Hood River Rat (Hood River Hoodlums #1) - K Webster Page 0,51
was already annoyed with my playing. The last thing I needed was to give him something else to lose his head about.
When the girls start whispering about Kayden, I turn up the music to feign disinterest when really I’m listening hard.
“He likes you,” Charlotte murmurs.
“No,” Roux hisses. “He likes you.”
“No, dummy, he likes you. Have you seen how he smiles at you?”
Roux giggles. “I don’t think so.”
“I know so,” Charlotte argues.
“Shh,” Roux gripes.
They lower their voices. Even though I don’t care for this dipshit boy, I’m thankful for Charlotte. She’s the best thing to happen to Roux. My sister is coming out of her shell and laughs a whole lot more.
When I glance over at Hollis, a warm feeling washes over me. Maybe it’s not just Charlotte changing things around here. Maybe it’s her brother too.
He flashes me a wicked grin that sends heat burning straight down to my dick.
Fuck if I don’t feel thankful for him too.
This is torture.
I thought I’d get Hollis up in the attic alone with me and I don’t know…suck his face off. But his aunt has decided to come up here and nose around in the boxes. He keeps smirking at me, which only serves to make my dick even harder.
My life is chaos at the moment, and I don’t even care because this thing with Hollis is addictive. I want to explore it and see where it goes. It sucks I have to be careful, though. With Roux, I always have to be careful. I don’t ever want to do anything to fuck things up for us.
“I think that’s enough for one night, boys,” Ms. Frazier says. “The meatloaf should almost be done. Wash up and come on down.”
I’m already prowling Hollis’s way before she even makes it down the ladder. What stops me, though, is the sour look on his face. My hands grip his hips because I need to touch him, but I don’t kiss him like I want to.
“What’s wrong? Are you sick?” I demand, my eyes roaming over his features, looking for tells.
Dark bags under his eyes.
Pasty skin.
Trembling.
“Sit down,” I instruct, pulling him down to the attic floor.
We sit cross-legged and facing each other. His hands are shaking. I take them both in mine. He has smaller hands than me, but they’re still masculine. If you told me two weeks ago I’d be holding hands with a guy, I would’ve fucking laughed. Now, it just feels right.
“What’s going on with you?” My words crack with emotion.
He scowls. I don’t know why he’s so damn defensive about this shit.
“Nothing.”
“If you tell me nothing one more time, I’m going to drag you out back and beat you.” I give him a wide, wicked smile.
He rolls his eyes. “It’s fine. I just…certain foods make me sick.”
“Like?”
“Meatloaf,” he snaps angrily.
“So why do you eat it?”
“I don’t.”
“Why don’t you eat something else?”
He shrugs. “I don’t like to make waves. Mom and Aunt Karen are doing the best they can.”
“What foods don’t hurt?”
“Blander ones. It’s not a big deal.”
“Hollis, it is a big deal. You barely fucking eat. I’ve known you a little over a week and I’ve seen you consume less than I do in a day. It’s not healthy. Have you seen a doctor?”
“My dad is a doctor. I’m fine.”
God, he’s so damn stubborn.
“Come on.” I rise and help him to his feet. Our lips meet for a frenzied kiss, but someone hollering from downstairs has us reluctantly breaking apart. I go first down the ladder so I can catch his woozy ass if he passes out. Thankfully, it doesn’t come to that.
We head downstairs and I watch Hollis. He nearly turns green when he looks at the meatloaf. It’s a little chaotic as everyone loads food on their plates. Hollis piles on the mashed potatoes and green beans and then takes the thinnest slice of meatloaf known to man.
No one notices.
He hides his issues in plain sight.
The girls—Roux and Charlotte—are too into each other while Penny is obsessed with her iPad. Karen and Kelsey are busy with asking everyone about their day. No one notices Hollis. No one but me.
I sit beside him and squeeze his thigh under the table. When no one’s looking, I steal his tiny slab of meatloaf because he makes a face every time he looks at it. Once it’s on my plate, his shoulders relax and he mutters out a thanks.
“How are you liking work?” Hollis asks Kelsey. “Your boss still annoying?”