Closer Than A Brother (2 page)

Her father took the stool beside her. “What seems to be the trouble with Shane?” he asked, looking down at the paper.

“That little punk gave me a speeding ticket coming into town.”

Her father choked on his beer with laughter.

“I’m glad you think it’s funny, Dad.”

“Did he know it was you?”

“Damn straight, he knew it was me.”

They both looked up when her mother hung up the phone.

“They will be here around six. It will give you time to rest up, honey. Why don’t you want Shane here?” she asked, taking a stool on the opposite side of the counter.

“She said he gave her a speeding ticket this afternoon.” Her father snorted back a laugh. Danielle saw her mother’s face light up with humor. She took a sip of her beer and passed it on to her mom.

“No, Mom. It’s not funny.”

“You tortured that poor boy all while you were growing up. It’s his turn for payback, no doubt.”

“That is ridiculous. I was as nice as I could be to him.”

“You never let him play with you.”

“I am four years older than him,” she exclaimed. “I’m sorry, but as a ten-year-old girl having a six-year-old boy tagging along—it’s not cool.” She pouted.

“He’s always had a crush on you,” her father interjected. “For how many years, Izzy?”

“Oh, that boy has loved him some Dani for a long time.”

Her parents laughed.

“Ugh, stop it. How would I have looked dating a fourteen-year-old my senior year of high school?”

“Oh yes. He wanted to take you to your senior prom. It was so cute and he was very serious.” Her mother teased.

“I said a resounding no!” She cut into her mother’s walk down memory lane. “He was like the annoying little brother I never wanted!” She took the can of beer back from her mother before taking another sip. “When did he become a cop? You never told me any of this.”

Her father put down the paper. “Let’s see. Right after graduation he went to school for law enforcement, then to the police academy. There was a whole process you see.”

“I figured as much, Dad.” She sighed.

“You’ve been away a long time honey,” her mother said getting up. Her parents visited her in New York at least twice a year, if not more. This was mostly because her mother missed her to death, but she also loved the shopping and shows in Manhattan. She had been home a couple of times in the last ten years. Each time Shane had been out of town or at school, and the conversation of what he was doing with his life never really interested her. She hadn’t seen Shane since the night he kissed her. She hadn’t been interested in him like that then.
So why am I interested now?

“I’m gonna call Brandi and ask her to come over tonight. Do you mind, Mama?”

“No, no, call everyone. Gerald, call your sisters. They will want to see their niece.”

“I’m gonna go to my room for a minute,” she said. Taking her purse, she left her parents to plan her welcome-home dinner.

* * * *

Shane’s shift ended at four o’clock. There was a message from his mother on his cell about a cookout Miss Izzy was having for Dani at six. He didn’t know if he was ready to see her again, so soon. His heart was still beating double time from the sight of her with her hands up on that car.

Danielle had always been all legs. Damn, if he didn’t instantly go rock hard when she turned around in those six-inch heels that made her legs go on forever and stick her butt out at him. What he wouldn’t give to hold her curves tight and take her right up against that car. He saw her reaction to him, especially when he kissed her wrist. Maybe she could see him now as more than just an annoying kid. He unbuttoned his shirt and threw it over a chair. He dialed his parent’s house and put his cell on speaker.

“Hello.”

“Hey, Ma. I got your message.”

“Hi, baby. Isn’t it just wonderful that Dani is back in town? She hasn’t been home much in damn near ten years.”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s great she’s back,” Shane said, putting a palm to his forehead. “Um, I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it tonight though, Ma.”

“Why on earth not?”

His mother could smell a lie a mile away, so she wasn’t going to believe any he could muster.

“I don’t think Dani will want to see me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, boy. You know she loves you.”

His heart stopped. “What?” He choked at the thought. His mother chuckled, and he narrowed his gaze.

“You still love her too.”

“Ma, come on.” What he felt for Dani was a whole lot more than his mother could understand.

“Okay, okay, I know. Not cool to talk to your mom about this stuff. I would appreciate it though, if you came to see my dearest friend’s daughter tonight. Miss Izzy requested you be there, baby.” His mother waited.

“Okay, Ma. What time, seven?”

“Six o’clock. Don’t you dare pull that on me, Shane Scott,” she scolded.

He cringed at the first and middle name usage.

