Rough Edge (Tannen Boys 2)

Erica squeezes my hand. “Uh, Shayanne. Before we go sidetracked.” That’s putting it mildly. “Did you have an actual question?” Erica’s like me, a face-shit-head-on-er, and I don’t feel so alone.

No, that’s not it. I don’t feel . . . protective. I always protect everyone, from Dad, from the stress of the farm, from themselves. But Erica doesn’t need my protection. She’s willing to let me step in front sometimes, willing to step in front herself, and mostly, willing to stand by my side against the storm of my family. And she doesn’t need my protection to do it. She’s strong in her own right. Tiny, fierce, badass, mouthy Lil Bit.

If she’s going into this, I’m going with her.

Shay looks from me to Erica, but her question is all mine. “Another one bites the dust?”

She’s bragging about being right. I grunt, knowing she’ll take it as an affirmative.

Bobby intones solemnly, “And then there was one.”

Chapter 22

Erica

“It’s weird that we’ve never been on a date.” My proclamation probably would’ve served me better in my head, but of course, I said it out loud.

Brody is lounging on the couch, watching me get dressed. It’s warming and sexy to know that’s all he’s doing—not watching television while he waits, not playing on his phone, not trying to hurry me up. He’s just watching as I pull on panties, brush out my hair, slick on a tinted lip balm—my only makeup—and hold up T-shirt after T-shirt in the mirror.

In the mirror’s reflection, I see one of Brody’s dark eyebrows raise. “Two Roses. Hank’s. The races, twice. Your place dozens of times. My place a few times.”

His list is pretty succinct and accurate. But tonight feels different. It’s the first time we’re going out after the fight. And more importantly, after we made up and faced some hard facts.

Like I am so fucking over the moon for this man that I don’t even care if that makes me sound like lovestruck Emily because it’s the damn truth.

After that awkward dinner, I’d spent the night at Brody’s, a first apparently that had required rules about bathroom usage and knocking on doors. Allyson had assured me that they were mostly kidding and teasing Brody.

Still, though we’ve stayed at the farm house a few times like Brody said, we mostly choose my place, with its privacy and a bathroom we don’t have to share.

“The black one,” he suggests.

I hold the black shirt up, turning around to face him. “Why?” I’m honestly curious because I was about to put on the red shirt I bought while shopping with Emily. She’d said it looked ‘more approachable,’ which is mostly code for ‘not bitchy like usual.’

“The lacing at the shoulders makes me think of unwrapping you like a present and it makes your tits look good.”

Sweet and sexy. This man is my damn undoing, making me want things I don’t have time for but am making time to do with him. Like go on a double date with my sister and her doctor guy.

“You don’t need to undo the laces. You could just pull the shirt over my head. Or . . . we could just stay here and not even put it on.” I throw the shirt to the bed, standing in front of him in just my bikini panties, my nipples already hardening.

“Tempting.” His hat comes off, curls in his hands, and goes back on his head, letting me know he’s thinking about that plan of action really hard. “You and the laces. It’s the tease of it.” His voice has gone dark and deep, hitting every button I’ve got and he damn well knows it. He smirks. “Clothes. Date. Then we’ll fuck later.”

He’s good. The ordering me around, grunting like he’s telling me what to do is a surefire way to get shut down even now, but promising me exactly what I want? He’s playing dirty, and he’s good at it.

“How did you two meet?” Doctor Dan asks Brody. Dan is a tall, slim blonde and blue-eyed dreamboat, and I can absolutely understand what Emily sees in him. He seems friendly and kind, easily a Prince Charming type from Emily’s romanticized fantasies come to life.

“Funny story. She almost killed me with a wrench. I knew she was it for me right then.” Brody looks at me, his face perfectly impassive and not giving anything away.

Dan chokes on his whiskey and water at Brody’s dry delivery of the truth, sputtering. “You’re kidding, right?”

Emily places her hand on Dan’s arm. “Unfortunately, no. I told you my sister is a bit . . . interesting.” She winks at me, the smile letting me know she means it as a compliment.

“How about you?” Brody redirects.

“She sold me a truck and gave me her card. I took the chance that it wasn’t purely for warranty issues and was right, fortunately.” He chuckles like that’s funny, and Emily laughs along too. Brody and I look at each other, finding exactly zero humor in his lame joke. But I smile anyway because Brody looks hot tonight.