Page 40 of Bloom

I don’t like his demanding tone, or the way he seems to think I owe him these answers, and yet there’s something compelling in it too. I just wish it was jealousy and not some misplaced big brother-type concern.

“He’s 22.” James rolls his eyes. Every answer I provide seems to make him wind tighter. “Why are you acting like I’m bringing home a 50-year-old?”

“I’m not,” he says tersely. “Are you going to see him play tomorrow?”

I shrug. “I guess, if my shift ends early enough.”

He follows me into the house, tensing at the shout of laughter that comes from the deck. Ryan sits in one of the lounge chairs, so relaxed with Max and Ginny you’d think he’d known them forever.

“There she is!” shouts Max. “Are your ears burning, Elle? I had no idea you were such a wild little thing.”

I don’t even want to know what they were discussing. Ryan smiles, but it fades a little as James walks up behind me, standing closer than he should — as if we’re together. They lock eyes, and suddenly there is vast tension where there was none a moment before. Ryan jumps up and pulls me into a tight hug. “Hey, beautiful,” he says, kissing my cheek.

“Hey, you,” I reply. I’d forgotten how he looked to me when we first met. Before I knew what a narcissistic ass he could be. When all I saw was his gorgeous face and his washboard abs, how amazingly blue his eyes looked against his tan, his dark hair and his perpetual five o’clock shadow. I’ve questioned the fact that I stayed with him as long as I did, but I can definitely understand it right now. He’s pretty irresistible. When he pulls back he looks James in the eye and raises a brow. “Who’s your bodyguard?”

I laugh. “This is Ginny’s brother, James.”

James doesn’t extend a hand, just nods in a way that seems slightly threatening.

“The guys want to see you,” says Ryan, turning back to me. “Can you rally or are you too tired?”

“I can rally,” I tell him. “Ginny, you want to come out?”

“I don’t know,” she says, with a little smile. “How hot are your bandmates?”

“We’re all irresistible,” Ryan says, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Right, babe?”

I laugh. “No comment. But yeah, Ginny, you’d probably want to come. If you didn’t already have a boyfriend.”

She stands anyway, and there’s a gleam in her eye that probably shouldn’t be there.

“Just let me shower first,” I tell Ryan. “I smell like bacon grease.”

“I thought you smelled pretty good,” he grins.

Ginny bumps my hip as we go upstairs. “Why didn’t you tell me how hot he was?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. Why would it matter?”

“Because if I’d known how completely edible he was I would have told you not to break up with him.”

“He can be a complete dick,” I counter.

“Mmmm. I’d be willing to live with that.”

“Why is it that you keep acting like you don’t have a boyfriend you’re crazy about?”

“I’m not,” she replies testily. “Why am I not allowed to enjoy myself like a regular college sophomore without everyone assuming there’s a problem?”

I shower while she runs through our closet. When I emerge, she hands me a dress. “You’re wearing this.” I eye it. It’s her dress, and she’s a lot shorter than me. “That dress is gonna end just under my ass,” I tell her.

“I know,” she laughs. “But someone needs to sleep with your ex tonight, and it won’t be me.”

“It won’t be me either,” I reply. “And you need to stay right by my side so Ryan doesn’t get a chance.”

Her smile fades, replaced by something unhappy and a little suspicious. “What would be so terrible about sleeping with him?” she asks. “It’s not like you’d be cheating on someone, right?”

“No,” I say. “I just don’t want to go down that road again.”