In Love with My Brother's Best Friend: Complete Box Set (36 page)

She
pulled the car into her parents' driveway, and the front door flew
open. Tim came out of that house faster than I thought he could move.
Tina got out, twirled the keys around her fingers, and smiled at her
brother.

“
He
let you drive it?” Tim yelled, as he came toward us.

Tina
walked around the front of the car over to me. I was a little
surprised when she threw her arms around me and claimed my mouth. He
let out a growl and stopped where he was.

“
He
gave it to me,” she said with a smile and shrug, as she turned
back to face him.

It
took all I had not to burst out in laughter when his eyes widened and
he let out a huff. She was throwing out a huge challenge to him. I
was pretty damn proud of her for putting it all out there and letting
him know she wasn't to be screwed with. I should have been that
strong ten years earlier. She must have noticed a change in me,
because she grabbed my hand and squeezed it hard before winking up at
me with a bright smile on her face.

“
Did
he seriously give it to you?” Tim asked.

She
pulled my hand and started for the front door.

“
No,”
she said with a laugh. “You should have seen the look on your
face though. That was priceless. Come on you big baby.”

Tim
reached out for my arm on our way by.

“
I
need a minute with Jackson,” he said.

“
I
don't think so,” she said. “His ass is mine until I fly
out of here tomorrow night. You have something to say brother, you
say it in front of me.”

Tim
mumbled something, but I couldn't tell what it was. We'd have our
talk, but I wouldn't do it with Tina around us.

We
walked in to have her mom running over and pulling her into her arms.

“
You
both look so much better today,” she said. “Seeing the
two of you curled up on that couch together broke my heart. I love
you two.”

She
looked up at me while she held Tina. I wrapped my arms around the
both of them.

“
I
love you too, mom,” I said.

“
Dinner
is ready and waiting on us,” she said. “It took you
forever to get here.”

“
Your
daughter was having too much fun with the car,” I said.

“
Do
not lie to her,” Tina said, as she pulled back from her mom and
looked up at me. “You're the one that.”

“
Not
another word, Tiny,” I snapped out before she could finish.
“I'm warning you.”

She
cocked her hip to the side with her hand placed firmly on it.

“
What
are you going to do, big man?” she asked with a challenging
tone.

“
Woman,”
I snapped, as I lunged forward at her.

She
took off toward the table with a laugh.

“
That's
how we ended up late in the first place,” she said, as she
pulled out a seat and sat down quickly. “You should know better
than to warn me, Jackie.”

I
leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before taking the seat
next to her. Tina's dad walked into the room and sat down.

“
Jackson,”
he said. “I'm glad to see the two of you looking happy.”

I
nodded at him before looking back at Tina. Tim and Renee sat down on
the opposite side of the table. Their mom sat down as well. Plates
were passed around and conversations started. I loved being a part of
their family. It was such a great feeling.

The
table seemed quiet for a moment. Everyone was deep into eating their
dinners. Tina looked over at me and then at her mom.

“
So,”
she began.

I
had no idea what was going to come out of her mouth. With her new
attitude, it could have been anything. I watched her look between her
dad and mom.

“
I
just wanted to let you know that I'm coming back home,” she
said nervously.

“
Tina,”
her dad said. “Are you serious?”

I
could see the emotions beginning to fill his eyes. It wasn't
something that happened often, and it was definitely nice to see.

“
I
am,” she said.

“
When?”
her mom asked, as she reached over and squeezed Tina's hand with
hers. “You have no idea how happy you've just made me, baby
girl.”

“
That
part hasn't been worked out yet,” she answered. “We
haven't talked it all through yet. I have made the decision to come
back though.”

“
I'm
so happy you'll be here again,” her dad said. “It's been
so hard having you so far away from us. I always worry about you.
We'll get your brother's room cleaned out the rest of the way and get
it fixed up for you.”

I
felt Tina's body tense next to me. My hand went under the table and
squeezed her leg to let her know I was there no matter what.

“
I'm
not moving in here,” she said.

“
Of
course you are,” her mom said. “You can stay here as long
as you want. That way you can get a job and save before you move back
out.”

“
I
actually have a lot of money saved right now,” Tina said
proudly.

I
was proud of her. She'd set a goal of being able to buy herself a
home without a loan, and she'd done pretty well with saving money. It
had to have put a big dent in that savings flying back and forth
those last two weeks though. I wasn't really happy that she'd stayed
in an unsafe area so that she could save either, but that didn't
change how proud she made me.

“
That
has nothing to do with it though,” she said.

