Page 4 of Always Right Here

“Yeah.” I placed the machine on the brand-new, marble countertop. The beige and white appliance I chose matched perfectly.

She smiled, almost stopping my heart, before running her fingers over the box. Shetwirled it around on the counter, reading all the details and specs.

“This is amazing, you really didn’t have to. Or you could’ve waited until my housewarming party next week.”

“Oh, am I invited?” I knew I didn’t get an invitation, that’s something I would’ve remembered.

“Of course! I’ve just been so unorganized lately that I haven’t really gotten around to sending out actual invitations and I didn’t have your number, so…” She looked around, her cheeks pinkening. “Anyway, yes. You are invited…if you want to come. You totally don’t have to.”

“I’ll be there. It’ll be an excuse to get you another gift.” I winked and the rapid rise and fall of her chest didn’t get past me.

“So…how about a tour?” She asked, her voice breathy.

“Lead the way.”

Riah led me around a tour of the house, but as she pointed each room and detail out, all I could focus on was her. She was beaming with excitement and pride. It reminded me of when we were kids and we’d all go around in a circle and talk about what our dream houses looked like. Riah’s always included a giant backyard with a garden and a cute, cottage core feeling interior. It filled me with warmth to see she had gotten everything she had dreamed of. I wanted to bottle the feeling and keep it close to my chest at all times.

“The only thing that sucks about having an old home is, while it’s cute, I’m not sure how secure it makes me feel, ya know?”

I snapped back into reality as she spoke.

“Well, if you want, I could install a security system for you. Cameras, alarms, smart locks…all the safety you could want…on the house.”

“What? No. Two housewarming gifts, helping me move appliancesanda brand-new security system is too much.”

“It’s really nothing. It’s one of our newest systems that we haven’t had a chance to test out yet….you can be like our guinea pig. Win-win.”

“Okay, fine. But if you try to do anything else for me, I’m taking out my checkbook.”

I crossed my arms, cocking a brow at her. “Checkbook? What are you, 80?”

“Excuse me?!” Her mouth gaped open as she stepped forward, slapping my bicep playfully. “I am a year and a half younger than you!”

I couldn’t stop myself. I stepped closer, grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards me.Her breath caught as our eyes met. A jolt of electricity shot through my chest and spread through my veins. This close, I could feel the rapid pounding of her heart knocking into my chest.Or was that mine?

With my brain short-circuiting, I leaned in. I could smell the morning’s coffee on her breath. She didn’t pull away. She just stood there. Frozen. Eyes locked on mine. This isn’t how I planned our day going, but I was about to sayfuck itand take her right here on the dining room floor.

Knock knock knock.

A pounding on the front door dragged her warmth away from me and scurrying across the house. I was left panting and hot in the same spot, my hands still in the air where they held her, as she let the delivery guys through the door.

Chapter 4

Riah

Sweat. Muscles. Glistening, honey-tan skin. Lifting. Grunting. Fuck!

I tried to rip my eyes away from Korie as she effortlessly lifted and moved each appliance into place. I mean…Eddie was there, too…but who really cares about that?

Korie’s dark brown hair was pulled back into a low bun with her hat turned backward on her head. Her damp, shining skin was exposed under a thin tee with the arms and bottom half cut off.

I swear I tried not to let my gaze travel from her rippling abdomen, up to her sculpted biceps and long fingers curling from strong, veiny hands. I didn’t mean to study the elegant curve of her neck or the sharp angle of her jaw. The way her lips curled as she grunted and bared her teeth when lifting a particularly heavy appliance. I tried, but miserably failed.

It was such a huge difference from the lanky, awkward tomboy I remembered as a kid. Korie and Eddie had gotten close when they were both around ten and played on a coed basketball team together. Korie would stay at our house for days, sometimes weeks, on end and her parents never cared.

I was always the annoying little sister who just wanted to be cool around her big brother and his friends. I would fight to stay awake on weekends because whenever Eddie finally passed out, Korie would come out in the living room with me, sneak snacks and watch moviesuntil the sun peeked through the curtains. She laughed with me. Listened to me talk. Answered all my questions and never treated me like a little kid like Eddie, even though we were roughly a year apart.

Back then, I wasn’t sure if what I felt for her was attraction. What I did know is that I always wanted to be around her. She was a tough, strong and athletic girl who didn’t care what others thought about her outfits or activities she chose to take part in. She did what she wanted and let the harsh words roll right off her back. I wanted to be just like that.