Pivotal Moments (In Time #1) (8 page)

“Dude, your mom can be scary when she wants to be,” she exclaimed. “I used to think that shit was funny when it was happening to Connor.”

I nodded. I used to laugh at Connor too. Now, I almost felt bad for him. He’d have to sit through lectures like that almost daily. This explained a lot of Connor’s attitudes growing up.

Penny turned toward me, a contemplative look on her face. It made me nervous when she looked at me like that.

“What?” I asked, fidgeting.

“Just thinking,” she said, watching me carefully. I squirmed under her regarding stare; I really hated when she did this. Just as I was about to snap at her to cut it out, she said, “What’s going on with you and Teeg, Ash?” She watched me, gauging my reaction.

I shrugged, playing with the lacy fringe on one of the little pillows. I didn’t know how to answer. I didn’t know what to think. Finally, I exhaled and said, “I just wish I had more experience with this, Pen. I feel so out of my depth here. He’s older. He’s been around the block a few times…” I paused and gathered my thoughts. “But when I met him yesterday, time just sort of…froze.”

The bed shifted as Penny sat up, listening closely.

“I can’t explain it. I…I don’t know.” I frowned, trying to find the right words. “I can’t explain without sounding cheesy or cliché. But when I saw him, everything else faded out. Everything narrowed down to the man standing there, staring at me.” I stopped and considered my words and groaned. “God, that sounds so childish and romanticized. But that’s how it happened.” I shook my head. “I just wish I knew how it was on his end. Part of me thinks he’s just a really nice guy looking out for his friend’s sister. But another part of me thinks…maybe he actually likes me.” I proceeded to tell her about the clearing and everything he’d said to me.

She nodded, completely serious. “I know exactly what you mean. But I don’t think he’s the type to act this way otherwise.”

I looked at her, hope forming in my chest. “You think so?”

She nodded again. “Yeah, I do.” With that, she yawned and stretched. Standing, I told Penny goodnight and slipped through the connecting bathroom to my room…only to stop dead in my tracks.

I was positive I had closed my bedroom door when I’d left my room earlier. However, now the door was wide open and an enormous dog was lying on my rug. I narrowed my eyes at Zver, who started thumping his tail in greeting. My glare didn’t faze him; he just kept up his happy greeting. I walked over to him, squatted down, and began petting him.

“How’d you get in here, pooch?” I murmured to him quietly. I continued to pet him, considering everything that had happened that day. It startled me when the guestroom door across the hall from mine was flung open, and Connor came storming out.

“I mean it, Teeg,” he growled. “I’m not playing around!” He spun and faced the doorway. Teagan appeared at the entrance with a stony look on his face.

“I’m not playing either. I’m completely serious,” he replied, his voice cool.

“Bullshit!” Connor burst out. “There are rules about this!”

Teagan shrugged, and Connor’s face turned an alarming shade of crimson. Teagan’s face remained passive as he said, “I’m not one to follow the rules. You know that, Con.”

I froze to avoid detection as they stood facing off, but they were oblivious to my presence. Connor breathed deeply, clenching and unclenching his fists as he reined in his temper. But his shoulders remained stiff as he glared at the other man in the hallway. After several tense moments, he spoke through his teeth. “I’m warning you, Aldridge. Fuck this up, and I’m coming after you.”

Teagan stiffened, but his voice was calm and serious. “I won’t, man. I can promise you that.” Connor gave a slight nod and turned to head for his bedroom. He was halfway down the hallway when Teagan’s soft words halted him mid-stride. “Don’t you fuck up either, bro.”

Connor’s shoulders rose tightly, and he took a deep breath before looking back at Teagan. He gave a curt nod of acknowledgement, and then shook his head quickly before continuing on down to his room. The door slammed behind him.

A deep sigh pulled my attention back to Teagan. He was watching me intently, eyes dark and unreadable, and when I met his gaze, he walked across the hall and leaned against the door jamb. He had changed into a pair of loose basketball shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, which showed off just enough to be distracting. My eyes wandered up his well-muscled legs, over his hips and trim waist, and across well-defined abs and chest. I absorbed his broad shoulders with complete female admiration, pausing at his arms, gazing once again at his tattoo before lifting my eyes to his face—first to his full lips, then finally meeting his eyes.

