Anti-Stepbrother - Tijan Page 0,44

a hungry lion was behind him.”

“What?”

I placed my ball with theirs. Avery did the same, snickering under her breath.

Marcus looked at his brother. ‘What the hell?”

Caden shrugged, sitting down behind the score sheet. “Just nod and smile. That’s what I do.”

I plopped down into the seat beside Caden. “And let the games begin!”

Caden won. Marcus was second, but I got the best prize: Most Gutter Balls. Apparently Rainbow and Pink Streak both liked to curve to the left—all the way left. Avery tried to take my win from me, but alas, I had three more gutter balls than her. I was a little miffed there were no trophies. Marcus informed me that I had to join a league for those, but the type of trophy I wanted wasn’t handed out.

I sniffed as we headed for the doors. “It’s their loss really.”

Marcus glanced back with a question in his eyes, but he didn’t say anything.

I didn’t expect him to. He’d been giving me those looks all evening. Since settling in at college and becoming friends with Caden, I’d embraced my tendency toward random statements. Even I didn’t know when they were coming, but they always meant something.

Caden and Avery were used to me. Marcus wasn’t. His loss too.

“Dude.” Caden placed his hand on his brother’s back and urged him forward. “Just keep going. Her comments will hit you as being funny a couple hours later.”

“Yeah?” He didn’t look convinced.

“Trust me.” Caden eyed me. “Once she grows on you, you can’t get rid of her.”

I perked up. “Like mold.”

And again, no reaction from Caden and Avery, but Marcus’ eyebrows arched.

Bowling had been fun. It had soon become more fun to watch Marcus’ reactions to me than the actual bowling itself. Avery was reserved at first, but she relaxed once she realized Caden didn’t care about her. He wasn’t mean, he just focused on talking to me or his brother. Then Marcus began teasing her, and the flirting commenced. After that they flirted all night long.

The only bad part had been earlier in the evening when I’d returned from the bathroom.

I’d come back to find Caden’s seat empty. Marcus was up on the lane to bowl, and Avery had scooted into Caden’s seat.

She’d poked my arm. “How was the bathroom?”

I poked her back. “An adventure to check off my bucket list. I sailed the golden seas and cleansed myself in the Greek sinks. I’m quite proud.”

A line marred her forehead. “You keep getting a little bit weirder the longer school goes on, you know?”

I shrugged. “It’s like crack cocaine.”

“Wha—never mind.” She shook her head and gestured over her shoulder. “Who’s the girl?”

This had been the bad part.

Caden had been in the bar of the bowling alley, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest. A girl stood in front of him. She was close, so close I’d felt a growl building in the back of my throat. She was stunning—long blond hair that fell almost to her ass, and it was a cute, tight little ass.

I knew how guys thought. Plus, a table of guys across from them had been checking it out. She wore a short white skirt. If she’d bent over, I was sure her underwear would show, and that was if she was even wearing underwear. She turned to give us a side view of a cropped white shirt that was skin-tight and dipped low. She had long, dark eyelashes and a mole just above her lip, seemingly placed there to give her a Cindy Crawford look. Her lips were a pale pink, and Caden had been watching them intently.

“Dickhead.”

I could feel Avery’s pity as I spoke. I didn’t want to look any more. I slumped in my chair.

I was doomed.

Avery’s voice had dropped low. “His arms are crossed over his chest. That means he’s closed to her.”

I looked again, and as if he’d heard her—even though they were clear across the bowling alley and I knew he couldn’t have—his arms dropped to his sides.

I groaned. “He’s open to her now.”

They’d continued to talk, with smiles, batting eyes, and pouting little lips—that was the girl, not Caden—and then she’d reached out and touched his chest. He didn’t bat her hand away, or shift to the side so it would drop. He continued watching her, but his smile seemed more welcoming. She inched closer so her hand and half her arm lay against his chest, then her hand trailed down, all the way to his stomach.

Avery had sucked