“You want something to drink?”

“A diet soda?”

He reached inside his fridge and pulled out a can. “Because she hit on me in a bowling alley bar. That’s why.” He handed it over, sitting on the chair next to me.

I popped it open and sunk back into the cushions behind me. “But she was beautiful.”

“She’s not my type.”

Good grief. What was his type? “She was beautiful.”

He raked a hand through his hair. The snake bulged, winking at me. “Why are you stuck on that? Looks aren’t everything.”

I snorted. “That’s not what I’ve been told.”

“By who?”

“By society. Guys like boobs and ass, and lips, and a body, and a face. Guys like gorgeous girls. Don’t act like what I’m saying isn’t true.”

“It is, but sometimes the hotter the girl, the crazier she is. Trust me. That girl is not my type. I don’t go for the crazies.” He thought about it and added, “Unless I just want a screw, but even then.” He cringed. “Bad idea.” He nodded at me. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be making up with your stepbrother lover?”

Stepbrother lover. I sighed. Two words I hated to hear now.

My hands began to shake again, so I put the can down and tucked them around the pillow. “About that…”

“You don’t have to.”

I looked at him. He’d been joking before, but his last words were soft. I gulped. Soft and gentle, and I could feel them wrapping their hold around my heart. When had he woven this magic over me? I hadn’t realized, or maybe I hadn’t wanted to admit it.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I’d already guessed, remember?”

“When you found out I had feelings for him?”

I suddenly felt warm, holding his gaze. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I figured something happened to make you fall for him. I doubted it was because of his personality.”

My lips twitched at that. “You’re not mad?”

“I was furious last night. It was all I could do not to go back and beat the shit out of him. Again.”

“Is that why you were so quiet going home?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry for that.”

“For being quiet?”

“For attacking your family.”

He sounded so sincere. I looked down at the pillow on my lap, my hands wrapped so tightly around it, and let out a deep breath. “He’s not family. He never was.”

“But you wanted him to be?”

I wanted him to be something else for me. “His mom loved me when mine died. I think no matter what happens between him and me, I’ll always feel something for him, just because of his mom. Sheila’s a good person.”

“Then what happened with him?”

I shrugged. “Ha. I don’t know. His parents got divorced before we moved in, obviously, but no one never talked about it. Ever. Kevin was always with a girlfriend the one year we lived together.” I remembered when they helped me move into my dorm. “Kevin showed up to help me move in, but he didn’t really help. He took off. Things were chilly between him and my dad. I don’t think my dad likes him much.”

“Your dad’s smart.”

“What do you mean?”

Caden clapped his hands together and rubbed them back and forth. “Your stepson always has a girlfriend around. He’s obviously sexually active. You’ve got a gorgeous daughter, and you’re bringing her into the same house with that guy. That’s like bringing your most beloved creation into a lion’s den. I’d be worried too. Hell, I would’ve put cameras in that kid’s room. If he touches my daughter, all bets are off. Someone’s losing a dick.”

…gorgeous daughter… He called me gorgeous. I couldn’t…

“You think I’m gorgeous?”

Caden frowned. “Do you not look in a mirror?”

Caden thought I was beautiful. “You think I’m hot stuff?” I must’ve been glowing.

“Summer, you shouldn’t need me to tell you you’re beautiful.”

“Says who?”

He laughed again. “Guys must’ve told you. Right?”

I shook my head. “I dated a few guys in high school. One was president of the debate team. The other was b-string on the junior varsity baseball team. The last was a summer fling when I joined 4-H. I did a lot of baking that summer.” None of them had told me I was pretty. “One said I was cute, but that was it.”

“Then they’re all idiots.”

Tingles spread through me, warming me all the way to my toes. An excited buzz started low in my stomach. “Thank you.”

His eyebrows pinched together. “For what?”

“For making me feel good.”

An emotion I didn’t know, one I hadn’t seen in someone other than maybe my father, passed in his eyes. “Well, it’s the truth. I’m not blowing smoke up your ass.”

“I’m hot stuff, remember?”

He sighed, standing. “You’re going to make me call you that all the time now, aren’t you?”

“I’d settle for Hot Tits.” I glanced down at mine. “Maybe the positive reinforcement will help them grow.”

“Okay, Hot Tits.” He held his hand out to me. “Come on.”