“I’m picking up what you’re putting down, pal.” On this subject, they were in perfect agreement.
A small smile curved his lips. “Glad I don’t have to spell it out. But I could keep the cat with me in the apartment for a little while.”
Neve crossed her arms. “So what happens after ‘a little while’ with you and your potential foster? Are you planning to buy another house?”
“Maybe bunk at the folks’ cabin.”
The “folks’ cabin” was a lavish hundred-acre spread outside of town, often left empty because the Hunnicutt parents were busy seeing the world, though they would return soon for their son’s wedding.
“The last time you and your parents were under the same roof, you couldn’t wait to get out. You really want to do that to them—and yourself—again?”
“Damn, Doc, you ask a lot of questions.”
“I just want to be sure this is right for Mr. Whiskers. Not that we have to decide right now.”
“We could always decide with rock, paper, scissors.”
“Oh no, you don’t,” she scoffed. “That’s no way to decide something like this. Besides, you cheat.” They hadn’t played since high school, but she’d never been able to best him at the stupid game. Ergo, he cheated.
“I don’t cheat. How is that even possible?” His indignation was front and center.
“I don’t know, but a good cheater doesn’t reveal his methods, does he?” Her nose lifted an inch into defiant territory. “You always wait a split second before committing, and in that split second you see just enough to know what to counter it with. You are a cheat, Reece Hunnicutt.”
“Hell if I am! You’re imagining things.”
“Oh, really. Then how is it that you always beat me, then?”
He smirked. “Because I’m just better than you are, that’s how. Get over it already.” He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. And stood there. “As for the cat, I get it. Your concern isn’t about me as much as it is about the cat,” he deadpanned.
“Um, you can go now.”
“Right. Yourdate.” He narrowed his mossy greens at her. If she looked closely, she’d see the irregular burst of gold on one side of an iris, along with scattered flecks of copper and ultramarine. She had never seen eyes the color of Reece’s. “You sure you should go out with this guy?”
She paused to pull herself from his eyes and process his question. “Yes, or I wouldn’t be going out with him. What’s it to you anyway?” God, he could be obtuse sometimes … and stubborn … and so effortlessly masculine he melted her knees.
“Nothing. It’s just that you’re like that kid sister I don’t have and would want to watch out for.”
And therein lay the reason a romantic gulf had always yawned between them. Reece thought of her not only as a sister, but akidsister. “Gee, thanks. And I’m no kid. I’m two months older than you, remember?”
“As you’ve reminded me my entire life. Seriously, Neve, watch yourself with Cantrell. He’s a player.”
“Good. Maybe he’ll playme.”
He straightened to his full height and squared his shoulders. “What doesthatmean?”
“You figure it out, genius—on your way out.” She wrapped her hands as far around his biceps as she could—her fingertips didn’t touch—and tried to budge him. He didn’t move. Giving up, she rubbed her forehead. “Look, I appreciate your brotherly concern, but it doesn’t change anything. I’m still going out with Leo tonight, and I need to get through a ton of work and leave enough time to freshen up beforehand. Got it? Now shoo.”
“You look fine.”
She ground her back molars. “Would you please just go? Aren’t you supposed to be doing something else right now?”
He gusted out a breath. “Yeah, I am, as a matter of fact.”
Something in his tone struck a note of alarm inside her. “Hey, is everything all right? You’ve been acting a little off ever since ...”
He let out a mirthless chuckle. “I’m fine,Doc.”
“I’m serious. You know if you need someone to talk to … about whatever blew up a few months ago …”