Beneath his dark, tousled hair, his eyes were smoky, skimming over me much in the same way I’d just done with him. My mouth suddenly dry, I swallowed and studied Zver’s dark coat pattern. My calves were burning from squatting for so long, so I shifted my weight to my rear, sitting cross-legged. Then I risked peeking up at Teagan. He stood there, head tilted slightly, studying me thoughtfully. He met my gaze briefly, then looked at the dog next to me. Smiling, he shook his head and said, “Any idea how he got in here?”

I shook my head. “No clue.” I didn’t really care. I liked the big lump of fur—and he knew it. I smiled down at him, and he licked his chops before flopping his head into my lap. Before I could stop myself, I giggled.

Teagan watched the interaction with a grin. “You know, if this keeps up, I may have to bring you back to school with us. Zver’s going to be beside himself without you spoiling him.”

I laughed for a moment, but the tension in the hallway hadn’t entirely disappeared. “Teagan, can I ask you something?” I said timidly. He nodded with a smile. “What was that just now? Between you and Connor?” I held my breath and waited.

He straightened from the door jamb and rubbed the back of his neck. His eyes closed for a moment, and then he let out a heavy sigh before meeting my gaze again.

“Aislinn, babe, I’m sorry. But I can’t tell you that,” he answered regretfully. “If Con wants you to know, he’ll tell you.”

I nodded, disappointed. I was also trying, but failing, to ignore the flutter of delight at hearing him call me babe again. That was something I could become addicted to.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he added. “I’d tell you if I could, but this is between me and your brother.”

It was impossible to ignore the sudden burst of giddiness. Scarlet heat fanned across my face.

At his chuckle, I narrowed my eyes at him. He was watching me with gentle amusement, and at my reaction, he grinned even larger. Was he making me blush intentionally?

The grin faded, and he studied me for another endless moment before turning and heading back to his room. At his doorway, he paused and turned ever so slightly to look at me out of the corner of his eye.

“Hey, Aislinn?” he called to me.

“Yeah?” I answered.

“Sweet dreams.”

A shudder swept through me. His voice was like a caress. Sleep? Yeah, right. Not happening tonight.

“Asshole,” I muttered.

A bark of laughter signaled he’d heard as he closed his door. I met Zver’s adoring gaze and grimaced. “It’s going to be a long night, buddy.”

Chapter 8

Sunday was a day for sleeping in. So why was sunlight streaming through the windows, attempting to blind me? It was much too early to be awake on a weekend. Especially after yesterday. Sleeping until it was time for school tomorrow sounded like a great plan. I groaned, rolled over, and pulled the covers over my head.

I was just about to drift off again when a soft knock sounded on my door. I clung to the threads of unconsciousness desperately, but the knocking sounded again. The threads were beginning to slip between my fingers, never to be recovered.

“Go away!” I grumbled. What part of too early didn’t people understand?

The knock came again.

“God, leave me alone!” The tendrils were vanishing at an alarming rate. “I’m trying to sleep!”

The door cracked open and that did it. I sat up, threw my blankets down, grabbed a pillow, and hurled it at the door. “Go the hell away! I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to be awake. I just want to freaking sleep!”

“Uh, Aislinn?”

Was this really happening to me? I groaned aloud when the answer came back as a resounding yes. I couldn’t catch a break at any point!

Teagan had snagged my pillow from midair and grinned as he walked over to my bed. Stopping at the side, he gently tossed my missile back where it belonged. His eyes roamed over me and an even bigger grin stretched across his face.

My eyes narrowed. “What?” I grumbled.

He chuckled. “I just wanted my dog back.”

Zver was still there on my rug, sound asleep. He was lying on his back, legs stretched straight up like road kill. Any other time, it would have been funny.

“You woke me up for that?” I glared at him. “You could have just opened the door and called him out, you know.”

Teagan nodded. “I know.” The grin stretched wider. It had to have been bordering on painful at that point. “But then I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of witnessing your morning sunshine self.”

I growled low. Now was not the time to mess with me. Lying back, I pulled the covers back over my head, snuggling away from him and the sunshine and everything else that didn’t respect a person’s need to sleep.

But before I could work myself into a first-class pout fest, Teagan’s footsteps moved around the room and something rustled. Curious, I popped my head out from under the covers. It was now considerably darker, and as Teagan was pulling the curtains shut on my last window, he turned and flashed me a cheeky grin. That done, he wandered around the room, examining the various memorabilia. He paused at a picture of my six-year-old self sitting on my father’s shoulders at our last vacation together.

He picked it up to study it. “Your dad?” I nodded, not saying anything. He observed me for a second, then placed the picture back and picked up one of Mom and Dad on their wedding day. As his eyes skimmed over it, he smiled.

