Wild With You (Independence Falls 4)

She placed her hand on his. “I’ll make sure your brother gets home.”

“Thanks.” He released her and withdrew his wallet.

“Breakfast is on me.” She stood and guided his hand holding his wallet back to his pocket. Once he’d returned the billfold, she gave his butt a squeeze. “I have an idea about how you can repay me later.” She rose up on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his cheek. “Let me dance for you.”

“Deal. But I get to touch.”

Brody turned and headed for the door, his phone pressed to his ear. She’d never met a man so willing to give—­his time, his energy, his support, his everything. And tonight she wanted to give back. The labels might remain out of reach, but there was one place where she could deliver everything she had to give.

“Just you wait, Brody Summers,” she murmured as she headed toward the kitchen. “Tonight, you’re getting the lap dance to end all lap dances.”

Chapter 17

“YOU AND I need to talk,” Brody said as he closed the kitchen door and headed for the chairs lining the table. Sitting down, he began unlacing his work boots, his gaze fixed on his brother.

“Yeah, we do.” Josh leaned back against the kitchen counter, holding a beer in each hand. His spiral notebook stuck out of his back pocket, but Josh didn’t reach for it. “What the hell were you thinking, chasing me to The Lost Kitten?”

“Trying to keep you from doing something stupid,” Brody snapped as the first boot hit the floor. “Or getting hurt.”

“I’m cleared to drive. I have been for over a month. Just because I can’t always remember where I’m headed doesn’t mean I don’t know how to operate my truck. And Megan was with me.”

Brody shook his head. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me I’d hired a topless waitress to take care of you. Or hell, write it on a Post-­it note.”

“I took it as a sign of love.” Josh raised one bottle to his lips and took a long drink. “And she’s not working for us anymore,” he added. “She’s quitting. We planned to tell you today, but you were working.”

“You’re still seeing her.” Brody set his second boot beside his first.

“She’s out in the studio apartment right now. I just came in for some refreshments.” He held up the bottles. “There’s more in the fridge. And you look like you could use one. Or you could just head upstairs. Katie is staying at Liam’s house tonight,” he added. “I called Chad and told him to clear out too. The place is all yours, and I believe the good doctor is waiting for you in your room.” Josh headed for the door. “Feel free to make all the noise you want.”

“We’re not done here.” Brody crossed his arms on his chest. Part of him wanted to race up the stairs, find Kat and lose himself in her. But first he needed to talk to his brother.

“We are for tonight,” Josh said, and grinned at him. “Did I mention Megan was waiting for me in the apartment?”

“Yeah, you did.”

His brow furrowed as he studied his brother. Something was different. Brody’s gaze drifted to the notebook, and the realization damn near knocked the wind out of him.

“You haven’t checked your notes once,” he said, arms falling to his sides.

Josh looked at the floor, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “Yeah, about that. My memory has been coming back. Bit by bit.”

“And you didn’t tell anyone?”

“I told Kat. Or she figured it out.”

Your brother is on the road to recovery. He’d been meaning to ask her what she meant by those words.

“I asked her not to tell you,” Josh added. “I still feel like I can’t quite trust it. You know, like did I get a very special wake-­up call from Megan or was that my imagination?”

“Joke all you want,” Brody said, closing the space between them and wrapping his arms around his little brother. “I’m just so fucking relieved that Kat’s treatment is working.”

“I’m not sure that is the reason,” Josh said as Brody released him and stepped back. Suddenly starting his day in a room full of strippers—­with the only woman he wanted to see naked—­didn’t seem quite so bad. And so what if he’d spent the remaining hours of daylight in a ditch trying to fix a truck that belonged in the junkyard? The end was looking pretty damn good.

“I think my memory was coming back before she arrived. Doc said it could happen at any time. I didn’t trust it, so it really freaked me out. And probably contributed to my depression.”

Brody frowned. “Is Kat kicking you out of the trial?”

“She doesn’t know for sure yet. We talked about it on the drive back today. She hasn’t heard from the lead doctor, but it doesn’t sound good. I can keep taking the antidepressant. And she had a few other ideas.” Josh hesitated. “But she’ll probably be leaving soon. I’m sorry, Brody.”