by Kat Colmer
And Jonas.
My gaze swung to where Jonas had been, but he and the girl were no longer there. I grabbed my towel and rubbed at my hair to hide the sudden flare of heat spreading across my face. Beth didn’t need any encouragement in her misguided matchmaking. And she definitely didn’t need to know it wasn’t Markus that sent my skin overheating—but rather her very own brother.
Chapter Seven
Jonas
The loss of feeling in my backside should have been my cue to get my ass off the veranda stairs and go to bed. Instead, I shifted on the unforgiving rock and continued palming my phone, waiting for a text, or better yet, the sound of a VW Beetle pulling into next-door’s driveway.
The light from Aunt Helena’s second story window had disappeared half an hour ago. If she wasn’t asleep, she had to be wondering what the hell I was doing here, sitting in the dark, cultivating a serious case of numb ass—my second in as many days.
Yeah, I was wondering, too. Because, really, there was no logical reason for me to be waiting up for the girls, except…I couldn’t get myself to move.
Around one, my phone finally vibrated with a text.
Thanks for a great night. See you tomorrow XO.
Not Beth.
I rubbed a hand over heavy eyes and looked at the caller ID to remind myself of the girl’s name—Sarah. Yeah, you screwed that up nicely. One minute we were talking—well, she was talking while I eyeballed the wall of muscle Cora was getting friendly with—the next minute Sarah had me locked in a kiss. I pulled away as soon as my brain caught up with my unwilling body. I had no interest in the girl, but somehow she’d got it into her head that I’d be seeing her tomorrow. Hell, maybe I should have played along. I could have used some serious distraction after getting up close and personal with way too much of Cora’s skin earlier tonight. No guy should ever have to see his best friend in that kind of getup.
The glare of headlights brought my head up from the screen of my phone, and I released a sigh of relief. They’re home. Safe. Time to head inside.
Instead, I was charging up next door’s driveway before the second car door had slammed.
“Where the hell have you been?” The words were out before I could filter them. “You left the party more than an hour ago.” I found myself facing Cora, an edge creeping into my voice.
Her mouth gaped slightly. She blinked, marshalling her wits, before slowly arching a brow. “And who made you my father?”
“What’s your problem?” Beth walked around from the other side of the Beetle. “We drove to the lookout to talk.”
“Alone?” My eyes remained fixed on Cora, a low voltage buzzing through my blood, making me a little crazed.
“Yes.” Beth gave me one of her elf queen eye rolls. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
“You’re my sister. That makes it my business.” One of Cora’s bikini top strings had snuck out from under her T-shirt and hung over her shoulder. My fingers itched to tuck it away…or pull at the knot holding it all together.
Not helpful, you asshat.
I held my breath, the need to know they’d been there alone sudden and fierce.
“Jeez, Jonas, it was just the two of us. Cut the Big Brother crap already.”
I sucked in much needed air and looked at my sister. “Damn it, Beth. The two of you were meant to look out for each other.”
She frowned. “We did!”
“Then why was Cora sitting all alone, talking to some muscled-up guy with you nowhere to be seen?”
Beth glanced from me to Cora, then back again. “For your information, I could see her the whole time.” Her voice was climbing toward terse.
Cora waved a hand between us. “I am here if anyone is interested. And for your information”—she turned to face me, eyes hazel daggers—“I can look after myself.” Her face was flushed, but she kept her voice steady, which was more than I could say for my own.
“Who was that guy anyway?” I had no right to ask, but hell, I’d shot my mouth off already so why not keep digging that hole.
This time there was nothing slight about her gape. “Unlike Beth, I’m not your sister, so it’s none of your business. But if you were so concerned, why didn’t you stick around?” She stepped a fraction closer. “Or were you too busy entertaining some of Jess Tanner’s friends?”
With a final icy look, Cora pushed past me, heading for her front door. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she called over her shoulder to Beth. Then she disappeared inside.
