coconut. That scent could bring me to my knees.
“You okay?” I asked, my voice going gritty.
Her head tipped back, green eyes on display. “A little nervous.”
I loved the honesty. It was precious. Because I knew it cost her something to give it to me. I reached out and twined our fingers. “You can change your mind. I can stay at Cope’s house?—”
Thea shook her head, sending tendrils of dark hair spilling out of her bun. “I want you to stay. Sometimes nervous is good. It means I’m leaning into the unknown.”
I traced the back of her hand with my thumb. “You make the rules, remember?”
“I know. But I don’t think I have any. Other than no wiring my house for internet.”
I chuckled. “As much as I would like to run a high-speed fiberoptic cable through here, I will refrain. I have my phone. I can hotspot any internet I need.”
Thea let out a breath. “Okay.”
“So, we’re doing this?”
She nodded. “We are. Come on in. I’ll show you the guest room.”
The moment we stepped inside, Moose greeted us and let out a mangled meow. I crouched low to scratch him behind the ears. “Hey, buddy.”
He butted my hand with his head. After a moment, I straightened, and he slapped my leg repeatedly in answer.
“Moose,” Thea chastised. “That’s not nice.”
He let out what sounded almost like a bark and then took off.
Thea sent me an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. He gets demanding with food and affection. But honestly, that’s a good sign. It means he likes you.”
I arched a brow at her. “What would he do if he didn’t like me?”
“You don’t want to know.”
A chuckle slipped free, and I didn’t miss the way Thea’s gaze dropped to my mouth. It was as if she was tracing it with her eyes and memorizing the sound.
I cleared my throat. “So, where am I bunking?”
Thea jolted. “Right. This way.”
She led me down a familiar hallway and past the bathroom I was restoring. “You’ve seen the kitchen and the living room.” Tiny meows sounded from the living area, and I could see the kittens tussling in their play area.
“The main bathroom is here.” Thea gestured to a small bathroom with one of those tub-shower combos and a single sink.
My fingers itched to design a remodel for her. There was so much more she could do with the space.
“My bedroom is there.” Thea pointed to an open door just down from the bathroom.
I only caught tiny snatches of color: a soft green comforter with pale purple accents, a photo of a field hanging over her bed—one mere feet from the other open door in the hallway.
“And this is you.”
I stepped inside the bedroom. It was small but cozy. There was a quilt over the bed that looked warm, and an older dresser opposite the bed. But the two windows looked out over Thea’s incredible garden, almost making you feel one with the space.
“I know it’s not much?—”
“It’s perfect,” I said, turning back to her. “I’m going to get spoiled waking up to that garden every day.”
Pink hit the apples of Thea’s cheeks. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Love it,” I corrected.
“Love it,” she echoed.
We stood there for a long moment, the air charging around us .
Thea’s tongue flicked out, wetting her bottom lip. “Do you need help getting your stuff in?”
I wanted to follow that track of wetness with my tongue. Hell. Not even five minutes in, and I couldn’t keep my head straight.
I swallowed down the urge. “I’ve got it. I’ll just unpack and then dig in on the guest bath if that’s cool with you?”
Thea’s head bobbed up and down. “Of course. I’m just doing a harvest in the greenhouse. I thought your mom might want some of my extras.”
The offer hit me right in the damn rib cage. “She’d love that.”
Thea grinned. “Basket of goodies, coming right up.”
She turned and headed out of the room. I couldn’t stop my gaze from dropping to her heart-shaped ass as she went. My fingers twitched at my sides, itching to reach out.
Cold showers. I’d be taking lots of cold showers.