Georgia King was going to think I was controlling freak.
But then a smile slowly crept over her face and there went my damn heart again, racing to the moon. Man, if I could rewind the last five seconds just to see that happen all over again, I’d be a happy man.
“Really? But, aren’t you going to use it for something? Storage or I don’t know… a place to practice your slap shots?”
I grabbed her hand again, my thumb rubbing along the sensitive area above her wrist. “No,” I said carefully. “I’m good. My slap shots are good. My aim is always true.”
“Really,” she whispered.
“Yeah. It’s kind of crazy but I get paid a lot of money because of it.”
“Uh huh.”
“So, you know, the barn is all yours if you want it.”
A heartbeat passed.
Her eyes darkened and she licked her lips. “I want it,” she said and I knew she wasn’t talking about the barn.
Another heartbeat passed.
Holy hell.
Chapter Fourteen
Georgia
“So, Georgia,”
I glanced up at Ben’s sister, my mouth full of pizza and my stomach coiled tight. She seemed nice but a little protective of her brother—which I got, they were obviously tight—but I wasn’t so sure where she was headed and I wasn’t in the mood for an interrogation.
“What’s your deal?” She took a sip of beer. “Do you go to college? Do you live nearby?”
Great.
I glanced at Ben, but he settled back in his deck chair, his dark eyes intimate as he gazed at me expectantly. I didn’t see a way out of this unless I wanted to sound like an absolute bitch.
“Right now I’m staying in Philly with my brother Matt. I’m kind of in-between stuff right now. You know, figuring things out.”
“Oh.” She seemed a little surprised. “Do you work then?”
My cheeks flushed as a wave of heat rolled through me. I didn’t need to work, not with my inheritance, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t want a job. I’d thought of applying for a part time gig at an art gallery downtown but I knew as soon as they did their background check I’d never get hired. Who was going to hire a crazy person? I didn’t think Oak Run was going to look real good on a resume.
So what was the point?
“No,” I answered abruptly.
Eden took a sip of her beer, pointing to my bottle of water. “Did you want something a little stronger to go with your pizza? There’s beer but we’ve also go vodka.”
“I don’t drink.” Shit this was going well.
She seemed surprised at that one and was silent for a few seconds. “At all? Like you’re opposed to it?”
Irritated, I pasted a fake smile on my face and exhaled. “I just don’t drink.”
“Seriously, Eden?” Ben sat a little straighter. “We’re not doing the third degree thing.”
Eden ignored her brother. “And Matt, he’s one of the coaches for the Flyers? That’s how you guys met?”
“Yes.”
I darted another look at Ben, but he was watching me in a way that made my skin tingle.
“Georgia paints,” he said suddenly.
Eden’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? That’s cool.” She leaned back in her chair and shook her head. “I’m challenged when it comes to that shit. I can draw stick people and that’s about it.”
Ben snorted. “You’re challenged when it comes to most shit.”
She tossed a beer cap at him. “You’re an asshole.” With a giggle she glanced my way again. “He’s lying. I’m into sports too, track, and I’m attending USC on a scholarship while studying medicine.”
Great. Was the entire Lancaster family filled with over achievers who not only looked amazing but excelled at everything they did?
My life of partying and trouble and good times seemed so lame compared to these two and I couldn’t help but think Ben’s interest in me was purely sexual. What the hell did I have that would keep someone like him interested beyond getting laid? My level of comfort took another nosedive and I tried to keep a smile on my face but it didn’t work, so I stared at my toes instead.