I stood there, glaring at the closed door, an unfamiliar frustration making my hand shake as I speared it into my hair. I couldn’t tug hard enough.
Beth sniffed me. “Are you drunk?”
“No,” I bit back and started walking toward our house.
“Then what is wrong with you?” She threw her hands up in the air as she fell into step beside me. “I mean, I get the whole protective brother thing, but this is nuts. Even for you.”
She didn’t need to tell me; I knew I was going over the top. “I was worried,” I barked. “You know the drill: send a text so I know you’re not lying in a ditch somewhere.”
“I forgot.” At least she had the decency to look sorry, for a moment anyway. “But I’ve got four words for you: second. Dan. Black. Belt.” She said the words slowly, punctuating each one with a full stop. “Cora could have cleaned up anyone there tonight. Including you.”
Bullshit. A guy twice her size with enough drink in him could still cause her some serious trouble. Not to mention what a guy twice her size could do to Beth. The thought seized my lungs, squeezed the air from them.
“Look, I can’t help it. I was worried, all right?” I said again, because I had to say something to explain my overprotective behavior.
“All right,” came Beth’s sharp reply. But the irritation had lessened in her voice.
I sighed and pulled her in for a quick hug. She leaned into me, her way of letting me know I was forgiven. I had been worried. And I still was—worried I was spending way too much time thinking about Cora Hammond in ways I shouldn’t be.
Chapter Eight
Cora
Where are you?????
What was it with people and punctuation overkill? Beth wouldn’t jackhammer the question at me face-to-face so why abuse my texting ears? Seriously.
I locked the Beetle and contemplated not replying. I could argue only dogs heard texts at that frequency. But then I risked her sending more punctuation violation my way. I gave in.
Just parked. See you in two.
Or twenty. Because that was how long it would take me to make the short walk from the car to the café in this iron-smelter heat. I freed my limp ponytail from its elastic band and gathered my hair in a makeshift bun high on my head. It didn’t help much.
The BeanStop Café sat wedged between a florist and a travel agent in a small cluster of suburban businesses off the main road. With the cinema just around the block, the café attracted a large chunk of moviegoers, especially on the weekends. Today was Monday. That didn’t mean the place would be empty. Caffeine addiction was a wide-reaching phenomenon.
I pushed the door open, and the air conditioning smacked me between the eyes, then slid cool hands down my face as though in apology for the rude shock. I sighed; my body temperature was already dropping. My gaze zipped straight to the worn red leather couch at the far end of the café, but Beth wasn’t at her usual spot. Instead, I found her at one of the large, and equally worn, wooden tables tucked away in the corner.
“What took so long?” she asked before I had a chance to sit down.
“The class ran over.” I pulled out a chair and slumped down, dumping my workout bag on the floor. After taking care of my driver’s license paperwork, I’d gone straight to Master Wei’s.
Beth sent a critical glance from my head to the hem of my faded T-
shirt. “You look like you’ve been run over. I’m telling you, all that tae kwon do is bad for your health.”
The tae kwon do wasn’t the problem. If anything, I’d needed to let off steam after last night. “It’s not the class. It’s the heat.” I blew a rogue hair out of my eyes, too beat to wipe it away.
“Jeez. You’ve gone soft.”
“And you can talk?” Beth was the first to complain if the temperature climbed anywhere past comfortable. She didn’t like to sweat. “Have you ordered?”
“No, waiting for you. What do you want?”
I dredged up enough energy to cast my eyes over the drinks board. “Iced chocolate, extra cream.” And a bucket of ice I can stick my head into. I closed my eyes, making it clear she’d have to get up and order. I wasn’t moving until something cold and sweet hit my insides.
“You stay here and acclimatize. As much as filing Aunt Helena’s case notes bores me, I didn’t give up my shift so I could watch you float in and out of consciousness.” I ignored the note of sarcasm in her voice. There was some rustling of clothes as she got up, then she shuffled off. Eyes still closed, I slumped farther in my chair and let my head loll back over the backrest. The heat wasn’t my only problem; lack of sleep was another.
