Reckless Hero

“I don’t need you to look out for me. I’m a big boy,” he replied, rolling his eyes.

“And just like I tell Autumn, you’re never going to be too old for me to look out for you. It’s what big sisters do.” I reached out and took ahold of his hand. “You would come to me if something was wrong, right? You know you can trust me with whatever.”

Sitting across from him, taking in his appearance, I suddenly worried that I had been so wrapped up in my own life that I’d been neglecting my big sisterly duties.

Brandon rolled his eyes like I was being dumb and pulled his hand away. “Of course, I know that.”

“Then talk to me,” I urged.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I have everything under control.” He wiped his hands on a napkin, leaving most of his scone untouched. His statement not sitting well with me, I opened my mouth to grill him some more, but he abruptly stood, towering over me. “Look, I have someplace I need to be. See you later, Anna.”

Although he leaned over to kiss my cheek, our meeting ended far from satisfactory. I watched him leave the bakery, hating the fact that my father was right, and that something was definitely wrong with Brandon.

I was going to find out what though.

I grabbed my book bag and headed back to campus. I still had one more class before picking up Garrett from daycare.

As I drove, I plotted how I would uncover what was up with my little cousin.

CHAPTER 13

Anna

I kept hitting a road block in trying to get Brandon to confide in me.

A week had passed since meeting up with him at the bakery, and I was still no closer to finding out what he was hiding. In fact, I felt like I had taken several steps backward on that front. He had started avoiding my calls, and another one-on-one talk had resulted in him clamming up on me and angrily walking away.

I swallowed a sigh as I walked the campus hallway, heading for class. I needed to fit in some studying before I had to pick up Garrett in a few hours. Thanks to my family drama, I was behind on the material.

Knowing the class was usually empty around this time, I wanted to take adv

antage of the quiet space. However, my mind was so preoccupied with Brandon that I wasn’t really paying attention to where I was going. My body simply moved on autopilot.

When I reached the classroom, I stopped abruptly, seeing that I wasn’t the only one who’d thought to use the empty space to study.

Tucker was seated in his usual seat, his head bent over an open textbook, and headphones plugged into his ears.

My eyes couldn’t help trailing over him.

His hair was mussed as if he had dragged his fingers through it a few times. It was getting longer as the days passed, falling over his brow. My fingers itched to push it back.

Shit, why did he do these things to me?

He wore a simple t-shirt and full-length cargo pants over brown boots. The fabric clung to his hard body and it looked like one good flex would send the clothes ripping off of him.

I had to fight to control my hormones just at the thought.

He had respected my wish to keep things platonic between us. Apart from a few teasing comments that were rather tame for him, he had made no moves on me. We still sat next to each other in class, but he kept his attention on the lecturer now and left with an impersonal smile and goodbye once the professor dismissed us.

We were just as I demanded – classmates and nothing more.

Hence, I couldn’t explain why it left me feeling annoyed when I should have been ecstatic. He had finally listened to me, for a change.

Yet, my heart silently wished he would ignore my words.

Feeling hot and bothered, I immediately knew I shouldn’t be alone with him. I had a feeling I would do something stupid if he merely looked my way…

He looked up just as I was about to turn and leave. Of course.