“That woman is like a dark cloud waiting to rain on our sunny day.”
Brenna curled up next to him and put her head on his shoulder. His arm closed around her, and he pulled her close, and they sat like that for a moment, staring at the frozen image on the screen.
“You’re hurting.”
“Only for Jess.” His voice was deep and rough. “This is the first time Janet has picked up the phone in almost a month.”
“Do you think it upsets her? She seems pretty settled to me.”
“I think it unsettles her when her mother calls.” Tyler pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. “About tonight—”
“We can’t. It wouldn’t feel right with Jess in the house.”
Tyler said something that would have earned him a stern look from his grandmother. “I was afraid you might say that. I may have to roll naked in the snow.”
She laughed. “What made you decide to watch the skiing?”
“I couldn’t stand the look of disappointment on her face when I said I wasn’t joining you.” He hesitated. “And I decided it was time. If I’m going to coach her, then I need to do
this properly.” He stared at the screen, and she slid her hand over his thigh.
“Is it hard?”
He turned his head, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Oh, yeah—” He took her hand and moved it higher and she felt the thickness of his erection pressing through the fabric of his jeans.
“I didn’t mean that!”
“I know you didn’t, but I thought you should know anyway.” He lowered his forehead to hers, laughing. “I love that you’re so shy.”
“I’m not shy! Easily embarrassed, maybe.” Her mouth was close to his. “And I’m not used to being like this with you.”
The laughter faded from his eyes. “You’ll get used to it.”
Would she? Or would this thing they had be over before it had really begun? Even in the hottest, most intense moments of their relationship, he’d been careful not to say the words she wanted to hear. “Was it difficult for you to watch the skiing?”
He lowered his head and kissed her slowly, taking his time. Then he eased back. “Not as difficult as I expected. Maybe because I’m watching for a purpose. Helping Jess.”
“I think she has what it takes to make it big, Tyler.”
“So do I.” He broke off as Jess walked into the room, and Brenna leaped to the opposite end of the sofa.
“Everything all right?”
“I think so. I got to talk to Carly, not that she says much. Mostly babbling baby sounds. Then it was a whole load of awkward because Mom never wants to talk about skiing, which she hates, so instead of that she asks me about school, which I hate. I told her Brenna was living here. And by the way—” she glanced between them “—you don’t have to stop making out because I’m in the room.”
Tyler reached for his beer, relaxed, but Brenna’s heart was thumping.
She forced herself to ask the question. “What did your mom say when you told her I was living here?”
“Nothing.” Jess shrugged and so did Tyler.
“Don’t worry about it,” he drawled. “She couldn’t wait to get away from me, so she’s more likely to pity you than envy you. Sit down, Jess. Let’s watch some more skiing.”
But Brenna couldn’t concentrate.
How could she, when she knew something they didn’t?
For the first time in her life, she wondered if she’d been wrong not to tell Tyler the truth about her relationship with Janet.