Thanks to Jonas.
I’d managed maybe four hours. The other three I’d lain awake picturing the many and varied ways in which I could demonstrate to him just how well I could take care of myself. I’d kicked his backside more times than not during a sparring session, even before my second Dan grading. And last night he’d come darn close to having me kick his backside again. Seriously, where did he get off?
A chair scraped the floor beside me, but I couldn’t summon the strength to move.
“Two measly parties and you’re beat,” Jonas said. “Didn’t they teach you to party in Manhattan?”
Something inside me jolted at the sound of his voice. I forced my eyes open and glared at him. “Isn’t it against café policy to harass the customers?”
He swiveled the chair and straddled it, draping his tanned forearms along the backrest. The warm tone of his skin provided a distracting contrast to the crisp white of his rolled-up shirt sleeves. “I’m on my break, so technically I’m harassing you on my own time. Plus, I brought you your sugar fix.” He nodded at the tall glass on the table. Then he peered at me, wariness diluting the blue of his eyes. “Listen, I’m sorry about last night. I was out of line.”
I crossed my arms, not enjoying the way my T-shirt clung to my damp skin. “You think?” The combined effects of the heat and lack of sleep weren’t allowing me to accept Jonas’s apology that easily.
He pressed on. “I’ve already explained to Beth. I was worried about the two of you…and I may have overreacted.” Two thin furrows formed between his brows. That, combined with the faint, dark smudges under his eyes, and my dial wound back from “pissed off” to “mildly annoyed.” Clearly I wasn’t the only one who’d struggled for some shut-eye last night.
I let out a breath. “Read my lips, Jonas: I can look after myself.”
He obeyed my instructions, his gaze dipping to my mouth. It lingered, then snapped up to look at me, something restrained gathering in his gray-blue eyes.
I sat up straighter in my chair. “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need babysitting.”
“I know. And I said I was sorry.”
He sounded sincere enough. And it wasn’t like he’d done anything he wouldn’t have done for Beth. I was like a second sister. The overprotective brother act was part of the deal.
I nodded and slid my iced chocolate closer to me. “Apology accepted.”
His shoulders relaxed, a hint of a smile toying with the corners of his lips. He spotted my workout bag and nudged it with his foot. “You back into it already?”
“It’s been almost a week. I was getting edgy.” Training was a drug. A week without had me suffering withdrawal symptoms. “There’s another class tomorrow. Want to come?” I sipped my icy drink, waiting for his answer, hoping he’d say yes. Training hadn’t been the same last year, not without him by my side, spurring me on to go harder, push myself further. He’d been good, too. Very good. Not that I’d admit it to him; he didn’t need any more ego-stroking.
Jonas seemed to consider my offer but then shook his head. “I want to get down to the pool. Didn’t make it there this morning.” He looked at me as though it were somehow my fault.
“I thought you weren’t training with the squad anymore?”
“I’m not, but I want to keep my options open for when uni starts. Plus, it’s the only exercise I get at the moment.”
“It wouldn’t be if you came back to the TKD classes,” I pointed out in the hope he’d reconsider.
Jonas glanced at my workout bag again. “Not tomorrow, but I’ll think about it.”
I nodded and returned my attention to the cream on my iced chocolate so he wouldn’t see my growing smile.
Two spoonfuls of cream later, Beth was back at the table, a large chocolate frappe in her hand. Close behind her, Leo balanced an iced coffee and muffin combo on his laptop. Eyes on his food stash, he was almost at the table when—
“Leo! The floor!”
But my warning about the fork near his foot came too late; his drink was already airborne.
Beth gasped as the cold coffee hit her chest.
“Shit. Beth, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Leo dumped his computer in Jonas’s lap, grabbed a handful of napkins off the table, and reached for the mess on Beth’s shirt.