I
felt her take a deep breath in and slowly release it before she spoke
again.

“
I'm
going to live with Jackson,” she said.

“
What?”
her brother snapped out.

Her
shoulders went back, and she sat straight up. She was ready to take
him on. That wasn't her job though. It was mine. She opened her mouth
to speak, but I cut her off.

“
Look,
Tim,” I said, as I put my arm around Tina's back. “I know
she's your sister and you have always looked out for her, but you
need to stop.”

“
I'm
not talking about this here,” Tim said. “I want to talk
to you alone.”

I
looked toward Tina's mom and was so happy to see her with a smile as
she waited for me to speak. She nodded her head so I knew it was
okay.

“
I
love your sister,” I said. “I have been in love with her
since I scared the shit out of her when I was fifteen. You know the
day. It was the day you asked me to never go near her. I stayed away
from her all through high school. At college, I was taking trips home
to make sure she was okay. I missed her so damn bad. It tore the shit
out of me not to see her walk across that graduation stage.”

Tina
squeezed my leg hard under the table.

“
When
I sat on that beach talking to her for hours, I couldn't walk away. I
caved in, and we had one time together. It took all I had to walk
from her after that. I did it for you. It was the biggest mistake of
my life. That is my only regret. I should have fought for her, and I
didn't. She is all I've thought about for ten years. I've built what
I have for her. The entire time I was building my business, I did it
so she would be proud. I did it thinking that you would think I was
worthy of her if I made something of myself. I did it hoping she'd
want to be with me. I bought my house because of her. I had things
done to it just for her.”

“
I
knew it,” their mom yelled out. “That porch and yard gave
it away for me.”

“
You
should see the tub,” Tina told her mom.

“
I
don't know what your deal is with me. We've all changed since high
school. I love your sister more than any man ever could. I'm going to
be with her. I'm going to marry her, take care of her, have babies
with her, and keep her safe for the rest of my life. I'd marry her
right now if she'd have me. We are going to be together with or
without your approval.”

“
Even
if that means losing my friendship?” Tim asked.

“
Yes,”
I answered. “I don't want it to come down to that, but I will
not give her up. I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and
protected. I would give my life for her without a second thought.
She's mine, and we belong together. I love her with everything I am.
I will not let her down. I will never let her go again. I will fight
for her until my last breath.”

Tina
turned toward me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“
I
love you so much, Jackson,” she whispered into my ear.

“
What
about you being with someone else? I heard her crying about it
yesterday,” Tim said.

“
I
was in New York yesterday. I was going to her. Andrea told her I was
with a woman. Tina was that woman. The only problem was that she was
here looking for me,” I said.

Tim
moved his eyes from me and over to her.

“
He's
it for me, Tim,” she said. “Accept it or not. That
doesn't matter. I love this man. I've loved him for so long. He's the
reason I left and the reason I'm coming back. I'm moving into his
house. There is nothing that will change that. I love you very much,
Tim. You're my brother, but I won't let you take this away from us.”

“
Our
house,” I said, as I looked over at her.

“
Our
house,” she said. “So, big brother, I guess that makes
that our car out there.”

Tim
got up and came around the table. She stood up and looked him right
in the eyes. My girl was amazing.

“
Watch
your next move,” I said. “My girl's a bad ass. She'll
take you down. If she doesn't, I'll be right there to do it.”

Tim
wrapped his arms around her and smiled.

“
So,
little sis, can I drive your car?” he asked with a laugh.

“
I'll
think about it,” she said, as she wrapped her arms around him
and hugged him tight.

“
I'm
sorry,” Tim said, as he looked down at me.

I
stood up and wrapped my arms around two of the four closest people in
my life.

“
It's
okay,” I said. “I know you were just looking out for her,
but that's my job now.”

“
I'll
always look out for her,” Tim said. “If you ever hurt
her, I'll tear you to shreds.”

“
I'd
expect nothing less,” I said.

Tina
wanted to leave shortly after we all sat back down and finished
eating. She handed me the keys as soon as we got to the car. I opened
her door for her and walked around to get in my side. When I looked
up at the house, her mom had the biggest smile on her face.

We
got home and Tina disappeared up the stairs. I followed her up after
I locked up the house. I walked through the door to pieces of her
clothes on the floor. I looked up to see the open doors leading out
to the deck. When I passed through the doors, I lost my breath.
Seriously couldn't fucking breathe. The most beautiful, sexy woman
was standing against the railing completely naked. The light from
inside the room reflected on her dark hair that was covering her
shoulders and part of her bare breasts. My cock was instantly hard
and twitching in my pants.