Chapter 8
Morgan
I'd managed to work late every night this week and avoid my new roommate. But I couldn't stop thinking about her.
I didn't come home to the smell of baked goods or even a cooked dinner. In fact, the kitchen looked unused. I saw the occasional coffee mug or remnants of eggs in a pot. I thought she'd bake in the kitchen when she wasn't at the town hall, but she wasn't.
Maybe I hadn't made her feel welcome. That was a hard thing to do when I never saw her. I wanted to get these jobs done, and I wanted to avoid the temptation that Reina represented. But at the same time, was I fulfilling the promise I made to Tom if I ignored her?
If Tom knew how much I wanted his sister, he'd tell me to move out and let her have the house. This was for the best.
I was flipping through mail on Friday night when a door upstairs opened, and I heard footsteps on the steps. It was too late to hide, and I couldn't escape to my room without running into her. I was caught.
She came into the kitchen in a short black dress, with heavier makeup on her face than I'd seen her wear before and her hair in a sleek ponytail. But my gaze snagged to her red lips. I wondered how those would look wrapped around my dick.
"Morgan?"
I forced myself to meet her gaze. "Hey."
She smiled, and my gaze lingered on her lips.
"I'm going out. Sorry we keep missing each other."
It was intentional and it was entirely my fault, but I wasn't going to tell her that. "I've been working late. What have you been up to?"
Her entire face lit up. "I've been baking in the new kitchen, and one of my regulars, Mrs. Sweeney, came to visit. She told me I should sell right out of town hall, so I started making some items every morning for my usual crowd, and I put a sign outside on the sidewalk."
"Eve doesn't mind?" I'd missed a lot. Reina didn't need my help; she was thriving on her own. Soon, she'd tell me that she found a new place to live, and she'd be gone. Panic set in. What if I never got another chance to be this close to her?
Reina shook her head. "She's been so great. I think she thinks the fire is her fault."
The town was a lot to keep up with. I couldn't inspect every property and prevent every possible scenario. "That's really nice of her."
"I'm focused on selling to my usual walk-ins, and I'm taking more online orders. It's been great. I'm so happy to have a kitchen and be baking again."
"I'm happy for you." And I was. She was practically vibrating with excitement. All this woman needed was a kitchen to bake in, and she was fulfilled.
Did my job bring me the same satisfaction and joy? Why did it feel like I was missing something?
She moved closer to me and touched my arm. "You were right. Everything is going to work out. And I think it will actually be even better. If I can get through this, I can get through anything."
I swallowed over the thickness in my throat. How long until some other man, who didn't have the issues I did, asked her out? There was something about her countenance; she was confident and sure of herself. It was an attractive quality in a woman. "You're right about that."
She dropped her hand and I missed the warmth of her touch. "I've always wanted to build something bigger than myself, and I think I'm doing that now."
"You are." She was amazing.
She beamed at me, then lifted onto her toes and kissed my cheek. Her hand rested on my arm, and she kept my gaze. "I can't thank you enough for everything. Not only did you save my life, but you gave me a new kitchen."
"That was all you." If another firefighter had rescued her, he probably would have already asked her out because she was special. "Are you going out tonight?"
She blinked. "Yeah, with the girls. We're going to celebrate."
I wouldn't invite myself along. That would be inappropriate. "Where are you going?"
"The bar across from the bakery."
"Call me if you need a ride," I said, my voice rough.
She grinned and turned to go. "I can call a driver. But thank you."
"Have fun." Why did I feel like she was leaving me behind? I'd decided to remove myself from the equation, and now she was going out in that outfit. I bet every guy in that bar would have the same thoughts that I did. She wasn't going to be single for long.
But I was her roommate, her brother's best friend. There was no way I should be anywhere near her. I paced the room when the truck engine turned on and when the lights disappeared down the drive.
The thought of her operating a truck in that sexy outfit was driving me crazy. I grabbed my phone and sent a message to the brother text chain.
Morgan: You want to go out tonight?
Maverick: I'm with Belle.
So that was a no.
Morgan: Hudson, Ford? Anyone else up for hanging out?
Ford: I'm busy.
Hudson: Yeah, maybe another time.
Everyone had a woman to spend time with. Why would they want to go out with their brothers to a bar? I was pathetic.
