"Brynn! Stop!" I ducked again as she took another swing at me. A small part of me was pretty impressed with her right hook. "Cal called me! He called me! Your brother?"
She was in full panic mode, still fighting even as her eyes began registering understanding.
I grabbed her wrist, twisted the knife out of harm's way and yanked her close enough to see my eyes. She squirmed and tried to stomp her foot on mine, but she couldn't break free, and a flicker of something I hated ran through me.
She was completely under my control.
I banished that thought back down to the dark place it sprang from and took a deep breath. I readied my explanation; that Callum had called me just as I was leaving work late. That he'd asked me to check on her. That I knew she'd heard a noise that scared her and I was the closest person her brother could summon to make sure she was okay.
That I hadn't meant to scare her even more.
But my reasons died on my lips when I saw her wide, frightened eyes.
In all the years I'd known her, I'd never seen Brynn Reese undone. She was always polished. Poised. Her face was always carefully made up and her hair was always sleekly straightened.
So there was something unnerving, and also completely alluring, about seeing her - holding her - when she looked like this. Dressed in faded pajamas, her face scrubbed clean, and her hair caught up in a scraggly topknot that had fallen halfway over her face.
I'd only seen her like this the one other time. And then I'd only had the little sliver of light from underneath the closet door to see it. The porch light wasn't much brighter, but at least I could see all of her at once.
And now that I could see her, I couldn't stop staring.
"Sorry," I exhaled. Once I was sure she wasn't going to try to murder me again, I loosened my grip and took a deliberate, conciliatory step back. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
"Well. You did." She rubbed her hand over the place where I'd gripped her.
I'd raised delicate pink lines on her skin.
I swallowed. My throat was suddenly bone dry. I turned away and coughed, stuffing that impulsive desire, the thing I hated most about myself, back down.
Not here.
Not her.
I always pushed too hard. And when I'd pushed in the past, I ended up pushing girls away.
I couldn't do that with Brynn.
"Your brother called." I cleared my throat and coughed again. "He wanted me to make sure you were okay." I was relieved to see that some of the poise was returning to her face. "Are you okay?"
That little smirk, the one that looked like she'd spent ages practicing it in the bathroom mirror, had returned. "I'm fine," she said, blowing out an exasperated breath. "No thanks to you, Rett."
I tried to wrench my eyes from her bare, marked skin. I'd never allowed myself to feel this way about her before. She was Cal's sister. My best friend's sister.
But all I seemed able to do was stare.
"Were you in bed?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could catch them.
She gave me an odd look. "I have to be at the school at seven tomorrow. Primary school starts early."
I started nodding. Then tried to stop nodding. But I couldn't, because every time I moved my head, I was able to take her all in.
We had never talked about New Year's. I was fairly certain she was intent on forgetting it. Brynn hated awkward moments more than anything. And there was nothing more awkward than sex you clearly regretted.
I could never forget it. I'd wanted her forever. The memory of how she'd looked that night roared back, and I realized I hadn't gotten her out of my system.
If anything, she'd wormed her way deeper under my skin.
But I couldn't have her the way I wanted her.
"You want to come in or something?" she asked.
I took a deep breath. Temptation made my blood thud in my ears. It would be polite to accept, of course. But it would also be complete agony.
I wasn't sure I could trust myself with her when she looked so sleepy and vulnerable.
"No, it's fine," I told her. "I'll just check around the perimeter one more time before I go."
Her mouth worked up into a smile. "The perimeter? Who the heck are you?"
"Someone who likes to be thorough," I reminded her as I stepped off the porch.
I did a double take as she followed me on to the grass, but she didn't seem bothered by the cold, damp ground under her bare feet. "Did you see anything along the perimeter?" she teased again, crossing her arms over her chest.
She was not wearing a bra. I averted my eyes, trying to look anywhere else.
"I didn't see anything. In the perimeter," I clarified. "But if you heard something suspicious, maybe you want the police to come out." I took out my phone. "I can call right now."
She bit her lip. I had to look away again. My throat was a desert. I needed to get away from her.
And I also needed to know she was okay.
She took a deep breath. "No," she finally said. "I'm sure it's nothing." I turned back to her and she smirked. "Thanks for coming by. You're a good Boy Scout."
She meant to tease me, but I wouldn't take the bait. "You know it. You were at my Eagle Scout ceremony."
"I was. Always prepared and all that." She grinned. "You're useful to have around, Rett."
She turned back into her house, leaving me to my agony and the memory of pink lines on her skin.