Surprise knotted her forehead and for a second I thought I had blown it because she didn't reach for my hand and she sure as hell didn't seem excited.
"What do you mean?"
I shrugged, trying to make out that it didn't really matter if she wasn't into my idea, even though it mattered a hell of a lot. "I just thought … I know how much you liked that barn and well, Matt explained that you were staying with him because you're trying to decide what to do with college and stuff and I just thought … " I heaved a breath and ran my fingers across the day old stubble on my chin. "I just thought you might like to use it as a studio. You know, for your painting."
Okay, she was going to think I was an absolute loser. What kind of guy offered up an art studio to a girl he was just getting to know? For the first time my idea-the one that had seemed so right when I'd arrived this morning-kind of sucked and I frowned.
Georgia King was going to think I was controlling freak.
But then a smile slowly crept over her face and there went my damn heart again, racing to the moon. Man, if I could rewind the last five seconds just to see that happen all over again, I'd be a happy man.
"Really? But, aren't you going to use it for something? Storage or I don't know … a place to practice your slap shots?"
I grabbed her hand again, my thumb rubbing along the sensitive area above her wrist. "No," I said carefully. "I'm good. My slap shots are good. My aim is always true."
"Really," she whispered.
"Yeah. It's kind of crazy but I get paid a lot of money because of it."
"Uh huh."
"So, you know, the barn is all yours if you want it."
A heartbeat passed.
Her eyes darkened and she licked her lips. "I want it," she said and I knew she wasn't talking about the barn.
Another heartbeat passed.
Holy hell.
Chapter Fourteen
Georgia
"So, Georgia,"
I glanced up at Ben's sister, my mouth full of pizza and my stomach coiled tight. She seemed nice but a little protective of her brother-which I got, they were obviously tight-but I wasn't so sure where she was headed and I wasn't in the mood for an interrogation.
"What's your deal?" She took a sip of beer. "Do you go to college? Do you live nearby?"
Great.
I glanced at Ben, but he settled back in his deck chair, his dark eyes intimate as he gazed at me expectantly. I didn't see a way out of this unless I wanted to sound like an absolute bitch.
"Right now I'm staying in Philly with my brother Matt. I'm kind of in-between stuff right now. You know, figuring things out."
"Oh." She seemed a little surprised. "Do you work then?"
My cheeks flushed as a wave of heat rolled through me. I didn't need to work, not with my inheritance, but that didn't mean I wouldn't want a job. I'd thought of applying for a part time gig at an art gallery downtown but I knew as soon as they did their background check I'd never get hired. Who was going to hire a crazy person? I didn't think Oak Run was going to look real good on a resume.
So what was the point?
"No," I answered abruptly.
Eden took a sip of her beer, pointing to my bottle of water. "Did you want something a little stronger to go with your pizza? There's beer but we've also go vodka."
"I don't drink." Shit this was going well.
She seemed surprised at that one and was silent for a few seconds. "At all? Like you're opposed to it?"
Irritated, I pasted a fake smile on my face and exhaled. "I just don't drink."
"Seriously, Eden?" Ben sat a little straighter. "We're not doing the third degree thing."
Eden ignored her brother. "And Matt, he's one of the coaches for the Flyers? That's how you guys met?"
"Yes."
I darted another look at Ben, but he was watching me in a way that made my skin tingle.
"Georgia paints," he said suddenly.
Eden's eyebrows shot up. "Really? That's cool." She leaned back in her chair and shook her head. "I'm challenged when it comes to that shit. I can draw stick people and that's about it."
Ben snorted. "You're challenged when it comes to most shit."
She tossed a beer cap at him. "You're an asshole." With a giggle she glanced my way again. "He's lying. I'm into sports too, track, and I'm attending USC on a scholarship while studying medicine."
Great. Was the entire Lancaster family filled with over achievers who not only looked amazing but excelled at everything they did?
My life of partying and trouble and good times seemed so lame compared to these two and I couldn't help but think Ben's interest in me was purely sexual. What the hell did I have that would keep someone like him interested beyond getting laid? My level of comfort took another nosedive and I tried to keep a smile on my face but it didn't work, so I stared at my toes instead.
But Eden wasn't done. "So are you still in college?"
I forced the pizza stuck in my throat, down, and shrugged. "I took a year off but I'm hoping to go back in the fall or maybe next year … " I finished lamely. Or maybe never.
"Oh, wow, that's cool that your parents are fine with you taking time, you know? Our older sister wanted a year off between high school and college and man," she glanced at Ben and made a face. "Mom and Dad were not happy with her plan and eventually wore her down."
I didn't say anything and silence fell between us. I didn't want to chat about college or parents or anything that had to do with me. The gap between what I was and what they'd both become was as big as the fucking Grand Canyon. I knew Eden was just curious, but her direct way of looking at me, made me uncomfortable and I didn't know how to tell her to back off without sounding like a bitch.
"Okay, Eden. Are we done with the twenty million questions?" Ben jumped to his feet and held out is hand to me. "Let me show you the house."
I wiped my hands on my lap and reached for him, grateful for a distraction.
Except he was way more than a distraction. He was something to lose myself in and when his fingers touched mine, when that thread of energy we shared exploded and rushed across my skin, I think I might have groaned.
He grinned.
In fact, I'm sure I did.
Ben leaned close, his arm sneaking around my waist. "Don't worry about Eden. She's always in my business. She has been since the day we were born."
We. Wait a minute. "You guys are twins?" Of course they were. Why would God only gift the world with one perfect Lancaster? Why not have two of them walking the earth?
"Yep. Technically she's older by a few minutes but they don't really count."
I smiled but didn't say anything because I totally thought it would count-at least for Eden.
Ben guided me into the house-we'd shared pizza on the deck-and it was beautiful. He gave me a tour of the main floor and I could tell that he was really into the details of the place. It was a massive brick colonial that had been modernized-he'd said it was old, built in the 1930's. There were a lot of wood floors, exposed brick and a couple fire places to boot.
It seemed bigger than it was, mainly because there wasn't much furniture and after showing me around the fully finished basement, and spending a few extra minutes in what was going to be his future man-cave, we ended back up in the main floor master bedroom.
Ben's room.
Ben's awesome room with the biggest bed I had ever seen.
"Wow," I said turning in a full circle. Again it was pretty much bare, except for the huge bed, but what an amazing room. It was all dark wood, rich floors, a fire place and it had high, cathedral ceiling and half of it was glass. It was amazing.
The half that was glass reached over his bed. It was insanely cool and from the grin on Ben's face I could tell he was really proud of the place.
"Ben, it's amazing."
"Yeah," he said slowly, taking three steps until he was inches from me. "It is."
Anymore words I had dried up as he bent forward and kissed me.
His lips were warm, soft and my hands snaked around his neck because if I didn't hold onto something I was going to fall.
I tasted beer and mint-the guy was a stickler for Wrigley's gum-and when his tongue slid between my lips I met him head on.