Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
I examined narrow paths that wound their way through decades of possessions. “It probably made a good obstacle course.”
This time Lucas did laugh. “It wasn’t always like this.” He nodded at the staircase. “There’s a little closet under there, and we made it into a little clubhouse. And it was so much fun playing in the woods behind the house.”
Suddenly, the basement seemed to hold more potential now that I was seeing it through his eyes. “Well, we’ll get it fixed up. It’s the least I can do since you’ve given me your bedroom. Temporarily,” I added.
He looked like he was going to argue about that last word, but then we both heard it—the door at the top of the stairs swinging open… and then footsteps on the stairs.
Lucas’s expression hardened. “Come see the progress I’ve made.”
I nodded, following him. The storage room was, if possible, more packed with clutter and boxes than the main area. While stepping over an old wooden chair, I knocked over a stack of records. They spilled onto the floor.
Crap. Did records break? I’d only encountered one record player in my whole life, so I didn’t know. I knelt down to gather them up, and I heard Jayden speak.
“How was the game?”
“I hit a line drive and almost kneecapped their third baseman.” Kyle’s voice sounded oddly muffled. “I’ll get him next time.”
Jayden laughed. I hadn’t been able to figure out what his relationship with Kyle was like, but he definitely didn’t seethe with anger around him the way Lucas did.
Which was what was happening right now. One glance over my shoulder showed how tense Lucas’s posture was as he angrily sorted some old books into two piles.
“Did you win?” Jayden asked.
“Hell yeah, we did.” Kyle’s voice was clearer that time, and full of pride. “Just you down here?”
“They’re working in the backroom.”
Kyle’s voice was muffled again, and I didn’t hear his reply.
Out of loyalty to Lucas, I stayed there with him for a while longer, but after a few minutes I had to go get another trash bag.
Two steps into the main room, I stopped dead. Kyle sat on a heavy wooden trunk near the base of the stairs. His legs were spread wide, and the top button of his faded blue jeans was open.
It was easy to see why his voice had been muffled before. He was rubbing a white towel over his dark hair.
And that was all he was wearing, the jeans and the towel.
Holy.
Crap.
His chest was completely bare. Just tan, taut skin over sculpted muscles. My limbs felt heavy as I stared at him, grateful that his eyes were cast down as he dried off.
God. He was gorgeous. Had I ever seen abs like that, except perhaps on a man in a movie? Every ridge of Kyle’s stomach was pronounced and defined. And his pectoral muscles looked like they’d been carved out of stone.
Shit. I needed to stop staring before he—or Lucas—caught me, but I couldn’t drag my eyes away. His biceps… god, they were powerful without being overly bulky, like the arms of Hailey’s roommate, Grant. Kyle just looked… strong. There was no other word for it.
Oh wait, yes there was: hot.
He looked strong and hot.
His body was that of an athlete, that was for sure. His muscles weren’t just for show. I wished I’d seen him swing a bat tonight and hit a line drive—whatever that was.
And god, how much would those muscles ripple if he went up to bat shirtless as he was now?
A throat cleared, and I glanced to my left to see Jayden staring at me, a hint of amusement in his eyes. But it had also been a warning. To get hold of myself, and he was right.
Quickly, I continued on my original errand, to get a new trash bag from the box by the stairs.
I was embarrassed that Jayden had caught me staring, but it would have been way worse if Lucas had. I was pretty sure he would’ve felt betrayed.
Or if Kyle had. He would have been smug as hell. I hadn’t known him all that long, but I knew that much to be true. He stood up, tossing the towel on a nearby box and looked me over. “Hey, Victoria.”
I nodded, not looking at him as I reached the box of trash bags.
Then the air seemed to still, and I turned, seeing Lucas standing in the doorframe. Uh-oh.
I’d only seen the two stepbrothers interact a few times since Wednesday morning, but it always went the same way, with Lucas getting angry and Kyle staying cool and aloof—likely because he knew it infuriated Lucas.
If you’d asked me just a week ago if the kind, smart, slightly nerdy guy from my study group could ever lose his temper, I would’ve told you no. But that was before I’d seen Lucas around Kyle.