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My brother’s face dropped, and a sudden breeze ran a chill over my skin. “I’m just looking out for you. Someone has to.”

“And I appreciate it, but please, don’t judge me. I can wear what I want. I’m not hurting anyone.” He looked stunned like I’d slapped him in the face and taken away his manhood with my words. My heart tugged, but I wouldn’t take it back. Ease his conscience. “I have to go,” I mumbled.

“You should probably give Brody his shirt back first.” Coop’s words were softer now. “You can wear mine instead.” He unbuttoned his flannel, handing it to Eve before glancing at his best friend. “Thanks for looking after her.”

Oh, he’d been well on his way to looking after me, alright, but in a totally different way. I swear Brody’s cheeks fired red in the dark, and he sucked in his lips. He looked over at me, eyes full of regret, yearning, and everything I knew would keep me awake later.

I gripped the hem of his shirt, lifting it as far as my ribs, taking in the lemon scent that clung to its fibers. Coop turned around, giving me privacy, but Brody just stood there, his eyes on mine.

“Brody! Come on, man. Give her some space,” said Coop.

He shook his head as if waking up from a sleep. “Sorry.” He turned away, too, and I pulled his shirt over my head, handing it to Eve. She gave it back to Brody as I fed my arms into Cooper’s flannel.

“I’m decent now,” I said, trying to keep the pitch of my voice even. Both Coop and Brody turned back, the latter searching my face, his jaw tight.

“Thanks for your help,” I said to him, willing him not to reply. Not to add to my brother’s suspicions. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the memo.

“Any time. See you tomorrow?”

It was the derby try-out tomorrow. I could hardly back out now. I nodded at him with a tight smile, and Cooper’s head snapped to Brody, a line scoring the space between his brows.

Oh, great. I knew that look. He normally reserved it for anyone who dared flirt with me or took more than a passing interest. I didn’t doubt I’d face a barrage of questions in the morning. An interrogation about why I’d spent so much time with his friend lately and just what’d happened when he’d carried me outside. I made a mental note to steer clear of my brother tomorrow.

Brody and Coop left and headed back into the Crow, leaving Eve and me standing in the shadows. “I held your brother off as long as I could. He was in the bathroom while you were on the bull, but he overheard a couple of guys making a joke about what happened. I thought he was going to start a fight.”

He would. “Thanks. Eve. And thank you for the eyelash distraction.”

The corners of her mouth twitched. “Anything for my bestie, but you have to tell me what the hell is going on.”

I pulled Coop’s shirt tighter around my body. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not blind. And I’m sure Coop isn’t either.”

I swallowed, my body a hot mess of jitters.

“You and Brody are always looking at each other.”

“Stop.”

“It’s true. I can almost feel the magnetic field between the two of you. Like all my jewelry would fly off and cling to you both if I undid it.”

“Eve,” I pleaded, my cheeks on fire.

“Just tell me.”

With the whine in her voice and the glow in her eyes, all I wanted to do was unload. Unleash the Brody-shaped desire I’dlocked inside my chest for so long. I took a breath, shaking my head. “I don’t even know where to start.”

A grin spread over Eve’s face, and I swear she almost jumped up and down on the spot. “See! Iknewit. You are well and truly drinking the Flock Kool-aid now, my friend.” She clutched her hands at her chest like a Disney princess of old. “Holy hell, I have so many questions. Have you kissed him?”

I couldn’t lie to her, but I wasn’t even ready to admit my feelings to myself, let alone anyone else. Say everything out loud. Instead, I nodded.

Eve squealed like a child on Christmas morning. “Yay! Oh my goodness! Please tell me you’ve touched him.”

She hung onto my silence like I was announcing this year’s Oscar winner. I nodded again.

This time, she jumped into the air, clapping her hands together. “Holy crap! This is amazing.” She reached for my arm, her fingers gripping Coop’s shirt, her eyes as wide as hockey pucks. “Have the two of you, well, you know, done the deed?”

I looked back at Eve. “No.”