Inside Out - Lauren Dane [99]
“Wow. Rennie’s on her game today.” He tried not to laugh but failed.
“She also told me you’re the cutest boy she knows and that you have great hair. Naturally, we all agreed with this because, hello, you’re very pretty, and your hair is one of your finest attributes. Other than your ass. We did not speak about that, however. Your mother seemed relieved by that part.”
He cringed. “Great.” And then he realized what else she’d said. “Ben asked about the house? Out of the blue?”
“I brought it up. I admit I bragged on you a bit.” She ducked her head, blushing. “But he followed up with questions. They all did. I think everyone is excited to see what you’ve done with the place.”
“You all talked about me?”
“Duh. We established this what, three minutes ago? I really do like your mother. She said you used to write her poetry when you were growing up.”
“You told them about the poetry?”
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. “No. I wouldn’t do that. Not that it’s anything to be embarrassed about,” she added quickly. “It’s something that’s ours. Intimate. I wouldn’t do that.”
Of course she wouldn’t. Christ. “I’m sorry, Red. I didn’t mean to accuse you like that.”
“I’m feeling my way along here, Andrew. I don’t . . . this isn’t something I do. I’m sorry if I broke some rule about not talking about you to your family. In the future, if there’s something you don’t want me to bring up, you should say so.”
She got up and went into the kitchen.
What the hell was he doing? He liked that she’d spent time with his mother. Liked that she was already close with his sister-in-law and brother too. They all seemed to like her as much as he did. Though right then they might have been preferable to her than the dumb-ass way he was acting.
He followed, pulling her into his arms from behind. “I’m sorry. Really. I don’t know why I reacted that way.”
She turned to him, and the look in her eyes sliced through him. Was this how the ex had been?
“Shall I tell you why I think you acted that way?”
“After I kiss you.” He slid a thumb over her bottom lip. “If that’s okay with you?”
She nodded, and he took her mouth, her taste settling in, calming, soothing, clearing up all the static. She was home.
“That’s so much better. Now, do enlighten me on why you think I reacted like a cock.”
She smirked, and they both felt better. “You’re afraid of showing the best part of yourself and having them reject it. You’re Cope, the pretty boy. Cope, the easygoing brother who always shows up to help someone move, the guy who flirts with everything with a vagina and breasts. That’s easy. Who can hate that guy? So you fucked around with women you didn’t really even like. It was easier that way to walk away and keep it all about sex. And who can say anything about it? You’re charmingly up-front, and these women can’t seem to get enough of it.
“But you’re so much more than that. You’re a man who can make art from wood. A man who can take pen and paper and draw the heart of a woman.” She sifted her fingers through his hair. “It’s easy to be Cope. But it’s intimate to be Andrew. You’re exposing yourself in a way that could be terribly painful if people don’t react the way they should.”
“What do you know about that?” He didn’t say it to be hostile, but it rankled that she saw him so clearly, even as it brought him to his knees to be known so well.
“I know that I lived on autopilot for years. I got up; I survived the day. I slept and got up to start over. I know that it’s the people closest to you who can do the most damage. I know that love and trust go hand in hand. I also know that your brother, your mother, your sister-in-law and your friends love you. I know I’d never do anything on purpose that would bring you pain. Not ever.”
He hugged her. “Are you saying my heart is safe with you?”
“Yes.”
“I like it that you hang out