Read Online Falling for the Other Brother by Stacey Lynn Rhodes - Free Book Online
Authors: Stacey Lynn Rhodes
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night.
It struck him how effortless it was to be with Erica. The camaraderie they shared was true and easy. He tried to thrust away the wishes he knew had no place in their lives and just enjoy his time with her.
They ate their meal, both of them going back for second helpings, and talked about various topics. The conversation never really lagged, though they didn’t fill every single moment with chatter, sometimes content to simply enjoy the food and company.
After they’d cleared the kitchen—together, in spite of Colin’s protests that she should sit and relax—they made cups of coffee and moved to the balcony. In addition to the chairs and table set, there was a loveseat glider, and it was there that Erica sat. Colin started to move towards a chair, but Erica beckoned him over, patting the seat next to her.
“Come try this out. It’s really smooth and comfortable.”
Colin changed direction and set down their coffees on the low table in front of the seat, then sat next to Erica. His weight set the glider in motion. “Wow. Doesn’t take much to get it going, does it?”
“No, which is fine. I like rocking. It’s very soothing to me.” She sort of wriggled down into the cushion and lifted her feet to tuck them to the side up on the seat, angling herself in Colin’s direction.
The moment just seemed to call out for him to hold her and he raised his arm along the back. She instantly settled in against him, and Colin wondered with a touch of bitterness whether this was something she did often with Trevor and if Colin was being used a substitute while he was gone. Immediately he tried to banish the thought, but he must have communicated his turmoil through tension in his body, because Erica lifted her head.
“I’m sorry, is this uncomfortable for you?”
“No, it’s fine.” He tried to relax.
She regarded him closely and began to sit up. “You seem tense.”
Colin hugged her back to him with his arm, sorry that he’d let his petty thoughts ruin her enjoyment of the evening. “Really, it’s okay. I just had one random thought, but I’m perfectly comfortable like this. I could sit here this way all night, actually.”
She relaxed against him once again and let out a contented sigh. “Good. I love to sit outside and drink in the peace and quiet of this time of day. I hardly ever get to do it with company, though, and there’s something about sharing the moment with someone else that’s hard to replicate alone.”
Colin debated for about two seconds before he asked the obvious question. “What about Trevor? You must do this with him, right?”
Erica let out a very unladylike snort. “Trevor?” She shook her head against his shoulder. “That would be like expecting a puppy to be still. You should know how he is. The only time he’s not in motion is when he’s asleep. It can get a bit—” She cut herself off abruptly and reached for her coffee.
He lifted his hold enough to allow her to reach the right angle to drink easily then smoothed his hand along her arm as she set her mug down and he accepted her back against him. What she’d said was true, now that he thought about it. Trevor seemed to be a bit of a wrong choice for a boyfriend for someone who seemed to relish quiet, companionable moments. He appreciated for Trevor’s sake that she’d caught herself complaining about him and stopped, so while he really wanted to delve into it a bit more, he knew it was really none of his business and he let it go.
They rocked and sipped their coffees mostly in silence, with the occasional observation about the sunset and fading shadows playing across their view. Erica’s weight seemed to gradually increase until Colin felt certain she’d fallen asleep, though he couldn’t see her eyes to check. She was practically lying on him—her head had moved from his shoulder to his chest and when he put his other arm around her to embrace her, she reflexively snuggled against him in her sleep,
It struck him how effortless it was to be with Erica. The camaraderie they shared was true and easy. He tried to thrust away the wishes he knew had no place in their lives and just enjoy his time with her.
They ate their meal, both of them going back for second helpings, and talked about various topics. The conversation never really lagged, though they didn’t fill every single moment with chatter, sometimes content to simply enjoy the food and company.
After they’d cleared the kitchen—together, in spite of Colin’s protests that she should sit and relax—they made cups of coffee and moved to the balcony. In addition to the chairs and table set, there was a loveseat glider, and it was there that Erica sat. Colin started to move towards a chair, but Erica beckoned him over, patting the seat next to her.
“Come try this out. It’s really smooth and comfortable.”
Colin changed direction and set down their coffees on the low table in front of the seat, then sat next to Erica. His weight set the glider in motion. “Wow. Doesn’t take much to get it going, does it?”
“No, which is fine. I like rocking. It’s very soothing to me.” She sort of wriggled down into the cushion and lifted her feet to tuck them to the side up on the seat, angling herself in Colin’s direction.
The moment just seemed to call out for him to hold her and he raised his arm along the back. She instantly settled in against him, and Colin wondered with a touch of bitterness whether this was something she did often with Trevor and if Colin was being used a substitute while he was gone. Immediately he tried to banish the thought, but he must have communicated his turmoil through tension in his body, because Erica lifted her head.
“I’m sorry, is this uncomfortable for you?”
“No, it’s fine.” He tried to relax.
She regarded him closely and began to sit up. “You seem tense.”
Colin hugged her back to him with his arm, sorry that he’d let his petty thoughts ruin her enjoyment of the evening. “Really, it’s okay. I just had one random thought, but I’m perfectly comfortable like this. I could sit here this way all night, actually.”
She relaxed against him once again and let out a contented sigh. “Good. I love to sit outside and drink in the peace and quiet of this time of day. I hardly ever get to do it with company, though, and there’s something about sharing the moment with someone else that’s hard to replicate alone.”
Colin debated for about two seconds before he asked the obvious question. “What about Trevor? You must do this with him, right?”
Erica let out a very unladylike snort. “Trevor?” She shook her head against his shoulder. “That would be like expecting a puppy to be still. You should know how he is. The only time he’s not in motion is when he’s asleep. It can get a bit—” She cut herself off abruptly and reached for her coffee.
He lifted his hold enough to allow her to reach the right angle to drink easily then smoothed his hand along her arm as she set her mug down and he accepted her back against him. What she’d said was true, now that he thought about it. Trevor seemed to be a bit of a wrong choice for a boyfriend for someone who seemed to relish quiet, companionable moments. He appreciated for Trevor’s sake that she’d caught herself complaining about him and stopped, so while he really wanted to delve into it a bit more, he knew it was really none of his business and he let it go.
They rocked and sipped their coffees mostly in silence, with the occasional observation about the sunset and fading shadows playing across their view. Erica’s weight seemed to gradually increase until Colin felt certain she’d fallen asleep, though he couldn’t see her eyes to check. She was practically lying on him—her head had moved from his shoulder to his chest and when he put his other arm around her to embrace her, she reflexively snuggled against him in her sleep,
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