“Connor never talks about them,” I whispered and he looked up to meet my gaze. “I think he’s angry.” He raised an eyebrow, and sighing, I rolled over onto my back and rubbed my forehead. Then, finding the words I wanted, I rolled my head and locked my gaze with his. “I think he’s angry that Dad went over there to begin with. Like Dad chose a bunch of strangers over us.” I hesitated, then said, “I think Connor feels like our father abandoned us.”

Teagan leaned against the dresser, crossing his arms. “What about you? How do you feel about it?”

I stared at the ceiling and shrugged. “I think he was doing his job. He was trying to keep people safe. That’s what soldiers do.” I bit my lip and gave Teagan a weak smile. “Doesn’t change the fact that I miss him.”

He picked up a bead necklace that Penny had won at a fair and given to me. When Teagan shook his head and returned it to its place, I said, “It was a gift from Penny. It’s awful, I know,” I giggled.

He smirked. “Thank God. I was concerned about your taste there for a second.”

My taste was just fine, thank you very much, and he was proof. He was the complete package—sweet, caring, considerate…his questions told me that.

My smile faded. “Hey, Teagan?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you.” It was quiet, but it was heartfelt.

He frowned. “What for?”

“No one’s ever asked me how I felt about my dad.” My eyes started filling up with tears. He straightened and moved until he stood beside the bed, beside me. I pushed myself up until my back rested against my headboard, then gestured for him to sit next to me.

He glanced at the cracked door and then sat next to me. He rubbed the back of his neck and heaved a deep breath. “I get it, you know—not having him around. I understand.”

My brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

He dropped his hand and gave a slight shrug. “My mom left when I was fourteen.”

My jaw dropped. “What? Why?”

His expression darkened, and he shook his head. “That’s a story for a different time. Woke up one morning and she was gone. She didn’t even take my baby sister with her. She was three at the time.” Voice thick with bitterness, Teagan added, “My other sister and I pretty much raised her. Dad was always working.”

So that’s what he meant yesterday, about being a big brother too much. I took his hand, startling both of us, but didn’t let go. His gaze snapped to mine, searching, and I found myself lost in the dark tempest raging in his eyes. Warmth crawled up my spine as his thumb stroked the back of my hand, and my face heated up when his eyes dropped to my lips.

I suddenly heard a throat being cleared.

I almost jumped out of my skin, and Teagan almost fell off the bed. My eyes shot to the doorway, and I exhaled in relief. It was just Penny.

With a mischievous look on her face, she said, “And just what are you two doing?”

I shot her a warning look, but she just rolled her eyes before stepping into the room. Teagan ran a hand through his hair, giving a nervous smirk. As confident as he always was, it was strange how rattled he seemed. He looked around the room, not making eye contact with either of us. “I need to take Zver for a walk,” he said suddenly.

The dog startled and sat up at his name. Teagan gave me a quick smile, which had me blushing. Then he led Zver out of the room. Penny gave him a knowing look as he passed her, and he picked up the pace as he exited. Penny turned and zeroed in on me. Oh, hell no! I held up a hand. “Just…don’t. Okay? Don’t,” I told her firmly. She opened her mouth again, but I leveled her with a look. “It’s between me and him.”

She held her hands up in surrender. “Okay, no problem. But Ash, all jokes aside, you need to try this one out. He seems like a great guy.” Her voice was sincere, and I smiled at the bedspread.

“Yeah, he kinda is, isn’t he?” I said softly. Then I remembered the time. “Now. Get the hell out, Pen. I’m going back to sleep.” I slid back under my covers. Just as I was settled, Penny spoke again.

“By the way, Ash?—I love you. You’re like the sister I never had—but next time, I urge you to tame the Medusa hair before you entertain Teeg.”

Oh. My. God.

***

In addition to Connor’s silent treatment and the angry looks Mom and I shared, Penny had to go home. So I ended up spending time with the only sane person in the house. As Teagan and I lounged in the family room watching TV, I learned he’d be twenty-three in June. He was the second of four kids. He had an eighteen and eleven-year-old sister at home, and a twenty-six-year-old brother in the Marines. Teagan worked as a bouncer at a bar near his and Connor’s place to cover the difference in what his scholarships and grants didn’t pay for. His favorite color was green, and his favorite food was next day leftover spaghetti. Same as me.

