Changing Roles

“Out? Ask her out where?”

He sighed. “On a date, Liam.”

“With whom?”

“Me, you git!”

I gaped at him. “I don’t bloody think so.”

“Why?”

“Shelby doesn’t date.”

He snorted. “She said yes.”

What?

I spat out the first words that came to my mind. “She’s married.”

“Separated. She told me the basics of her situation,” he assured me.

The fact that her jerk of a husband had left her penniless and floundering? That the company Everett had hired still hadn’t located him, and now she was filing for desertion?

She told him all that?

Well, bloody hell. I had no response to that. I shoved some of the bird-food bagel into my mouth and chewed. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. I had never thought about Shelby dating someone. Especially someone I knew and was related to. I stared at Douglas as he nonchalantly sipped his coffee, gazing at me calmly.

“When?”

“Saturday night.”

I shook my head. “Saturday night is movie night for Shelby and me. We order in Chinese—it’s her turn to pick the movies—she won’t miss that.”

His eyebrows rose. “Again, she said yes, Liam. I’m sure you’ll survive a movie night without your, ah, friend.”

“She is my friend,” I growled. “My best friend.”

He snorted in derision. “You might need to figure that out, Liam. In the meantime, I am taking your friend to dinner. Tomorrow night. I’m not asking your permission, but I have enough respect for you to tell you my plans.”

“She’s not like the women you usually date, Douglas. She’s special,” I informed him. “Don’t hurt her. Family or not, you’ll answer to me.”

He shrugged. “I already figured that out. I have no plans to hurt her, Liam. It’s just dinner.”

I tore off another hunk of bagel, fighting the strange feeling filling my chest and, for some reason, wishing it were him I was tearing a hunk out of instead.

Bugger.

I didn’t like this one damn bit.

I just didn’t know why.After Douglas left, I found Shelby upstairs in my room, making my bed. Walking over, I grabbed a corner of the sheet and awkwardly tried to help. I watched her efficiently tuck and straighten and I copied her, but my side looked like I had only now rolled out of it instead of the smooth, inviting surface of hers. She smirked and nudged me out of the way as she worked her magic on the half I had been working on. “Seriously, Liam. It’s not rocket science. Even someone who only attended a concert at Oxford should be able to do this task.”

“I think that’s enough of your cheek today.”

She looked over her shoulder. “What are you gonna do about it?”

I grinned. “This.”

Lunging forward, I grabbed her around the waist, fake-tackling her onto the bed. I tickled her sides, avoiding her elbows and flailing arms as she twisted and shrieked for me to stop. Finally, I hovered over her. “Do you take that back, woman?”

“Yes!” She giggled as my fingers kept up their torture.

“Who is the best British actor you know?”

“You!”

“The best-looking one?”

“You!”

“The funniest? Most charming?”

“Um, you!”

“The smartest?”

Her lips twitched. “Y-you?” She got out through another titter.

I relented briefly, but I wasn’t done. Her shirt had come loose, and I slipped my hand inside, ghosting her skin teasingly.

God, it was silky.

“Are you telling me or asking me, Shelby? Because I’m pretty sure I might not be able to stop my fingers in one more second.” I gently caressed her skin while I grinned at her. “They do love tickling you.”

Another one of her funny squeals came from her throat before she capitulated.

“You are!”

“I am…?” I trailed off, my fingers touching and teasing her. “I am what?”

“The smartest Brit I know!” she shouted. “Stop! Uncle!”

“Clever girl.” I chuckled, and without a thought, lowered my head and touched my lips to hers.

Shelby gasped, her lips parting and her sweet breath filling my mouth. We were so close that her light scent surrounded me, filling my head, overtaking everything. I shut my eyes and pressed harder, feeling her softness underneath my hard body. I was overcome by the sudden desire to meld myself completely into her. My mouth, my tongue, my entire body wanted to be fused into her. Buried inside her.

My eyes flew open.

What the hell was I doing?

I lurched backward, almost stumbling in my haste to pull myself away. I ran my hand through my hair, grimacing over what I had almost done. Trying to cover my embarrassment, I shook my head and pulled Shelby off my bed. “Now look what you did. My side was perfect, and you messed it all up.” I halfheartedly tugged on the sheets, trying to restore some of our usual easiness with each other.

Shelby stepped in front of me, pushing me out of the way. “I’ll do that.” Her voice was low and strained.

I backed away, the awkwardness filling the room. Desperate for something to say, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “So, blowing off movie night with me for a hot date with Douglas tomorrow?”