don’t beat yourself up about it. Sisters aren’t always forthcoming with their feelings.”
“Yeah, I know, but I convinced her to move here then dumped her on the other side of the island.”
“Believe me, if your sister was pissed I have a feeling you’d know. She just wanted to get to know the island, and since I know it like the back of my hand, I figured it wouldn’t hurt for her to see some of those places that aren’t on the touristy maps.”
Chris nodded. “I appreciate it. But like I said, she can’t handle a relationship right now, and I will be damned if anyone will push her.”
“Take it easy. Seriously, I do not have to coerce wounded women.”
“Did May tell you what happened?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to know unless Jocelyn wants to tell me. I’m just trying to be friendly.”
Chris didn’t look like he believed him, and of course, he shouldn’t. When she had been on his boat, knowing his reaction to her, he’d decided there was no use fighting it. He had wanted her from the moment she’d opened the door that first night. She might say no, and seriously, that was fine by him. He would never try and push her. But since she had been the first woman who had intrigued him like this in a few months, he knew better than to ignore it.
“I better get back to Cynthia before she gets even more pissed about me interfering.”
“No problem.”
He watched his sister’s boss jog over to his car and Cynthia. The last few months had been hard since Keisha left, and every time he had been in the company of the group, he had felt left out. He never brought dates, not since Keisha had ripped his heart out and gone back to the abusive asshole. He rarely had before Keisha, truth be told. May had never been one for inviting him until he had started living like a monk. It was as if she pitied him, which he hated. He hated it even more that he didn’t seem to be able to say no. Even surrounded by all the happy couples hadn’t been as bad as being by himself.
He sighed and continued to walk to his car. A year ago, it wouldn’t have bothered him, but now it did. It didn’t mean he wanted a serious relationship. He had proven he wasn’t made for them. But the feeling that he was being left out, somehow pitied by people had gnawed at him. But with Jocelyn there tonight it had been pretty bearable.
He unlocked his car and slid into the seat. She was even more gorgeous now. She had adjusted to the time difference. Only a dead man could ignore that infectious laugh. He could tell she did it a lot. The sound of joy that filled the diner when she laughed had left him mesmerized. Even sitting here over an hour later, he could remember the men who had turned in her direction when she laughed. And just how much he had wanted to kick their asses.
Damn, he needed to remember his role here. He was to be a friend with possible benefits. It was something he’d had no trouble with before Keisha, and he was happy to fill that role again. But as he drove off, he wondered what Jocelyn would be wearing tomorrow and just how many times he could get her to laugh.
Kai turned into Jocelyn’s driveway and frowned. He knew the car parked there and knew he wasn’t in the mood to go another round with Chris. Being the oldest and a brother, he understood wanting to protect your younger sister. It was hard to let her lead her own life. He knew that whatever had left the shadows in Jocelyn’s beautiful eyes was pretty bad. But there was a point when a brother had to step back.
He drew in a deep breath as he got out of the car and headed to the porch. He knew this wasn’t going to be fun. Chris knew Kai’s reputation with women. It was all he could do not to kiss her. So, being the masochist that he was, he decided to take her out on a date. As he stepped on the lowest stair to the porch, he heard Jocelyn’s sweet, sexy, New Orleans’ voice drift out the open window.
“I didn’t exactly ask your
“Yeah, I know, but I convinced her to move here then dumped her on the other side of the island.”
“Believe me, if your sister was pissed I have a feeling you’d know. She just wanted to get to know the island, and since I know it like the back of my hand, I figured it wouldn’t hurt for her to see some of those places that aren’t on the touristy maps.”
Chris nodded. “I appreciate it. But like I said, she can’t handle a relationship right now, and I will be damned if anyone will push her.”
“Take it easy. Seriously, I do not have to coerce wounded women.”
“Did May tell you what happened?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to know unless Jocelyn wants to tell me. I’m just trying to be friendly.”
Chris didn’t look like he believed him, and of course, he shouldn’t. When she had been on his boat, knowing his reaction to her, he’d decided there was no use fighting it. He had wanted her from the moment she’d opened the door that first night. She might say no, and seriously, that was fine by him. He would never try and push her. But since she had been the first woman who had intrigued him like this in a few months, he knew better than to ignore it.
“I better get back to Cynthia before she gets even more pissed about me interfering.”
“No problem.”
He watched his sister’s boss jog over to his car and Cynthia. The last few months had been hard since Keisha left, and every time he had been in the company of the group, he had felt left out. He never brought dates, not since Keisha had ripped his heart out and gone back to the abusive asshole. He rarely had before Keisha, truth be told. May had never been one for inviting him until he had started living like a monk. It was as if she pitied him, which he hated. He hated it even more that he didn’t seem to be able to say no. Even surrounded by all the happy couples hadn’t been as bad as being by himself.
He sighed and continued to walk to his car. A year ago, it wouldn’t have bothered him, but now it did. It didn’t mean he wanted a serious relationship. He had proven he wasn’t made for them. But the feeling that he was being left out, somehow pitied by people had gnawed at him. But with Jocelyn there tonight it had been pretty bearable.
He unlocked his car and slid into the seat. She was even more gorgeous now. She had adjusted to the time difference. Only a dead man could ignore that infectious laugh. He could tell she did it a lot. The sound of joy that filled the diner when she laughed had left him mesmerized. Even sitting here over an hour later, he could remember the men who had turned in her direction when she laughed. And just how much he had wanted to kick their asses.
Damn, he needed to remember his role here. He was to be a friend with possible benefits. It was something he’d had no trouble with before Keisha, and he was happy to fill that role again. But as he drove off, he wondered what Jocelyn would be wearing tomorrow and just how many times he could get her to laugh.
Kai turned into Jocelyn’s driveway and frowned. He knew the car parked there and knew he wasn’t in the mood to go another round with Chris. Being the oldest and a brother, he understood wanting to protect your younger sister. It was hard to let her lead her own life. He knew that whatever had left the shadows in Jocelyn’s beautiful eyes was pretty bad. But there was a point when a brother had to step back.
He drew in a deep breath as he got out of the car and headed to the porch. He knew this wasn’t going to be fun. Chris knew Kai’s reputation with women. It was all he could do not to kiss her. So, being the masochist that he was, he decided to take her out on a date. As he stepped on the lowest stair to the porch, he heard Jocelyn’s sweet, sexy, New Orleans’ voice drift out the open window.
“I didn’t exactly ask your
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