Cooper: I can meet up.
Hudson: Wait, Cooper's on this chain? Isn't this for brothers only?
Cooper: Shut up.
Morgan: Meet you at the bar in Christmas Town in twenty.
Everyone just called the place "the bar" because it opened without a sign, and the owner hadn't bothered to put one up. I wasn't sure it had a name.
What could happen in twenty minutes? How many guys would approach her? What would I do if she went home with someone? What if she brought a guy here? We hadn't talked about male visitors. That was an oversight.
I didn't want her to bring guys here. This was my house. But she was a roommate. She had autonomy. I couldn't dictate who she hung out with. Could I? I could play the part of the overprotective brother, but somehow, I didn't think she'd appreciate that.
I couldn't come in hot. I had to be casual. I could be cool and not lose my shit.
I was totally going to lose my shit.
I quickly showered and drove into town, parking on the street.
Inside, the music was loud. There was a band playing tonight, and a ton of people were in attendance. It wasn't my scene. It was too crowded. I preferred weeknights when it was quiet. I was getting old.
Cooper waved me to a spot at the bar. "It's busy tonight."
"Yeah," I agreed as I slid onto the stool and waved at the bartender.
Cooper tipped his head toward the table of women by the window. "Is that why you wanted to come out tonight?"
"No." Reina appeared to be the center of attention. She was gesturing with her hands and talking excitedly about something, probably her plans for her bakery.
"You haven't stopped looking at her since I pointed them out."
"I'm supposed to keep an eye on her. I promised Tom."
Cooper laughed.
I glared at him. "Why are you laughing?"
He gave me a look. "That's bullshit, and you know it. Tom wouldn't want you supervising her night out with the girls. That's messed up."
The bartender brought my favorite draft beer, and I nodded my thanks. Then I asked Cooper, "How do you know what Tom would want?"
"I'm just thinking about how you would feel if your best friend was hanging around Aspen."
That made me pause. "Are you hanging around Aspen?"
He let out a guffaw. "You just proved my point. You wouldn't like it. You wouldn't want me creeping on her."
My head was still beating hard at the idea of Cooper being interested in Aspen. "I'm trying to be the good guy here."
"By stalking Tom's sister?"
I gritted my teeth. "That's not what I'm doing."
"Then why did you want to come out tonight, because it wasn't to hang out with me?"
I shook my head. "My brothers are pairing off. No one wants to hang out anymore."
Cooper sobered. "Except for us."
I raised by beer. "We have to stick together."
He clinked his bottle against my glass. "I can get on board with that."
"No women. They're nothing but trouble."
"Tell me about it," he mumbled, then took a long pull of his beer.
I wanted to forget about the situation with Reina for a few minutes. "What's been going on with you? Dating anyone?"
He shook his head. "I was dating a woman, but she said I was too closed off. I didn't show any emotions or some shit."
When I remained quiet, he lowered the bottle. "What? You agree with her?"
"I mean, I can see what she's talking about. You are closed off. I don't know anything about your family." Then I held my breath because I wasn't sure how he would react.
He was quiet for a few seconds, staring at the bar. "There's nothing to tell."
"You have a sister you never talk about."
His expression softened. "You think I'd let you idiots around Emery?"
"That's a good point." But he hadn't answered my question. What was his story? Why did he want to hang out at our house growing up? What was going on at home?
"Emery deserves better than you."
I shook my head, laughing. "That's harsh. I'm not that bad."
"Name one woman you've dated for real?" he challenged.
"I had a girl in high school." It was a typical relationship.
I drove her to school, held hands with her in the hallways, and took her to parties on Saturday nights.
But when it came time to make a choice about our futures, I didn't see her in it.
She wanted to go to California for college, and I wanted to be in state.
It was a natural break. No hard feelings.
Nothing like what happened between Ford and Natasha when he enlisted.
"No one since?"
"For a few months here and there. I've never found anyone that made me want more. Besides, you know how it is running a business. Not many people understand the commitment."
"I wouldn't want to be distracted right now, not when the business is just starting to take off."
Each of us ran our own business in addition to the joint construction one, except for Cooper. He'd worked for other construction companies, and he was the one who had the idea for us to join forces. He was the obvious choice for the manager. And we wanted the best for him.