“Okay! I’ll be there, six o’clock. I got it.” He hung up the phone, knowing by the time he took his cold shower—just to get his mind off the encounter this afternoon with Danielle—it would be closer to seven.

Chapter Three

“Dude, I’m screwed,” he said into his cell, on the way to Miss Izzy’s house. It was already after six. His best friend, Jason, chuckled on the other end.

“I can’t believe you pulled her over, and gave her a ticket.”

“I didn’t know it was her when I pulled the car over. I’m not going to turn in the damn ticket. I ripped it up as soon as I got in the car, but she thinks she has to pay it.”

“How did she look?”

Shane sucked in a breath. “Wow.”

Jason laughed. “That good, huh? Dani always looked good, man. You’ve been into her forever.”

“No, she looks…
wow
,” Shane said again.

“Personally, I would like to see
wow
. You think Miss Izzy would mind?” Jason asked.

“A whole bunch of people are coming over. I don’t think she would mind. Besides, you came to her graduation party and no one cared.”

“Miss Izzy is cooking, right? Damn, I’ll meet you there in ten minutes,” Jason said, hanging up without a good-bye.

* * * *

Dani stood in the warm evening air, listening to old friends and family welcoming her home. Word spread fast, and at least thirty people came to say hello—everyone, but
him
. At six thirty, Shane was nowhere to be seen. Her cousin, Joe, had turned up the music and dodged her mother’s attempt to swat him. “This ain’t the club, boy. Turn that music down.”

“Oh leave him alone, Izzy. You don’t want to shake your grove
thang
?” her father asked coming up behind her, dancing to the beat. The group laughed.

One of her oldest and best friends, Brandi, sat down next to her on a lounge chair. “Where is tall, dark, and handsome?” she asked, sipping her beer.

“Hell if I know,” Dani said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Girl, don’t fake the funk. You know that man is fine. I’ve seen him driving around town in his sexy, little uniform. Mmm, I’ll admit he’s turned my head more than a few times.”

Danielle looked over at her friend. “Have you slept with him?”

Brandi smirked. “You sound jealous, Dani. No, I haven’t slept with him.”

Danielle exhaled a breath she hadn’t realize she was holding.

“Hmm, sounds like
you
are thinking about it though,” Brandi teased.

Dani chuckled nervously. “Absolutely not. Why are we even talking about him? He isn’t even here!”

“He is now,” Brandi whispered.

Dani’s gaze darted across the yard to the porch. He stepped out the back door. Another good-looking guy was with him. “Damn.” Dani heard Brandi say. “Now tell me those two men aren’t fine.”

Dani avoided the question. “Who is that with him?”

Brandi answered softly, “Jason Stover.”

Danielle looked back across the yard. “That lanky kid he used to hang out with all the time?”

“Not so lanky anymore. They both went to the academy together. He is a cop too—a very sexy cop,” Brandi said, biting her lip. She crossed her legs and gave Jason a look from across the lawn.

“Whoa, calm down, girl,” Dani said, swatting her friend’s leg.

“You take the blonde. I’ll take the brunette,” Brandi said.

“What! Are we going after younger, white guys now? We are over thirty, girl!” Dani argued.

“We are
barely
over thirty, Danielle, and they are damn near thirty.” Brandi bit her lip. “They are grown!”

Danielle watched Shane lean in to kiss his mother’s cheek. He was definitely grown, and filling out every inch of those faded jeans. It was her turn to chew her lip.

“When did he grow up?” she whispered to Brandi.

“While you were away in New York. Trust me, sexy is in the water around here.”

* * * *

“You are late!” Miss Izzy said, hitting his arm.

He faked being hurt, holding his arm. “I’m sorry, Ma.” He leaned in to kiss the woman he considered a second mother, on the cheek.

She hugged him tight. “You know I can’t be mad at you, boy, get yourself a plate.”

She peered over his shoulder. “I see you came back for more food,” she said to his friend, releasing Shane. Jason had been showing up at her door with Shane for years. If there was food, he was coming.

“Hey, Miss Izzy. You know I can’t pass up your cooking. If Mr. Gerald is willing to let you go, will you marry me?” Jason smiled.

Miss Izzy chuckled and embraced Jason as well. “Look at you two, all tall and handsome. If I was twenty years younger, you two would need to watch out.” She patted his face. “You know you are always welcomed, Jason. Get yourself a plate too.”

