The Healing Touch - Apryl Baker Page 0,82
same strength of an ex-Marine.
“Nope, I’m just charming as sin and gorgeous as fuck.” Mason winked at her, and they walked outside into the cool night air of the city.
The stench of smog hit, and her nose curled. Sure, Chicago had its fair share of pollution, but nothing like this.
“You get used to the smell,” Conner assured her.
“What are you doing here, anyway?” Dimitri pulled her closer, and she felt the tension vibrating through him. He didn’t know she knew Conner as well as she did. None of them knew that, though.
“I had a meeting about a job. Figured I’d hang with you and Mason for a couple days until he told me what happened with you and Sunshine.”
“A job?”
“Yeah. I thought maybe I’d get out of the cold for a while, but the little fucker told me he was transferring to NYU next year, and that means most of our family will be on the east coast.”
“See, I knew he missed us.” Mason beamed at him.
“No, fucker, I just need to keep you out of jail. Don’t think I don’t know about all that illegal shit you been doing.”
“Who, me?”
Both Dimitri and Conner glared at him.
Mason shrugged, not at all worried.
“You finally leaving Chicago?” Dimitri asked.
“No. Chicago’s always going to be home for me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t visit the rest of you fuckers.”
“Do you guys ever go more than three sentences without using the word ‘fuck’?”
“No,” all three answered in unison.
They were incorrigible.
“Mason, throw their shit in that deathtrap of yours, and then we’ll swing by and get Mexican. Dimitri and his woman need some time to themselves before they’re exposed to your shenanigans.”
Said death trap was some old model pickup that looked ready to fall apart.
“Is that thing safe to drive?”
“Mostly.” Mason shrugged. “I’ve only had to duct tape it a couple of times.”
Becca looked doubtful but knew if there was a problem, she’d most likely be able to fix it.
She got in the truck gratefully and waited on Dimitri to say goodbye to his brothers. They’d be at his place soon enough, though, so she wasn’t sure a goodbye was warranted.
Now that she was here in LA, she was nervous. This was where she and Dimitri were supposed to explore their budding relationship.
Not that he considered it budding. It was a done deal for him, and he expected her to say yes to a marriage proposal.
God, she wanted to say yes so badly, but she held herself back.
That old fear was still there. What if he couldn’t handle her anxiety or he got bored with her? She didn’t want to end up broken and crying. This way, she could see if there was a future without any pressure.
Well, the constant repetition of “will you marry me” was pressure, but she could deal with that. She wouldn’t do something that could potentially devastate her for the rest of her life, and if she said yes prematurely and Dimitri decided later it had been a mistake, she’d never recover.
It was basic self-preservation.
Dimitri slid into the driver’s seat and tried to start the truck. The engine turned over with a whine, but it didn’t start.
“Give her some gas!” Mason yelled.
“Fucker,” Dimitri muttered but did as he was told. The old girl purred to life with a racket not meant for human ears. Becca would look over the truck and make sure it was safe before she let Mason drive it again. It was the least she could do since he’d volunteered to pick them up and then gave up his vehicle with no arguments.
“Is Mason always that much of a goofball?”
“Always.” Dimitri sighed and pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the freeway. “So, Conner.”
“He’s your brother.”
“Becca.” The warning was right there for her to hear.
“What?”
“You want to explain that back there?”
“No.”
“This relationship isn’t going to work if we’re not honest with each other, and that…” His lips pursed. “That felt like the two of you were fuck buddies.”
“Dimitri!”
“Don’t Dimitri me. If the two of you hooked up, I deserve to know. You live in the same damn city.”
She was a little awed at the absolute possession and jealousy in his voice. She’d never heard him sound like that about any of his exes.
“Becca!” he snapped when she didn’t answer.
“Your brother and I have never hooked up. Yes, we’re friends. Yes, I know him quite well. But no. I’ve never had a single sexual fantasy about him.”
“Then what—”
“Remember I told you I didn’t always stay