reticent

31

     "I have to go somewhere with my brother for a few hours." I say.

     "I was gonna go to an interview." He replies.

     I smile. "Where for?"

     "Some restaurant." He replies. "I ate there once, and the food was really good."

     "Oh, well that's every reason to work there, then. Do you need a ride?"

     "No, I'm okay. Thanks." He says. He leans down and presses a kiss to my temple, and I immediately blush. "I'll see you later, then?"

I nod. He smiles and walks toward the door.

"Bye." He says.

"Bye." I reply. He walks out, closing the door lightly behind him, and I find myself grinning, fighting the urge to squeal.

•

"Ow! Cole!" I shout as my older brother puts me in a headlock.

"Come on, get out of it." He orders.

"I can't!"

"I just showed you how." He replies. "Do it."

I can't remember what he told me, because I was focusing on the texts that Archer sent. He's nervous for his interview, and it's kind of cute. Actually, it's really cute.

Instead of trying to recall, I lean down and bite his arm. He lets me go immediately, swearing under his breath. "What the fuck?"

"Bam." I say.

He rolls his eyes and crinkles his nose at his arm. "That's so gross. Why are you always biting everyone? You used to when you were a baby. Then when you came back, and ever since then you've just been a little chomper."

I snort. "Chomper."

He sighs. "Come on, let's do it again."

"We've been doing this for ages."

"It's been half an hour. And you spent fifteen minutes laying on the floor listening to music."

I laugh. "It was very calming."

"Come here."

"No."

He frowns. "Why?"

"Because if someone in the street said come here, I wouldn't. So there's no reason for me to."

He tilts his head. "Amalia."

"Cole."

He sighs heavily. "God, why did I offer to do this?"

"Because you want to beat me up."

His lips tilt upwards. "Go grab water."

"I won't be doing that. If I'm getting kidnapped, I don't get a water break." I say. Amusement fills his expression. "Stay and fight me. Pussy."

He laughs.

"Oh, I get it." I say. "If you're too scared to catch these hands, then it's fine."

"Lia—"

"No, I totally get it. Go cry in a corner, that one over there is free."

The doors swing open, and Grayson walks through. He grins at me, and I run away from Cole and into his twins embrace.

"Hey, kid." He says. "You okay?"

     "Yep. Cole isn't though."

     He furrows his eyebrows. "Why?"