They loaded their plates with barbecue and salad and dug their hands in the ice for a beer.

“She’s sitting over there under the tree with Brandi,” Jason said for only Shane to hear.

“I know,” Shane answered not looking up.

“You aren’t going over to say hello?”

“I’ve already said hello to her.”

“Yeah, slick, when you gave her a damn ticket. Man, go on over there and say hello the correct way.”

“This is stupid as hell,” Shane hissed. “We aren’t fourteen anymore man.”

“Yeah, and she clearly isn’t a teenager anymore.
Wow
, is definitely right,” Jason said, picking up his plate.

“Hey, watch it. Keep your
wows
to yourself,” Shane growled at him.

Jason laughed. “Okay, okay, calm down. Do you have plans tonight?”

“You mean other than being here?”

“No, after here. It’s Friday night. We should take them out.”

“Them?”

“Danielle and Brandi.” Jason bit into a barbecued rib bone.

“I know you’ve dated her a couple of times, but I didn’t know you were into Brandi like that.”

“I’ll take one for the team.”

“Like it’s such a hardship. Brandi is hot too.”

Jason laughed. “Yeah, I know. So it’s a win-win.”

“They aren’t going to go anywhere with us.”

“Why the hell not? Are you hung up on the age, race thing?”

“Trust me, not at all.”
That’s half the reason I’m attracted to her
. Her soft, caramel skin made him hard every time he thought of her.

“Then let’s do this!” Jason encouraged him.

“Dude, you have barbecue sauce on your face. You won’t be
doing
anything looking like that.”

* * * *

She could hear them laughing. “How rude is he?” she complained to Brandi.

“What are you talking about?”

“He comes waltzing in here, for
my
welcome-home party, brings a damn friend, and he can’t say hello. I don’t even know if he knows we are over here!”

“You sound upset by it.”

“No! I won’t give him the satisfaction.”

Brandi gave her an all-knowing smile. “You can’t tell me, if that man came over here, looking the way he does, and gave you at least half of the attention he gave you when he was a kid, you wouldn’t be flattered.”

“No.”

“You lie like a rug.”

“No.”

“You aren’t fooling anyone, Dani. I know I’d take a little attention from his friend. Look at the ass on that man.”

Dani couldn’t notice anyone’s ass but Shane’s. Her head slightly tilted to the side. “Mmm.”

“Ha. See I told you. That man is fine. You could definitely have him before you went back to New York.”

She most definitely
wanted
that before she went back to New York.

“Watch this,” Danielle said.

“Oh hell, what are you going to do, Dani?”

“I’ll take the blonde one, you got the brunette,” she said, repeating her friend’s words from earlier. She heard Brandi chuckle as she walked toward the object of her most recent attraction.

“Jason Stover,” she exclaimed flashing her sexiest grin. “Well damn, boy. I haven’t seen you in, what, ten years?” she said, giving a show for the two guys. Jason looked at her and smiled, his gaze sliding to Shane briefly. She totally ignored Shane. Jason put his plate down on the nearest table in time to embrace Dani, who threw her arms around his neck and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “It’s always great to see old friends.” She held on just a second longer than needed, making sure to press her breasts against his firm chest.

“Um, hi, Danielle. Welcome home,” he said, looking over her shoulder at Shane.

“Thanks!” She just as suddenly let him go, turning on her heels to face Shane. “Hello, Officer Matthews,” she said, her chin lifted.

“I’m off duty, Danielle. You can call me Shane.” He put his plate down and took a long swig of his beer.

Dani’s gaze narrowed. “Okay, if that’s the case. How about I call you, cocky asshole?” She heard Jason chuckle behind her.

“Bitter much?” Shane asked.

“You gave me a damn ticket.” She stomped her foot feeling like a girl again, trying to get rid of the annoying little boy. “You suck, Shane!” she hissed at him.

He took her hand and pulled her near him, whispering in her ear. “I suck tits and clits, baby.”

Those were the exact parts of her body that responded to the warmth of his voice at her ear. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer. He let his lips linger against the side of her face. “I’ve missed you,” he said in her ear. Dani’s eyes closed as every nerve ending in her body became aware of the contours of his chest against her. His muscled arms wrapped tightly around her, causing her breath to catch. The bulge she admired earlier pressed against her belly. She opened her eyes and took a step back to look at him, trying her hardest not to show how his closeness affected her body.