Chapter 12
THEO
Ican see the wheels in Sienna’s mind turning as she stares at the single bed in the middle of my bedroom.
She stays quiet, but the slight widening of her eyes and the lack of blinking tell me she’s panicking on the inside.
I should’ve known Roman was going to pull some shit like this.
He might need more convincing than I originally thought.
The urge to rush to where she stands on the other side of the bed and ease her panic overwhelms me.
But I’m cautious not to scare her away. We both need this arrangement to work in our favor.
I feel like an idiot for not thinking through the sleeping arrangements, especially when it breaks one of her rules.
I instantly feel like an ass when my pulse kicks up at the thought of sleeping in the same bed as her.
Sienna continues to stare at the bed as I move tentatively toward her. “Sienna, if you want me to sleep on the floor, that’s completely fine. Would that be more comfortable for you?” Now standing in front of her, I lean a little to obstruct her eyesight from fixating on the bed.
When she finally snaps out of it and looks my way, I let out a sigh of relief. For a second there, I thought she was going to make a run for it, and I’d never see her again.
“I won’t make you sleep on the floor of your own home,” she says, finally moving her body to push past me toward the bay window seat.
Pausing a moment before sitting down, I watch as she stares out at the lake.
I might have the smallest room in the house, but there’s no argument that I have the best view.
As the late evening sun washes over her warm brown skin, I catch myself holding my breath.
She looks as though she’s glowing. She looks angelic.
Sitting down on the window seat, Sienna grips the edge like she might fall off any minute, and the motion pulls me away from my fleeting thoughts.
“I really don’t mind. If it’ll make you more comfortable, it’s the least I can do.” Walking toward her, I take a peek at the lake myself.
I’m still standing when she looks up at me, having to crane her neck to do so as I tower over her. The image of her on her knees in front of me flashes through my mind, and my cock twitches. Shaking it off, I take a seat next to her.
She’s your fake girlfriend, Theo. Get it together.
“We’re both adults. I’m sure we can handle sleeping in the same bed together.” She juts up her nose a little bit as she says the words. I admire her attempt at confidence, though I can’t help but notice how her voice wavers a bit as she talks.
Nodding my head, I respond, hoping to provide her some comfort that might ease her nerves. “If you change your mind at any point, let me know, and I’ll make a bed on the floor. Or I might just curl up in this window seat.” I pat the cushion underneath me.
Sienna laughs, my chest jolting at the sound. “Yeah, like you’d fit. You’re practically a giant.” Seeing the smile spread across her face and the sparkle in her eyes, I’m overcome with the insatiable urge to make her laugh again.
Bumping my shoulder playfully against hers, I say, “Thank you again for doing this. I know you’re technically just using me to get a job”—she rolls her eyes at me, but I notice her smile doesn’t fade—“but I appreciate you helping me out in the process.”
“You’re welcome. But I’m still keeping a close eye on you,” she cocks an eyebrow. It’s my turn to smile now.
“I thought we already established you’re the one I have to worry about.” Winking at her, I lean in slightly. The smell of summer strawberries and fresh salt water mixed with something so uniquely her invades my senses. I have to concentrate not to take a noticeably deep breath in her presence.
We break into laughter as she lightly shoves me out of her personal space.
Any lingering tension breaks, and when the laughter dies off, I can’t help it when my eyes dip toward her full lips.
I grip the edge of the bench seat tighter, holding myself back from pulling her into my lap and kissing her until the sun sets.
We haven’t even been here for a full twenty-four hours yet, and I’ve already broken several of her rules. I’m a good man, and I’ll be damned if I break the no-kissing rule. That crosses a line I’m not sure we could come back from.
“Theo.” My name is released from her lips in a soft warning.
Despite my best efforts, my body leans closer to her of its own free will.
It immediately makes me question how good a man I really am.
For a split second, it looks as though she starts to lean in too when I hear a cough come from the doorway.
Sienna reels back. Standing up from the bench seat, she moves toward the bed. The air around me chills as she moves farther away.
Looking toward the door, I lay eyes on the fucker who scared Sienna away. Alex looks amused as he leans against the doorframe. I wasn’t lying when I told Sienna I wasn’t going to murder her. I said nothing about not murdering my brother.
“Theo, come help set the table, would you?” Alex’s smug smile has my blood boiling. When his smile grows wider, I can tell he sees the anger written all over my face.
Sienna has busied herself by going through the items in her bags. Her back is toward me as she stands next to the bed, and I silently wish she would turn even slightly, so I can make out what she’s thinking by the expression on her face.
“Sienna, do you—” I’m cut off when her cell phone rings.
She doesn’t look in my direction when she says, “Sorry, it’s my dad. I’ll be down shortly.”
Understanding she needs space, I head downstairs with Alex.
“So—” he says once we are out of earshot of Sienna.
“Don’t say a fucking word,” I snap. He looks at me with a shit-eating grin on his face that screams guilty as charged.
Joining my other brothers in the kitchen, I stay silent as I wrap my head around what just happened. I was seconds away from kissing Sienna before Alex interrupted us.
The distance from her helps me regain clarity. It doesn’t matter how attractive I might find Sienna, if this plan is going to work, I need to follow her rules and keep my distance. Which means I can’t be slipping up and almost kissing her. Or worse, actually kiss her.
Adding the finishing touches to the table, I make a mental note to build a wall of pillows between us tonight.
The thought conjures an image of Sienna lying in my bed, her full lips slightly parted, dark waves spread out on the pillows as her back arches beneath me, causing her hardened nipples to graze my chest, flashes in my mind.
If only it were as simple to build a mental barrier as it is to build a physical one.