Worth the Wait (McKinney_Walker #1)(11)
She tugged at the thin fitted sweater Georgia had insisted she borrow. Soft and white, it barely covered the top button of the jeans Anna had forced on her. She did own jeans, even if her roommates rolled their eyes at the loose fit. They weren’t loose, they just weren’t painted on tight.
Opening the mirror, she checked her face. She’d put her foot down there, but they’d talked her into a bit of blush, and she’d added the swipe of clear lip gloss herself. Butterflies danced in her stomach. Nick was the first boy she’d wanted to be pretty for.
A car pulled in behind her, and a guy got out. Great. No way he didn’t see me checking myself out in the mirror. When he stopped outside her door, she had no choice but to get out.
He stood almost as tall as Nick but had lighter hair. The eyes were the same, at least the shape and color, but the cocky look in them was very different.
“Hey. Cute car.”
His greeting was low and sexy, with more of a Southern flair than Nick’s. She’d guess this was Luke. “Hi. It’s not mine, but thank you.” She held out her hand and waited for him to take it. “I’m Mia.”
“Babysitter?”
“No. I’m having dinner at your house.”
“Really?” He laughed softly. “Please tell me you’re making it.”
“No. I mean, I don’t think so.” She pulled her purse strap higher on her shoulder. “I can. Nick just asked me to come over for dinner, so…”
“Right. Nick.” He gestured for her to go ahead of him and started walking. “Of course you wouldn’t be a babysitter.”
She had no idea what that meant and didn’t ask. They passed another car she assumed was Nick’s and entered the house through the garage.
The kitchen was nice like the outside. Not massive or overly fancy, but nice. She imagined they’d been a nice, normal family until they’d suddenly lost their parents. The kitchen trash overflowed with pizza boxes, and dishrags were piled on the counter. Hannah sat at a long, dark table, playing with the chunky plastic figures Mia had seen before.
She stopped and looked up when they came in. “Duke!”
“Hey, babe.” Luke went over and kissed the top of her head.
“I saw a duck, and I went potty!”
“You’ve had a big day.” He kissed her upturned face. “Look who I found in the driveway.”
“Mia!” Hannah shouted, bringing a puzzled look to Luke’s brown eyes.
Yes. Hannah knew her. Apparently hadn’t come up in conversation with Nick’s brother.
“Hey.” Nick stood at the sink, drying his hands on a paper towel, a slow, hot smile pulling at his sexy mouth. “Sorry. I’m running a little behind.”
Her body shivered. “That’s okay.”
“I thought she was the babysitter at first,” Luke said, grabbing a soda from the fridge. “Stupid of me. I forgot you don’t allow sitters.”
The brothers exchanged a hard look, and Mia got the feeling the subject had been discussed before and Luke didn’t agree. Didn’t Luke know Hannah cried whenever she was left? Or had Nick been the only one to deal with that? She liked that he was protective. She’d much rather come there than have him eager to leave his sister.
The dishwasher stood open and, she assumed, clean, when Nick got four dishes out and only the silverware they needed. A house of boys, men, or nearly so. They probably took what they needed one piece at a time until it was empty rather than put everything away.
“Take the trash out,” Nick said.
Luke froze with a bag of chips in his hand, then turned slowly to face his brother. They stared, eyes locked in a heated battle, before Luke finally moved for the trash. “Yes, master.”
Mia turned her attention to Hannah’s plastic people to avoid staring at the private scene. The door slammed behind Luke, and a few minutes later, she heard a car door close then an engine roar to life.
Nick didn’t turn from the counter, but she heard his weary sigh, felt a bit of energy seep out of him. His shoulders slumped the tiniest bit under the enormous weight he carried, and she wanted to ease him.
She’d only kissed him once but was smart enough to know she was half in love with him already. Moving toward him, she laid a hand on his back and slowly moved it up and over the tense muscles. She hadn’t planned to do more than pat his shoulder or give him a squeeze of recognition for all he did and had to do, but her fingers continued up and into his thick, silky hair.
His hands stilled, and he sighed again, this time sounding less exasperated and more relaxed. She might have stayed there longer, but with a crash of plastic, Hannah sent the minivan tumbling off the end of the table.