Jessa James - His Brother's Fiancée

“We have a coat closet. In case you forgot,” he said, and looked pointedly at the coat.

“I’m sorry, how rude of me. I don’t mean to mess up your pristine cottage while we’re stuck in the middle of a freaking blizzard.”

Still, she picked up the coat and stomped to the hall closet. She knew she was acting like a spoiled brat, but she couldn’t help it.

First King had pissed her off, scaring the crap out of her like that in the morning. Acting like such a self-righteous jerk when she’d been so vulnerable.

But she knew it was really Thorne that deserved her rage, even though she couldn’t say she was surprised. There were clues, she’d just ignored them.

How he always changed the password on his phone and took it into the bathroom with him. The way he blatantly checked out waitresses or never texted back right away when he was on so-called business trips.

I’m a moron, and ignorance really is bliss. Or at least, it’s easier than paying attention.

She couldn’t get her mother’s words out of her head.

“Thorne’s so respectful!” her mother would gush. “Imagine that, offering to take care of all of us. What a gentleman—”

“Ugh,” Effie said as sunk into the couch.

King scanned the radio knobs to the clearest station. “… encourage those in the Chicago area, particularly in higher elevations, to batten down for the next twenty-four hours at least…”

“Well,” King said as he stood up. “Looks like it’s me and you, kid. It’s too late to make it anywhere now,” he said and looked back to the window. “It’s really coming down out there.”

“I’m supposed to be at work at seven in the morning,” she said. “The vet is going to be pissed if I don’t show up—”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have ran off into the mountains then,” he said, and looked over his shoulder at her. “I’d call the boss if I were you, tell them you’re going to be stuck here a few days at least.”

The last thing I want is to be stuck here with you, she thought. God. And all the crap I have to work out in the real world. Yaya, my mom, Thorne…

Just the thought of it all made her tired.

She worried her lip and took in his broad back as he faced away from her and gazed at the blizzard outside. It had been so long since she’d just taken him in like this. He was at once both familiar and a stranger.

There were things buried deep inside her memory that were suddenly brought back to life, like the small birthmark behind his right ear. Or the unbelievable V-shape which framed his hips that had become even more pronounced as he’d matured.

There were new things, too. Details that almost knocked the breath out of her. He’d always had a bit of a scruff in high school, but it had developed into a full-blown and permanent five o’clock shadow. His jaw had become even more square.

If this wasn’t King, the same King who had broken her heart, she’d fall in lust with him in an instant.

Get it together, Effie, she told herself. You read too many romance books.

That’s what her mom and Yaya said, at least.

Relationships aren’t just about two people, she reminded herself. Maybe they were right. She was quick to fall, to imagine what kind of fairytale taking a particular path might lead to.

And what had that gotten her? Inching towards her mid-twenties and only been with two men—two brothers, to be exact.

She’d watched as her college girlfriends had hookups and one-night stands. They gave her crap about her long-distance, steady boyfriend, but when they met Thorne that shut them up.

How many of them were dating a gorgeous, wealthy, golden boy? None of them.

“…up to four feet in higher elevations…” the radio continued.

Suddenly, she felt a weight fall into her lap. Effie hadn’t even noticed that King had swooped in on her.

“Might as well stay entertained,” he said. She looked down and saw one of the romance novels she’d grabbed from Thorne’s condo in her lap. “I can’t believe you still read this shit.”

“Hey,” she said, defensive. Effie looked up into those steely eyes. “At least I read.”

King laughed. “You don’t know anything about me, Effie. Not anymore.”

“And you think you know me?”

“I know you still read the same drivel you did in high school. I know you spent the day walking the trails by the creek—”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I know you,” he said pointedly.

King leaned down. It made Effie’s breath catch in her throat, but she refused to move or look away.

“And I know neither of us are surprised at what my asshole of a brother did. You deserve better.”

“You don’t know me,” she said. “You knew a little girl, a long time ago.”

King looked at her for a long moment.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said finally, and rose slowly.

“King?” she asked. “I, uhm. I know you don’t owe me any favors, okay? But I’d be really grateful if you didn’t tell anyone I was here.”

“Who would I tell?” he asked. “And how? You think I’m going to send a carrier pigeon into the city?”

King began to prod at the lingering orange in the fireplace as Effie’s eyelids got heavy. By the time the fire roared again and covered her face in heat, she felt nearly drugged.

The woods, the blizzard, and King had taken it all out of her.

As she felt herself slip into oblivion, she thought she felt a warm blanket thrown over her body.

4

King laid in bed and watched the darkness outside turn to pastel. He hadn’t slept the entire night, too on edge knowing Effie was just a few steps away.

He peeled himself out of bed and looked onto the glittery wonderland below. It was fairer than he’d expected. Not as much snow on the ground as the reports warned. But it was still coming down.

And knowing Effie, she doesn’t have snow tires, studs, or chains.

Still, King let out a sigh. Maybe the storm would be brief.

“And then I can get the fuck out of here,” he muttered under his breath.

He came up here to relax, not get trapped with the one person he’d spent the most time with in the cozy little cabin.

Or maybe that’s exactly why you keep coming back here, he thought to himself as he turned on the shower.

As he stretched and waited for the water to heat up, he winced at the pain. The bruises were still apparent, though they’d started to fade.

King leaned against the quartz counter and peered into his own eyes.

“Remember why you came here,” he told himself.

But why had he come here?

Maybe Effie had a little something to do with it. In high school, when they’d slipped away to the cabin he felt happy. Safe. Sure of where things were going.

And now he didn’t know what the hell he should be doing with his life.

Focus on that, not her, he reminded himself as he pulled down the flannel pajama bottoms and stepped into the nearly scalding heat.

Eyes closed, all he could see was her. How natural it had seemed when he stumbled upon her in the living room, almost like he was expecting her. Almost as if she belonged there.

King felt himself start to harden at the memory of her, skin bronzed in the light of the fire. She was even more gorgeous than she was in high school.

She had fuller breasts and wider hips but with that same flawless skin and spray of girlish freckles. There were just so many unanswered questions between then.

He turned his back to the spray of water and refused to let his hand wander to his length.

Why my brother, though? he thought, for what had to be the millionth time. Why not find someone else?