Page 96 of Three Pucking Ex's Brothers

Her cheeks are red, and she’s staring at my reflection as her words hit me. Last night…

“I’m sorry if I offended you,” I say carefully. “I was drinking, and when I got your photo…”

Her fingers glide through my locks as she scissors the edges.

“I didn’t mean to send that photo to you,” she says. “Or your brothers…”

Brothers…as in…

“You sent that photo to my brothers?”

She nods. “Um…yes.”

So it wasn’t meant for me. But then…

“Who was it meant for?” I ask carefully, not sure if I want to hear the answer.

Nora bites her lip. “Does it matter?”

I nod, my gaze finding hers in the mirror. “Yes,” I say. “It matters to me, because?—”

“I meant to send it to Brett. It was meant to be a ‘look what you lost’ sort of thing, and I was drinking so…” She breathes heavily. “I freaked out when I realized I’d sent it to all of you, and then you?—”

I close my eyes.

Shit, I really fucked up this time and I know it.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “We can…we can just forget about it.”

She clips some hair and lets out a soft sigh.

“That’s the thing,” she says softly. “I don’t think I can, Rush.” She stops and turns my head, the force almost as gentle as it is firm. She holds my head still. “Forget what happened between us, I mean. And I’m not just talking about the photo.”

Her gaze finds mine in the mirror.

“So…” I venture carefully. “You’re not…offended by my dick pic?” I lick my lips. “Or that I kissed you the other night?”

She purses her lips and shakes her head. “No. But I have to be honest with you too. I’m not…” She shakes her head. “I don’t know how to navigate something like this.”

“Navigate what?”

“These…feelings. It’s like ever since Brett and I broke up, everything is just?—”

“Yeah…I know the feeling,” I admit.

She clips some more of my hair, softly.

“That’s kind of theotherreason I’m here,” I tell her. “I heard through the family grapevine that Brett got called out on some last-minute cancellation for some show, and he’s…gone. Going to be out for a few days.”

She stops cutting my hair, and I see her entire body stiffen in the reflection.

“A few days…”

“Yes,” I say. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I thought…”

Here goes nothing.

“I thought maybe we could head over there…you know, after this, and grab your stuff. That way you don’t have to see him and?—”