Page 52 of Rough Fantasy
Fuck, what was he thinking? Maura didn’t want her brother to know what was going on, but there was something in the way Conner had talked about her that pissed him off. Conner had been more father than brother for so long, he couldn’t step back and see the amazing woman she had become. And, the way he yelled at his best friend hadn’t been smart. He might as well write I love Maura across his forehead.
“So, I take it you didn’t plan on yelling at Conner?” Jillian said from behind him. He glanced back her and he could feel his face heat. Dammit, he had acted like a fool in front of Jillian. Great.
“No.” He looked back out at the ocean. “I guess I shouldn’t have done that in front of you. Hell, I shouldn’t have done it at all.”
She said nothing as she walked up and sat next to him, crossed legged.
“No, I think it’s good that he hears it from someone other than me.”
“You said the same thing?”
He sensed her shrug. “He has the problem of still looking at her like she’s still that scared teenager trying to deal with the loss of both parents.”
“Yeah.”
“You know, I said things kind of similar when she was in college with me.”
“Yeah?”
“Conner hadn’t prepared her for sex. I did.”
He glanced at her. “You did?”
“Yeah.” She smiled at him. “Conner wasn’t happy to find out that I had given her condoms and showed her how to put them on.”
He chuckled. “I can imagine.”
“It’s so easy to see you love her.”
He sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“Naw, it isn’t. You love her, she loves you.”
“There’s Rory.”
She snorted. “Please, if he isn’t over the moon for her already, he will be soon. I saw the way he looked at her.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you all stopped by here the first day. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.”
“Is that how you figured out we were all involved?”
“No. Maura told me.” He glanced at her. “No, I didn’t tell the bear in there. He’s going to figure it out soon.”
“Why is that?”
“Conner can be a curmudgeon but he isn’t stupid. The three of you in a room together, anyone can tell you’re involved.”
“Damn.”
“And another thing. Make sure you don’t play at Rough ‘n Ready.”
“Oh, Rory was thinking about...”
He trailed off not wanting to tell her as if he were breaking Maura’s trust.
Jillian patted him on the knee. “I know. She’s always had a fantasy of two guys who were bisexual and she wants to play in public. But word will get back to Conner. It would be best if it didn’t. At least not until you all decide what happens when you get home.”