sympathies, all of you. I just wish there was more I could do for your lot. I imagine the ongoing investigation will wear you down over time.”
“You want to know what I think?” He steps closer, encasing me in a musky, sandalwood scent. It’s lovely, but it does nothing for me the way the sweaty, raw scent of James did. Head titled to the side, Hunter’s eyes dance when he flashes a dimpled smile. “You’ve already done plenty.”
I fall back a step. “I beg your pardon?”
“Ev said you’re the first person she’s ever seen talk James down from one of his moods. When your name comes up or he catches Braden flirting with you, he gets surlier than usual. And last night when I asked Katie if you were single, he said he was going to Cupp’s and stormed out of the room.” Closing the distance between us, he laughs and shakes his head about. “I’ve never seen anything like it. My brother’s a hard nut to crack. You must’ve cast some kind of spell on him because I’ve never seen him act this way before.”
As I’m wracking my brain for some sort of a reply, deciding if I should tell him to bugger off or delve more into his brother’s history, his eyes flash to something over my shoulder and he laughs. “Speak of the devil, here he is!”
First I hear the dull thud of footsteps on the outdated linoleum floor, then James is suddenly at my side, casting a colossal shadow of severity. It’s difficult to ignore how fit the dark gray suit, crisp oxford, and black tie make him. Jaw freshly shaven and hair neatly combed down, I have to remind myself the poor bloke just finished burying his dad, so I won’t leap into his arms. Yet there’s absolutely nothing I can do to stop the longing from climbing up into my throat, making my body heady for more of James Kendall. I’m unable to miss the flash of jealousy that flickers through his stormy gaze when he glances between me and his twin.
“Everything alright?” he asks.
“Just taking a moment to sort out the differences between you and your other half,” I say, reaching up to stroke his thick arm. He withdraws a little beneath my touch. Whether it’s because he’s angry, confused, regretful, or whatever the reason, I don’t care. Knowing he needs someone to show him that he doesn’t have to carry everyone else’s burdens as his own, I wrap my arm around his waist and nestle myself against his hard frame in a way that hopefully appears nothing more than friendly to anyone watching. “Have you had anything to eat or drink since this morning?”
The thick tongue that had me soaking my knickers days ago appears to wet his dry lips. Though he becomes notably less rigid, the tempest in his eyes refuses to clear. “Don’t worry about me.”
“The girl clearly wants to worry about you, bro,” Hunter tells him, snickering. “No one ever said you had to be the guardian of the family.” He claps his brother on the arm and steps away. “I’m off to gather the guys and head out. We’ll meet you up at the bar.”
Looking up into James’s hardened gaze, my heart staggers with unsteady beats. I regret not stepping forward the past couple of days and forcing him to let me in past his stony exterior straightaway. He’s merely lost in the chaos that followed after having his family’s cornerstone unceremoniously ripped from their lives. He simply needs a gentle reminder that it’s okay not to be in control of everything, that it’s okay to let go and feel the raw burn of pain every once in awhile.
“Your somewhat skewed mirror image is absolutely right,” I say once we’re alone. “Let down the fortress you’ve built around yourself and let me storm the castle while I’m here. What can I do for you, James? How can I make it hurt a little less?”
When his eyebrows draw together, I’m struck with a nagging desire to curl up inside his embrace and make the rest of the world disappear. There isn’t a thing I wouldn't give to see the rare, rather
“You want to know what I think?” He steps closer, encasing me in a musky, sandalwood scent. It’s lovely, but it does nothing for me the way the sweaty, raw scent of James did. Head titled to the side, Hunter’s eyes dance when he flashes a dimpled smile. “You’ve already done plenty.”
I fall back a step. “I beg your pardon?”
“Ev said you’re the first person she’s ever seen talk James down from one of his moods. When your name comes up or he catches Braden flirting with you, he gets surlier than usual. And last night when I asked Katie if you were single, he said he was going to Cupp’s and stormed out of the room.” Closing the distance between us, he laughs and shakes his head about. “I’ve never seen anything like it. My brother’s a hard nut to crack. You must’ve cast some kind of spell on him because I’ve never seen him act this way before.”
As I’m wracking my brain for some sort of a reply, deciding if I should tell him to bugger off or delve more into his brother’s history, his eyes flash to something over my shoulder and he laughs. “Speak of the devil, here he is!”
First I hear the dull thud of footsteps on the outdated linoleum floor, then James is suddenly at my side, casting a colossal shadow of severity. It’s difficult to ignore how fit the dark gray suit, crisp oxford, and black tie make him. Jaw freshly shaven and hair neatly combed down, I have to remind myself the poor bloke just finished burying his dad, so I won’t leap into his arms. Yet there’s absolutely nothing I can do to stop the longing from climbing up into my throat, making my body heady for more of James Kendall. I’m unable to miss the flash of jealousy that flickers through his stormy gaze when he glances between me and his twin.
“Everything alright?” he asks.
“Just taking a moment to sort out the differences between you and your other half,” I say, reaching up to stroke his thick arm. He withdraws a little beneath my touch. Whether it’s because he’s angry, confused, regretful, or whatever the reason, I don’t care. Knowing he needs someone to show him that he doesn’t have to carry everyone else’s burdens as his own, I wrap my arm around his waist and nestle myself against his hard frame in a way that hopefully appears nothing more than friendly to anyone watching. “Have you had anything to eat or drink since this morning?”
The thick tongue that had me soaking my knickers days ago appears to wet his dry lips. Though he becomes notably less rigid, the tempest in his eyes refuses to clear. “Don’t worry about me.”
“The girl clearly wants to worry about you, bro,” Hunter tells him, snickering. “No one ever said you had to be the guardian of the family.” He claps his brother on the arm and steps away. “I’m off to gather the guys and head out. We’ll meet you up at the bar.”
Looking up into James’s hardened gaze, my heart staggers with unsteady beats. I regret not stepping forward the past couple of days and forcing him to let me in past his stony exterior straightaway. He’s merely lost in the chaos that followed after having his family’s cornerstone unceremoniously ripped from their lives. He simply needs a gentle reminder that it’s okay not to be in control of everything, that it’s okay to let go and feel the raw burn of pain every once in awhile.
“Your somewhat skewed mirror image is absolutely right,” I say once we’re alone. “Let down the fortress you’ve built around yourself and let me storm the castle while I’m here. What can I do for you, James? How can I make it hurt a little less?”
When his eyebrows draw together, I’m struck with a nagging desire to curl up inside his embrace and make the rest of the world disappear. There isn’t a thing I wouldn't give to see the rare, rather
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