“He gave you a cute nickname for starters. And he watches you like a hawk in class. He’s rather jelly, my bro, but when he loves, he loves hard.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighed. “He puts his all into whatever he does. Fighting. His gym. Me. When we first moved here and were the new kids at our private school, we were both scrawny, and of course, we talked funny. He lashed out at the wankers who teased me and ended up with the rep as the guy with a chip on his shoulder, which wasn’t true. But word got around and pretty soon rednecks were showing up and trying to push him around. Mostly he tried to stay out of trouble, but senior year while he was on a date, he got jumped by four guys behind the bleachers at a football game. He’d filled out by then, and it took three to hold him down while one pounded him with brass knuckles. When he came to, he was lying on the ground and they were all laughing and tossing back their beer. He got up and beat the bloody hell out of them, even chased one down the highway. Then the cops showed up. It was a hell of a night. Father was not pleased.”
“Was he hurt?”
“Spent the night in the hospital, but the other guys were worse.”
He grunted. “He’s always been the better guy than me. Smarter, quicker, kinder. He even pays his own uni fees. When I grow up, I want to be just like him.”
I smiled. Declan was all those things and more. Sexy, sweet, hung.
He shot me a cocky grin. “You got a crush on him.”
“I do not.”
“You do.”
“Do not.”
“You so bloody do. Now shut the fuck-all up about it.”
“I do not.” I stood up and stamped my foot on the sidewalk.
“Then let me come over to your place tonight. I’ll show you my sexy underwear—Union Jack flag and all.”
My mouth flapped open. “No. That’s just weird. You’re like … a brother.”
“Okay, gross, but you aren’t seeing anyone else, so why does it matter? I’ll be one of your famous one-night stands, no problem.”
I closed my eyes. “Dammit, does everyone know about that?”
“It’s a small university, but your friend Shelley also likes to talk when she drinks.” He grinned. “She’s been popping in at the frat house a lot lately. She and Blake are thick as thieves.”
Ah. Interesting.
He continued. “You have feelings for Declan. I know it because your eyes get all mushy when he walks in a room.”
“You’re an expert on me?”
A self-satisfied grin curved his lips. “I’m a psych major, remember? And not nearly as stupid as you may think.”
“You’re a lunatic major more like it.”
He leveled me with a serious stare. “I wish I was more like you. You don’t care what other people think and you’ve made your own way at Whitman—which sounds a lot like Declan—but you’re also completely gorgeous and unaware of it. Hell, I could have fallen for you in a heartbeat if you’d given me any indication we had a chance.” He smiled at my widened eyes. “You met me first, but I was drunk and Declan wasn’t. Not that that mattered. Once you took one look at him, you’d chosen him already. Fate. Karma.” He smirked. “Yeah, I believe in all that silly stuff. Anyway, I’m not here to hit on you—too late for that—but I am telling you not to crush his heart. He’s had enough of that already.”
This was family. Love. Emotion swelled and impulsively, I hugged him tight.
I pulled back to stare up at him. “Is he back with Nadia?”
“No, but I heard Donatello broke up with her, so she’s free.” He took my hand. “Come on, let’s go see him.”
On the way over, Shelley and Blake texted us and wanted to meet for lunch too—even after I told Blake that Declan was coming—so we arranged to meet outside the student center and walk in together.
All I could think about was seeing Declan again.
My eyes searched the milling crowd until I found him standing next to a big column outside the entrance to the stone building. His dark brown hair was disheveled as if he’d raked his hands through it. As I watched, he took his bottom lip between his teeth and pulled as he read Pride and Prejudice.
He checked every box I had.
“He’s a dream,” Shelley purred next to me.
“He’s okay,” was my reply.
“Girl, you crazier than my mama when she’s got