“She pays her way by cooking, so she’s fine,” Calloway answered.
And fucking. But I wasn’t dumb enough to say that to my brother. “We’ll be back later. See ya.” I immediately turned toward the door.
Calloway grabbed me by the elbow and yanked me back into his chest, obviously not caring if my brother had an opinion about it. He crushed his mouth to mine and laid a kiss on me, the kind that said he’d be waiting to finish it until I came home. He smacked my ass and turned away. “Good luck, Christopher.”
“You’re acting like this is my first rodeo.” Christopher walked out with me, and we headed up the road side by side. The weather had improved since winter passed. Now springtime filled the air, blossoms blooming on tree branches. Christopher wore a light jacket on his slender frame. “You want to go to that Italian place you like?”
“You remember what places I like?”
“Come on, it’s not like we’re never met.”
“But you never listen to anything I say.”
He shrugged. “Maybe I listen more than you realize.”
We arrived at the restaurant and took a seat together at one of the tables. We ordered a bottle of wine to share then looked at the menu.
“What’s new with you and that caveman?” Christopher asked as he kept his eyes on the selections.
“Nothing really.”
“Are you going to be moving back in with me anytime soon?”
“Why? You want me to?”
He made a disgusted look. “No. I have chicks over all the time. You just cramp my style.”
I’d known Christopher long enough to know when he was lying. He hardly did it, so that was how I could figure it out. Christopher and I used to see each other all the time, but after I met Calloway and moved in with him, Christopher and I didn’t talk nearly as much as we used to. And we hardly saw each other. “Well, Calloway asked me to move in with him—permanently.”
“Really?” He finally set down his menu. “Like, you’re staying there indefinitely?”
“Hopefully, forever.”
“Oh damn. I guess he’s pretty serious, then.”
“I think we both are.” Sometimes I had my doubts if we could make it work since Calloway preferred me in chains, but I was so head over heels for him that I couldn’t think clearly. I’d much rather struggle in a relationship with that man than be with anyone else.
“So, the apartment is totally mine, then?”
“Yep. So you can keep entertaining your lady friends.”
“You aren’t staying with him just because of Hank?”
When I searched for an apartment to move to, Calloway wasn’t pleased with the idea. The situation with Hank didn’t seem to have anything to do with our living situation. “No. I don’t think Hank will be a problem anymore.”
“Did Calloway kill him?” he asked with a straight face.
“Of course not.”
“Then you never really know. The guy is a creeper. He’ll leave you alone for three months, and then he’s in your face again. I wouldn’t just assume he’s no longer a problem.”
“You didn’t see how scared he was.” I grabbed a piece of bread from the basket and smeared butter across the surface with my knife. “He took one look at Calloway and tucked his tail between his legs. He turned into the biggest pussy I’ve ever seen.”
“For now,” Christopher said. “What about when he grows some balls again?”
I took a bite then set the rest of the piece on the plate. “I don’t know, Christopher. But I’m not going to live my life in fear all the time. If I do, then he wins.”
“I get that, but I don’t think we should just assume he’s gone either. That’s all I’m saying.” He snatched the other half of my bread and popped it into his mouth.
“Hey,” I said in mock offense.
“You already buttered it and everything. It was just easier.”
“But I already took a bite out of it.”
He shrugged. “Whatever. I’ll take my chances.”
We ordered our food then handed the menus over. Once that was taken care of, we talked about work while we drank our wine. Everything was going well until Christopher said something totally out of the blue.
“Okay, fine. I guess I do miss you a little…”
“I knew it.” I smiled in triumph.
“I don’t really miss living with you,” he said. “But we haven’t really talked in, like, a month. Gets weird after a while. I’m not saying you don’t annoy me, but I guess I kinda need you to annoy me… I know that doesn’t make much sense.”
“You annoy me too, Christopher. I think siblings need each other in that way.”
“Maybe,” he said. “And I’ve been worried about you.”
I scoffed because his concern was ridiculous. “Trust me, you don’t need to worry about me when Calloway is around.”
“But he’s not around you every second of the day.”
“Actually, he is.”
“Is he sitting in your office all day?” he asked incredulously.