“Oh, come on, Layla. Don’t ruin my fun, you’re my only sibling, after all,” Tee huffs.
Layla rolls her eyes, obviously used to her sister's drama.
“Why aren’t you staying with me?” she asks Tee with a scowl.
“I didn’t want to intrude. You have your man and a baby and you need your privacy. I thought we could crash with Ryder. His new place is awesome, and I like to annoy him. So really, it’s a win-win situation.”
“Poor Ryder,” Layla says, shaking her head in mock pity.
“Hey! I’m not that bad!” Tee replies indignantly. Layla and I both roll our eyes before she stands up.
“Well you're both always welcome here. I’m going to bring you some cupcakes and snacks. Hold on,” she says, walking into the kitchen.
“Looks like I’m living with the wrong sister,” I tease.
Tee nods in agreement. “This is true, Layla is like the perfect housewife.”
Layla walks back in with a tray full of delicious treats.
“This was for Kade, but I’ll make him another batch,” she says, placing the tray down.
“Who’s Kade?” Tee asks.
“Chase’s brother, you'll love him, Tee,” Layla beams.
“Is he hot?” Tee asks, waggling her eyebrows.
“Yeah, and taken. By Nikki,” Layla says with a smile.
“Nikki? Holy shit. You’re all being taken down one by one,” Tee complains.
Layla ignored her and looks at me. “Lexi, has anyone ever told you that you should be a model?” I choke on my chocolate frosted cupcake.
“Umm,” I blush.
“She gets it all the time,” Tee says, reaching for a cookie.
“You should,” Layla encourages.
“Let her be, you’re making her blush,” Tee adds with a chuckle. I shoot her an evil look.
Layla glances between the two of us and smirks. “Opposites attract, I guess.”
“Yeah, nothing makes Tee blush,” I say. It’s true, the woman never gets embarrassed.
“That’s not true! I remember this one time at band camp when...” Tee yelps when Layla throws a cookie at her.
“That’s a waste of a perfectly good baked treat, Layla!” Tee scolds. I burst out laughing when Tee picks it up from the ground and eats it.
“Did you bring me souvenirs?” Layla asks Tee excitedly.
“Yep. All kinds of shit. Shot glasses, magnets, post cards, and key rings. All the stuff you wanted,” Tee tells her, shoving the rest of the cookie in her mouth.
“Yay! Where are they?”
“At Ryder’s, I sort of forgot to bring them,” Tee says apologetically.
The front door opens and a deep voice says, “Layla?”
“In here, Chase!” Layla calls out. My mouth parts slightly as I take in the man who walks in. Tall, broad shouldered, with jet black hair, bright blue eyes, long thick black lashes, and sensual lips. Layla has hit the lottery. The man is delectable. I glance over at Tee and see her staring at me with a smirk. I blush. Well, hell, I am only a woman.
“Chase, this is my sister, Tee,” Layla introduces. I see Tee eye Chase, and grin. Chase walks over and kisses her on the cheek.
“My little sister did well,” she says, earning her a throaty laugh from Chase.
“I’ve heard so much about you,” Chase says.
“Don’t believe anything Layla says. It’s usually her getting me into trouble,” Tee says with an evil grin. Layla pinches Tee on the arm.
“Ouch! See what I have to deal with?” Tee says, rolling her eyes.
“And Chase, this is Lexi, Tee’s best friend and partner in crime,” Layla says with a smile. Chase gives me a grin, and a dimple pops up. I gulp. The man is sex on a stick.
“Nice to meet you, Lexi,” he says.
“You, too,” I say in a daze.
“Layla didn’t tell me you were back in Perth,” Chase says, frowning.
“Yeah, we just rocked up yesterday, we didn’t tell anyone,” Tee says nonchalantly.
“Are you telling me mum and dad don’t know?” Layla asks in shock. Tee grins.
“Nope, they have no idea. Unless Ryder told them.”
“I doubt it,” Layla muses.
“Nah, he wouldn’t, or they would probably be at his house now. So, you named my nephew Cole, which I love, but if the next one is a girl, you need to call her Tenielle,” Tee tells Layla. Layla bursts out laughing.
“What are you laughing at, Layla? We had a deal! You said if you ever had a daughter she would be named after me!” Tee says, affronted. Layla says nothing but keeps on laughing.
“What are your intentions with my sister?” Tee suddenly asks Chase. Chase’s lip twitches. “I intend to marry her, and spend the rest of my life with her.”
“Yeah? Well, why haven’t you married her yet, then?”
“Tenielle!” I scold.
Instead of being insulted, Chase bursts out laughing. “You can ask your sister that,” he says, mussing Tee’s hair.
We all look at Layla.
“I didn’t want to be a pregnant bride!” Layla whines.
“I see,” Tee says, strumming her fingers against her chin as if deep in thought.
“Do I meet your approval?” Chase asks, amused.
“You’ll do,” Tee says with a shrug. I look at the floor in embarrassment when Tee slaps Chase’s ass.