The Ideal - L.P. Maxa Page 0,2

gorgeous, smart, and sweet. Tons of guys had been interested over the years, but Nathan’s quick temper and violent streak had kept everyone away.

I’d never thought to help her out, to try to get Nathan to loosen the reins. Honestly, I didn’t want her dating anyone else either. She was too good for all those douche bags at our school. But now I couldn’t stop staring at her round little ass or the way her bikini top looked much tighter than last summer. Her long blonde hair floated around her in the water, like she was a sexy mermaid.

For the first time, I began to wonder what Savy wanted. I wondered if she wanted to date, and if there’d ever been anyone she was interested in. More than anything, I wondered why I’d never really thought much about her wants and needs before this moment.

“All right, Nate. You’ve got to get ready for work.” Savy patted Nathan on the chest and then swam away. “I promised my dad I would go through some boxes in the attic to see if there was anything I wanted up there. He’s on another one of his organizational purges.”

Nathan sighed, paddling after her. “Sav, I told you to wait. I’ll help you do that tomorrow. You don’t need to be in that attic alone, lifting all those boxes.” Nathan had always been this way where Savy’s safety was concerned, ever since we were little kids. All the parents thought it was endearing. Now it sounded kind of suffocating.

When I’d begun to crush on her over the last year, I fantasized about sneaking her out of the house after everyone was asleep. I’d take her to the lake, turn the stereo up loud and put every vice known to man in front of her and let her go crazy. If only for one night.

I’d kiss her under the stars, until we were both breathless and the windows in my car were fogged up. It was lame as far as fantasies went, but Savy seemed almost too pure to think about doing anything more.

She waved away his concern and then floated on her back next to the pool steps. “Ah, remember, I told you, I already put it off too long. What do you think are in those boxes? Bricks and snakes? I’ll be fine.”

“I can help you.” The words tumbled out of my mouth before my brain checked in.

I’d never hung out with Savy without Nathan around, but since I’d been home, I was desperate to be alone with her. I wanted to know her. The real Savannah. The one that existed without Nathan.

I wanted to know if that quick flash of desperation had been my imagination. I looked over at my baby brother and saw his jaw was clenched and his eyes were flat and cold. Hell, the temperature in the pool had dropped a few degrees. Obviously, he didn’t love the idea,

Sighing and rolling my eyes, I acted like I was doing him a favor. “I mean, if you’re so worried about her hurting herself, I can help.”

Eggshells. We were always walking on fucking eggshells around Nathan. The sad part: until I went away to college I’d never realized how exhausting it was. I’d been constantly trying to counterbalance him when we were in school together. He’d get in a fight? I’d run for class office. He’d get suspended? I’d make all state. One of us needed to be well liked and “normal.” All that fell on me.

Savy didn’t wait for Nathan’s reaction to my offer as I would have. “That’s really nice of you. Thanks.” She kicked some water at Nathan. “Happy now? I have a babysitter.”

My brother looked anything but happy. I stayed in the pool, watching the two of them talk. Savy worked hard to get him to laugh, breaking the underlying tension.

When he smiled, he looked like a freaking GQ model. He was dark inside and out. Dark hair, dark eyes, perpetually tanned skin. His hair was always purposefully mussed, and his smooth skin shaved clean. He looked good, and he did it only for her.

I’d always been told that Nathan and I looked so much alike we could’ve been twins.

I didn’t see it, not really. Our personalities were too different. We were polar opposites. I always felt like our differences were stark and glaring, overshadowing any chance we had of looking like brothers.

Chapter Two

Savy

I’d known the Deacon boys for most of my life. I’d met them when I