“Maybe. Why didn’t you say something?”
Wyatt shrugged. “You seemed like you wanted to be alone, so I was going to wait until you left. But you didn’t go.”
“Yeah. I was thinking…out loud.”
“I noticed,” Wyatt said drily. “Bring your glass over here. I have some excellent bourbon on this side of the room, and I’m a good listener sometimes.”
“All right.” Brett picked up his cup and walked slowly toward the couch. “How long have you been down here?”
“Since everyone else went to bed.” He shrugged and reached out to grab Brett’s glass. “I have no idea what time it is right now, so I don’t know how long it’s been.”
“It’s three in the morning.” Brett eyed Wyatt.
“Ah. Then it has been quite some time.” Wyatt lifted the glass to his lips again. “Why are you being all pissy?”
“I’m not being ‘pissy.’”
Wyatt lifted a brow. “Yeah, you are.”
“All right. I am.” Brett leaned back in the chair and hooked his ankle over his knee. “I was thinking, is all. I try to avoid doing that late at night, but sometimes my brain gets the best of me.”
“I get that.”
“I’m sure you do.” Brett snorted. “After all, you’ve been down here drinking for hours, too.”
Wyatt shrugged. The motion was supposed to look carefree, but it looked anything but. “I might be pissy, too. You’re not the only one who lets it out sometimes.”
Brett laughed. “Fair enough.”
He looked out the window toward the home he had grown up in. He hated that damn house. If it was up to him, he’d burn the whole thing down and put a park up instead, somewhere for kids to play, so someone would always be happy there.
His aunt would hate that.
Now he liked the idea even more.
“You know, you really only laugh with her.”
Brett cocked a brow into the darkness. “With who?”
“Don’t be a dumbass. We both know who I’m talking about.”
“I laugh with other people,” Brett said hesitantly. “All the time.”
“Not like with her. You act different around her.” Wyatt frowned, watching Brett closely. “Like you’re happier with her, or some shit like that.”
That’s because he was happier around Anna.
It was simple science.
But he wasn’t stupid or drunk enough to admit it.
“Are you trying to tell me I’m good enough for her now? Because if so, I’ll have to get that in writing,” he said sarcastically.
“Hell no.” Wyatt leaned forward, his brow wrinkled. “But maybe you could be, someday. Or maybe I’m just drunk. I don’t fucking know.”
Brett shook his head. “Since when do you get drunk?”
“Since I had to sit back and watch my sister make a fool of herself over a man who can’t appreciate her, and not tell anyone that they kissed, because my brothers would kill him.” Wyatt shoved the glass at Brett, filled up halfway. “That man would be you, of course. And you told her to never do it again. Are you insane?”
Brett set the glass down untouched. “I’m aware she has a certain soft spot for me, but I assure you she’ll be fine. We’ve talked about this, and she knows where I stand. And we certainly haven’t—”
“Haven’t slept together? I know.”
Brett stared at Wyatt silently.
The other man sighed. “The question is…why haven’t you?”
Brett picked an inopportune time to take a sip of his bourbon. He choked on the drink, his lungs wheezing as he tried to pull in some air. Had Wyatt seriously asked him why he hadn’t banged his little sister? What the actual fuck?
Was there a hidden camera somewhere in this room, waiting for him to admit to wanting Anna? And the second he did, all the Hamilton men would jump out and kick his ass? That seemed more likely than this conversation. “This has got to be a trick question.”
“Why’s that?” Wyatt asked, his brows up. “It’s a simple question, really.”
Brett laughed. “No, it’s not.” He held his hand out and counted off on his fingers. “I say it’s because I don’t like her like that? You punch me.” He moved on to another finger. “I say I like her just fine, but don’t love her? You punch me.” Next finger. “I say I want sex and nothing else from her? You kill me.” He dropped his hands between his knees, leaning in toward Wyatt, who looked as though he’d like nothing more than to do all of the above. “No matter what I say, I’m fucked. So I’ll plead the fifth on this one.”