Breaking Bro Code (The Line Up #4) - Misti Murphy Page 0,56

want to offer her something of myself. To explain… despite my better judgement. “So you might need to keep that in mind while we’re dating. Until your brother finds out and tries to kill me.”

“Hud’s a pussy cat.” Although she says it lightly, her brow furrows. “Do you ever wonder if he’s using reverse psychology in some kind of matchmaking attempt?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t see that being the case.” I press a chaste kiss to her lips. “He has too clear a recollection of our shared history to think I’m good enough for you.”

“It’s a pity.” She sighs. “It would make everything easier.”

I’m not sure that’s true. There are things far worse than Hudson Kelly cockblocking me from his sister. But it was too easy to put him aside tonight all the same. “At some point, if we’re going to do this, we’re going to have to tell him.”

“He isn’t going to be happy about it,” she says.

“That’s understandable. We’re breaking the rules. What if we don’t work out? What if I hurt you and you end up hating me?”

“What if it’s the other way around?” she asks.

I stare into her eyes to give my words more weight. “That could never, ever happen.”

“For me either.”

“But if it did,” I insist. “Then he has to hate me too. It’s the code, isn’t it?”

“I don’t care about the damn code,” she exclaims. “That will never happen. I’m twenty-five. I don’t need my brother rescuing me from the big bad wolf. I’d much prefer the big bad wolf eat me.”

I chuckle.

“But, you’re right, we should wait.” She blows a strand of lilac hair out of her face. “Be certain before we broach the subject with him.”

“I’ll tell him.” I linger over her lips. “When it’s time. If he’s going to be angry at someone it should be me.”

“Let’s not worry about that now,” she says. “I wanna talk about the fact that you just used the words we’re and dating in the same sentence.”

“Shocked?” I ask.

“A little.” She curls a hand over her heart. “Is that what you want?”

“It appears that way.” I smirk at her. Never thought I’d find myself in this position. Sharing quiet banter with the woman in my arms at some unholy hour of the morning. Looking forward to waking up with her playing little spoon to my big spoon. Hoping that it never ends. This morning the future looked bleak. Now, I want to believe I can have this… with her. I pull her half across me just to get closer. “We can talk about it more tomorrow. Now we better get some sleep.”

“It’s okay. If you wake up and change your mind.” She buries her head into my chest. “If you need to go. I’ll understand.”

I don’t need an out. I want to be here when morning breaks a few hours from now. So I can make her coffee on that flexed-up coffee machine inside the house. I want to take her to get hot egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. Then I want to bring her back to bed for an orgasm and a nap. And then later we’ll do whatever she wants. All day. Hell, we’ll go rollerblading on Venice Beach if that’s what will make her happy. We’ll pick up bananas and ice cream and play video games.

“I’m not going anywhere. Except on some kind of date tomorrow.” I kiss the bridge of her nose and earn a smile that sears my heart.

“A date? The most undatable guy I know wants to take me out on a date?” She teases me with her sparkling gaze and the way she sucks her lip in. She can be a bit of a brat when she wants to be.

I smooth my hand over the swell of her ass and squeeze. “That’s what I said. A first date at that.”

She makes a face like the idea tastes funny.

“Do you have a problem with me wanting to take you out on a date?”

She shakes her head. “Would you believe me if I told you I’ve never been on a good one? First dates are my nemesis. Maybe we should skip it.”

“You finally get me to ask you out, and you want to skip it?” I tease my lips along the side of her jaw.

“I don’t want to jinx this.” She feathers her lips across mine. “That’s all.”

“We won’t.” I turn on my side, taking her with me so that we’re flush together. Tuck her hair behind her ear. At least