Rush Me (New York Leopards 1)

My what now? “What are you talking about?”

“Mom

said you were seeing someone.”

My head fell back, and I gazed up at the ceiling in pain.

“Sophie told me she’d love to meet him.”

I clenched my teeth. Like Sophie didn’t know through the grapevine that I was single. “I told Mom about a friend. Not a boyfriend.”

“Oh.” Silence. He didn’t ask any more questions, but I hadn’t expected him to. After all, this wasn’t about me. “Well, since we’re talking about it, I wanted to talk to you about Sophie.”

“Okaaay.”

Ryan came down and sat next to me, arms stretched over the back of the couch. I’d sat with my back against the couch’s arm, my knees scrunched up to my chest, and now I felt the sudden urge to extend my legs over his. I resisted, drawing them up even tighter, and mouthing “my brother” at his expression of curiosity.

“She’s going to come for dinner.” David sounded like I had tried to fight with him. “And I want you to behave.”

“Excuse me? What does that mean?”

“Sophie told me that you didn’t like her very much in high school. I know that was a long time ago, but I just wanted to make sure you don’t...harbor any grudges.”

“That I didn’t like her? David, do you remember anything? How she used to torment me?”

“Don’t exaggerate. This isn’t going to be a problem, is it? Sophie’s very sensitive. She’s a yoga instructor, you know.”

“I know.” Not only because David had mentioned it roughly five hundred times, but also because I had thoroughly stalked her profile pages after she started dating my brother. Still, just because she could hook her foot behind her head did not automatically qualify her for sainthood.

“Good. So you’ll be on your best behavior?”

“Did you seriously call me up at eleven just to warn me to be nice a week from now?”

I could practically hear him stiffening defensively. “I have a very busy schedule.”

He was incredible. “Fine. I’ll be sweetness itself. Anyway, I have to go.”

“Tell Eva I say hi.”

I responded automatically. “I’m not at home.” Then I stopped and eyed Ryan, who was watching me. Then the words took over, and I was completely unable to stop myself. “I’m at my boyfriend’s.”

Ryan shot upright, glaring at me.

“What?” David sounded confused. “I thought you said you weren’t dating anyone.”

“Say hi, darling.” I held the phone out to Ryan.

He glared at me, and I snaked one leg out and kicked him. He scowled. “Hi.” He sounded decidedly unboyfriendly.

“Who was that?” David demanded.

“Sorry, I really have to go. Tell Sophie we say hi! Bye!” I hung up.

“What just happened?” Ryan asked.

“I just won the grapevine. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. My brother’s girlfriend drives me insane, and David always takes her side in everything. Like in the idea that I’m a total failure. At least now she’ll think I have a boyfriend. Not that I need one,” I hurried to say. “But she sneers at every single girl out there. So. Thanks for your vocal cords.”

His face ran the gauntlet of expressions, and settled on a wary smile. “So, are you going to tell them I’m your mystery boyfriend, when they ask?”