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

We liked a lot of the same shows and movies, and laughed at most of the same things. The gorgeous man was perfect for me; I just wasn’t perfect for him. I couldn’t trust my instincts on this one, and I could only go by one resounding fact—Connor had no problem with me being around him. That meant Connor trusted there was no interest in me involved and there was nothing more than a best friend getting to know the family.

I still didn’t know what had happened in the hallway last night. Teagan refused to tell me anything. I could have asked Connor, but that meant I’d have to break my vow of silence and I couldn’t bring myself to do that. But I was burning with curiosity. I found myself hoping that maybe, just maybe, that conversation had to do with me.

God, I needed ice cream.

***

The alarm going off ass-early in the morning didn’t improve my mood much. Knowing I’d have to face Tracey at some point didn’t do much to change it, either. I lay in bed considering all the various diseases I could have contracted overnight that would keep me from going to school, but Dengue Fever most likely wouldn’t have broken out in the Florida Panhandle in the last twenty-four hours, so I rolled out of bed. I couldn’t wait for the following week and my spring break to start.

I stumbled into the bathroom and took my shower, turning on the water as hot as I could stand it. When I finally convinced myself to get out, I proceeded to dry my hair and then made my way to my closet. My wardrobe was a black hole of clothes. Mom and Penny were addicted to shopping, and every time I turned around, more clothes appeared. I had more than I knew what to do with. I usually ended up donating them to a charity.

But now, I was thankful for their compulsive generosity.

More worried about grades than impressions, I’d usually grab a pair of baggy jeans and a t-shirt, throw them on with my favorite pair of canvas tennis shoes, and be on my way. But today was different. I began digging through the extensive selection.

I finally decided on a pair of short, washed-out denim capris, a white camisole, and dark green, short sleeved, button-down over shirt. I was pleased with the final picture; the green made my eyes stand out and the red in my hair more noticeable. I grabbed a pair of nicely casual brown sandals, left my hair down, and grabbed my school bag and purse. I was running late, and I still needed to get my lunch.

As I entered the kitchen I skidded to a halt. The reason I was running late was sitting at the small table with Connor. They were eating cereal, and when Teagan saw me, he paused with the spoon halfway to his mouth. At his approving grin, my blush returned in full strength. My insides flip-flopped at the appreciation in his eyes.

Connor was watching Teagan’s reaction with narrowed eyes, a fierce frown in place. When he saw me and his eyes widened, I gave him a smug smirk. Then I turned to the refrigerator and began pulling out the makings of my lunch. A chair scraped back and Teagan stood, picking up his bowl and bringing it to the sink. After setting it within, he leaned against the counter and regarded me briefly. I stared at my lunch timidly.

“You look really nice, Aislinn,” he said with a smile.

I blushed but grinned my thanks.

A glass was sharply placed on the tabletop, bringing my attention over to my brother. He was scowling. “You work after school today, Ash?” Connor asked.

I nodded. I worked every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and alternating Saturdays. I loved my job and wished I could pull more hours. Unfortunately, school just wouldn’t allow it.

“You still working at that camera place?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. I work from four until eight tonight. I’ll be home afterward, though.”

I finished making my lunch and put everything away. While I was at the refrigerator, Teagan placed my lunch into my bag, then he looked up and gave a wink. My heart did a backflip at the expression, and I couldn’t meet his eyes. I took the pack from him and our fingers brushed. That heady tingle rushed through me, and Teagan gave me a satisfied smirk.

Blushing—again—I quickly grabbed the rest of my things. I was in serious danger of being late to homeroom. As hard as I’d worked for my grants and scholarships, I wasn’t taking any chances with them. I yelled a quick goodbye and flew out the front door. My lack of grace showed itself as I missed one of the steps on the front stoop, and it sounded as if the Hulk had landed on the walkway. I glanced around to see if anyone had witnessed my display of grace and breathed a sigh of relief. Luck was on my side; no one was around.

I pulled up in front of the high school and parked. I sat in my car for a moment and took in the scene before me. The various cliques were standing around—the jocks with the cheerleaders, the nerds, which consisted of anyone with grades B or higher, the band kids, and the art kids. Of course, we had the typical stoners, wrong-side kids, and last but not least, the others.

I was an other. That was the group you fell into when you made no effort to be seen or paid attention to in any way. The background was good, though; I was left alone to do my own thing for the most part. Unless Tracey was in one of her moods.

Penny did not fall into this category. Connor definitely didn’t fit in this cubby; square pegs do not fit in round holes. Those two couldn’t fade into the background to save their lives.