Page 39 of Unbearable
“You’re always welcome, Ty. You know that.” Setting down the spoon in her hand, she gives him a hug. “How’re your parents doing today?”
Tyler’s body tenses, his posture tight. “I’m sure they’re doing good.”
I’m sure they’re good? What does I’m sure mean?
He doesn’t notice me yet. He’s wearing loose fitting dark jeans with a navy blue sweater I know will bring out his eyes and my panties will come off.
Just don’t look him in the eyes.
Easier said than done. His eyes are so beautiful I automatically search them out. It’s like a habit I can’t stop. A nervous twitch or something.
“Is Raven here?” he asks, his hands in the pockets of his jeans now.
Is that excitement I hear in his voice?
Crap. Double crap. He’s looking for me. I’m trying to hide behind a dining room chair that probably couldn’t even hide Nova, let alone me.
He’s not talking to me but his voice invades me, makes me want the roughness against my skin and my name on his lips.
“Yeah, she’s in the dining room,” Mom says, ratting me out.
When I think I might be able to sneak away without him noticing me, he fucking turns and looks right at me like he knows I was standing here all along.
“Hey,” he says, so simple, like it shouldn’t mean anything but it does. It means everything to me because they’re the simplest of words spoken under the most awkward of situations.
“Why are you here?” I ask curiously, watching him as he walks toward me with a slow gait, his hands remaining in his pockets.
Why do you look so fucking good all the time?
I want to reach up and grab a fistful of his hair as it falls in his face. And then drop to my knees and give Wang a kiss.
Pathetic.
“Is it a problem I’m here?” His brow raises and I’m not sure what to say. He glances at me, and then back down.
Nope. Not a problem.
Liar.
Screw that. Yes! It’s a fucking problem!
“It’s a free country but aren’t you usually at your parents’ for Thanksgiving?”
He shrugs, his gaze darting from mine when Nova spots him. His jaw is tight and he doesn’t look relaxed any longer. “Things change.”
“Uncle Ty!”
Tyler then drops to his knees at Nova’s level, the two of them wrestling on the floor of the dining room.
Stepping over them, I walk into the kitchen where Lenny’s making whip cream and Red’s licking some from her finger, sucking it slowly in his mouth and grabbing her ass at the same time.
“You two are disgusting,” I grumble, bumping Lenny’s shoulder. When Red smiles and walks away, I give Lenny a serious stare. “What’s with Tyler? Why isn’t he at his parents’?”
She shrugs and leans into the counter. “I’m not sure. He won’t say but for the last three weeks he’s been all sorts of weird.”
“I told him I loved him when I was drunk,” I admit, my gaze dropping to the floor in what I can only describe as a moment of pure let down. I can’t believe I put myself out there like that.
Actually, yes. Yes I can. Alcohol makes me an idiot and emotionally unstable.
