Page 28 of Imperfections Forbidden

“I’m sorry.I didn’t want to wake you; you look so cute when you’re curled up sleeping in my bed.”

“I don’t know how cute I am when I’m sleeping, but I’ll take your word for it.What are you doing out here without me to entertain you?”

She runs her hands up my arms.

“My brother’s here.”Her eyes light up with surprise.

“Gage!”

“The only one I have.”

“I haven’t seen him in forever.”The look of surprise on her face changes, like I knew it would, to suspicion.In a whispered shout she asks, “Was he here when we were having sex?I thought I heard someone calling your name but you acted like—”

“Cat, I couldn’t have stopped if I wanted to.”I smile at her with my most charming smile.“Tell the truth, you couldn’t either.”

“He heard all of that?”She slams her head against the center of my chest.“Oh my God, I’m so embarrassed.”

I try not to laugh.I don’t want embarrassment to turn into anger.“Trust me, he’s heard worse.Go put some clothes on.”

“I thought this is how you wanted me,” she says, eyebrow arched.

“Not around my brother.Put some clothes on.”

“I don’t think Gage would mind if I walked around in nothing but my robe, especially when I give him a long, lingering hug.Do you think he’ll mind if I’m naked under this?”

“Cat, if you don’t get your little ass in there and change—”

“Calm down, calm down.You’re not laughing anymore?”

“I didn’t find anything you said funny.”

“Neither did I.”She spins away and walks back in the room.”I turn around and walk back to where Gage is standing.

“Where is she?This girl must be something special.You’re keeping her away from me like a national treasure.Don’t worry, I’m not going to steal her.”

“That’s the last thing in the world I’m worried about.”

“You doubting my skills when it comes to the opposite sex?Don’t sleep on my powers of persuasion, slays them every time.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Gage Alexander.”

My brother looks over my shoulder, and his eyes look like they’re going to pop out of his head.He turns his head to me with the same shocked look.A smile creeps up his face.He walks past me over to Cat and lifts her up off her feet in a hug.She smiles from ear to ear, hugging him back.

“Catherine Reed, what the hell are you doing here fucking around with this asshole?I’ve been trying to convince you to be my girlfriend since I was eight.”

“You can put her down now, Gage, and get your hands off her.”

“Why?This is Cat.”

“I know who she is.”

“Gage, you’re a man!You look so different.”

“If anyone looks different, it’s you.Wow, you were fine before, but you took it to another level.”He stands back, holding her hand, looking her up and down.

“So have you.I would hardly recognize you if I walked past you on the street.What have you been doing?”