I cracked a slight smile. “I’m her boyfriend.”
His lip twitched into a snarl. I wasn’t a smiley type of guy, but dammit if I didn’t want to grin. “She didn’t mention a boyfriend either.”
I looked him up and down. “Well, I guess not. Why would she mention a boyfriend to an overprotective brother?”
“What are you two arguing about already?” Aiyanna squeaked from the front seat.
“Nothing,” the douche caboose answered for us both. “I have a bed made up foryou.”
She shoved her door open and stumbled a little bit, still groggy from lack of sleep. “Oh good, I’m sure Derek is just as exhausted as I am.”
The grin was there, trying to fight its way onto my face but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t start a fight with her brother. I knew I wasn’t welcome in her bedroom but the fact that she wanted me in there ignited something inside of me. I was willing to fight the douche, just not at the moment. Maybe after a little sleep and some food in my belly. I knew I could take him on, even without those things but I didn’t want to drag Aiyanna into it. I cared about her more than my pride.
Her brother snickered. “He’ll have to stay with our parents.”
Aiyanna’s head whipped around. I was willing to fight him now. The look on her face made everything worth it at this point. “Do you want to push me away for good?”
He rolled his dark eyes. “He isn’t sleeping in the same room with you and the girls are on the couch.”
A laugh burst from her lips and she doubled over. “You’re insane! You’re a hypocritical asshole. Do you know that?”
He scowled. “You’re going to wake up the twins.”
“I don’t care!” I wrapped my arms around her middle and pressed my lips to her ear. She immediately simmered down and went slightly limp.Victory.Her voice lowered. “He’s not staying with our parents alone.”
“Then you are more than welcome to go with him.” He marched up the steps of the house and slammed the door. So much fornotwaking up the twins.
Aiyanna slammed the car door and fumed at me from the front seat. “What are you waiting for? We can’t stay here.”
I tossed our bags back into the back seat and started the car once more. I wasn’t angry with her at all. In fact, seeing her stand up to her brother like that was sexy as hell.
Spitfire.
Chapter Forty-Two
Aiyanna
My parent’stwo-story home wasn’t something to be ashamed of but it was something that made me cringe as we drove down the road to it. It had bright orange flowers in the landscaping and a few old cars in the back yard. It hadn’t changed much since I was fourteen but it did need a serious cleanup. Between the orange flowers were various weeds and the white stucco needed to be pressure washed badly. Momma’s car wasn’t in the driveway but the old Honda was. I had managed to stay awake the whole drive over.
I couldn’t risk Derek meeting my father without me. But I also didn’t want my father to try anything stupid. I didn’t know the kind of person he wasnowbut I remembered how he had been around the boys that had liked me growing up. He was scary.
Derek was equally scary in his own way, but I needed everyone to get along. I had to be the buffer. Derek grabbed the bagsagain.I felt awful and had tried to help. I knew he was just as tired as I was but he didn’t want the help. He just had to be a gentleman. The porch light flickered on before I had the chance to knock. Dad swung the door open and smiled when he saw me. His eyes softened and he put his rifle back down.
“I wasn’t expecting you,” His voice didn’t sound tired which meant he was waiting to hear about Kia. I didn’t blame him. Dad looked past me. “Oryou.”
“Dad, meet Derek. Derek, meet Dad.” I waved my hands between them hoping that was enough of an introduction. My body was starting to protest all this lack of sleep. Derek looked like he could run a marathon still. I pulled my phone out and created a reminder to look up what SEALs went through for training. I needed an extensive list.
Derek locked the car and set the bags down to shake my father’s hand. “I’m the boyfriend.”
Floored. Absolutely floored. Now I knew why Kota had his panties in a twist. Derek had shocked all of us. Dad’s eyes met my shocked ones and I shrugged. If Derek wanted to be my boyfriend I wasn’t going to fight it.
Dad straightened up even though he was a lot shorter than Derek was. “Boyfriends don’t sleep with girlfriends in this house.”
Derek nodded once like the soldier he was. “Yes, sir.”
Dad’s eyebrows rose slightly. “You can have the room next to Aiyanna’s. But no funny business.”
I rolled my eyes but Derek had more respect than I did. He nodded, grabbed our bags, and followed me up the stairs. The house was a lot cleaner than it had been growing up. There was a little dollhouse in the living room in front of new leather furniture. It smelled like food, but something else. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Probably a candle. Derek’s steps were light behind me. I threw open the door beside mine. It had been the guest bedroom growing up. All the boys had shared the loft area on the other side of the second floor. Momma had insisted I have my own privacy and sharing a bathroom with boys wasn’t fit for a lady.