She slapped his hand away. “Don’t even think about it.” She glared at him but took the napkins and started mopping up the slush as best she could.
Expression helpless, Leo looked on. “Beth, really, I didn’t mean—”
“Save it.” Her voice was comically tight. I glanced at Jonas. Like me, he was trying hard to keep a straight face.
Leo handed her more napkins. “I’ll give you my shirt.”
The suggestion earned him another glare. “You’re shitting me, right? Those nerdy T-shirts are going to get you beaten up one day. It’s bad enough Cora dresses like a twelve-year-old.” Beth looked from Leo’s T-shirt to mine, her mouth doing a first class impression of a cat’s butt.
Leo and I both glanced down at our wardrobe choices, then at each other’s. His T-shirt read: Premature optimization is the root of all evil. Mine showed the Black Ninja doing his stuff. We burst out laughing at exactly the same time.
Beth’s cat’s butt looked like it was about to crap itself. “I’m surrounded by nerds.”
“I have a spare white tank in my workout bag,” I told her. “You can borrow it if you say that last sentence again, but this time with the words ‘I’m so lucky’ at the start.” I grinned across the table at her.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “I love you, but you’re pushing your luck.”
“Cut the guy some slack, Beth,” Jonas said. “It was an accident.”
I pulled the tank from my bag and held it just out of her reach. “Now give us the nice words.”
She glanced at Leo and huffed. The guy was smart enough to keep quiet.
“I’m so lucky I’m surrounded by nerds.” The words were forced through her teeth but they were clear enough.
I handed her the tank top and she disappeared into the women’s restroom.
Leo sat, his large frame deflating with relief. “Thanks.”
“She’ll get over it,” I told him
Jonas handed him his laptop and the muffin he’d managed to rescue. “Want another iced coffee?”
Leo’s dark skin paled with horror. “No way, dude. I’m not risking any more of Beth’s glares.”
When Beth returned, she’d left her glares in the restroom, but she replaced them with a speculative gleam as soon as she sat down. “All right, your turn to spill. H
as he called you yet?”
All attention at the table was suddenly on me.
Jonas’s eyes sharpened. “Has who called you yet?”
Beth beat me to a reply. “Markus Tanner.” Her Cheshire cat grin made a reappearance.
Jonas relaxed visibly and leaned back in his chair. “Skinny Markus? From Science Club?”
I opened my mouth to answer when Beth cut me off again. “It’s skinny Markus no more. You saw him last night. The guy is a six-pack dish served with a side of intelligent. Even I’d go back for seconds.” She licked froth from her lips.
Like egg on a non-stick pan, the relaxed look slid off Jonas’s face. Beside him, Leo clenched his teeth.
“So? Phone call?” Beth asked.
“No. Not yet.”
Her eyes narrowed on me. “You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?”
If I thought I could get away with it and avoid her ridiculous makeover? In a heartbeat. But I knew I had no chance this side of time travel invention. “I’m not lying. You’ll be the first to know,” I assured her.
She nodded and returned to slurping her frappe. When she looked back up, her face turned guarded again. Seriously, did I have to sign a contract in blood?
“Beth, I promise I’ll let you know as soon as he—”
She shook her head. “Hot Creepy Guy,” she whispered, staring over my shoulder.
I followed her gaze to the couch at the back of the café—and the guy with incredible violet eyes. In the light of day, my previous assessment was confirmed; there was something not quite right about him. His face was wax-like, almost as though he wasn’t real but a Madame Tussauds version of himself. When he caught us looking, the corners of his mouth lifted in a lazy smirk. Despite my elevated post-workout body temperature, I shivered.
Face a mask of gathering storm clouds, Jonas slowly stood. “It’s bad enough the creep is always hanging around the café, but he crossed a line when he crashed our party.” He took a step toward the couch, but Beth grabbed his arm.