Back to Me without you (Sibling Love Book 1) (16 page)

“I guess I don’t need to ask if you had fun,” Jessica called out to him.

Ten minutes later, Steven descended the stairs after having changed into his work clothes. He sat down on the lounge next to Abby.

Abby peeled her eyes away from her computer screen to make eye contact with her brother who was lacing up the black boots he wore to work.

“What?” Steven asked without looking up.

“So how was your night?” Abby asked.

“You know how my night was. You were there.”

“We weren’t present for your entire night. Where did you go?” Jessica asked.

“Out to dinner.” His answers were short and straightforward.

“Where did you go after dinner? Where did you sleep last night?” Jessica probed him for more details. She had a nasty habit of not knowing when to quit.

“Do you want me to tell you more? I recall getting chewed out by you two last night for telling you more than you wanted to know. So which is it?” Jess and Abby looked at each other with raised brows. “It’s none of your business anyway,” Steven grumbled. “I had a lot of fun. That’s all I am going to tell you.” He stood up; his backpack strapped over one shoulder as he headed out the door and left for work.

Abby retreated to her laptop as Jessica watched her with an intensity that was distracting. “You know he makes a good point.” Abby heard her sister make a popping sound with her mouth for emphasis.

“Steven? What point did he make?” She peered at Jessica over the top of her glasses.

“I’m talking about the fact that he’s having fun.” Jessica sat up, crossing her legs underneath her. “Okay, so he doesn’t have a girlfriend. And he’s not in a relationship. But at least he’s getting out there. Are you doing the same?”

Gulp.

“I am.” It wasn’t the truth, but Abby hoped her sister believed her.

“Are you?” Jessica narrowed her eyes.

Abby straightened defensively. She was getting out there. She had fun. She just didn’t have as much fun as Steven. Unlike Steven, she wanted more than just mindless sex.

Jess didn’t wait for her to respond and blurted, “I know someone who would be perfect for you.”

Uh-oh! Abby could see where this was going. “Jess, I don’t need you to play matchmaker. I can find my dates, you know.”

“You’re not doing a good job of it.”

Jessica’s comment got her a stare and a playful whack on the leg by Abby.

Jessica raised her hands in the air. “Sorry. Don’t shoot me. It’s just my opinion. Please hear me out? Then you can decide if you want to take me up on my offer.”

“Um, okay,” Abby hesitated for a moment. Did she want to hear what her sister had to say?

Abby got that Jessica was just looking out for her, but she and Abby had completely different tastes in men. Abby wasn’t afraid to admit she liked her men a little rough around the edges compared to Jessica.

The men Abby tended to be attracted to sported tattoos and piercings. They weren’t exactly the clean-cut types you brought home to meet your family. Maybe that was why Abby was now having such a hard time meeting Mr Right. Her taste in men made finding the right one an almost impossible task.

Jessica’s face lit up like all her Christmases were coming at once. “Okay, so his name is Levi, and he’s in one of my lectures at the university. He’s a sweet guy. He’s not my type because I love Justin, but I think you’d hit it off with him.”

Abby scoffed. “How desperate do you think I am? How old is he? I don’t want to be one of those women who date men a lot younger than them.”

“They’re called cougars, Abby, and he’s older than me but not that much younger than you if you want to be particular. He’s 27. Please? If you want, Justin and I can come along too, like a double date. It will be fun.”

A double date? And a blind one at that? The prospect didn’t thrill Abby, but Jessica was so excited to be playing matchmaker. “I suppose. If it makes you happy then I’ll go out with Levi on one date—” Abby showed one finger, emphasising her words. “But there will be no double date. I’m a big girl. I think I can handle a blind date alone. Tell me what he looks like and I’m good to go.”

Jessica jumped off the chair, squealing, and came around the back of the lounge where Abby was sitting, draping her arms around Abby’s shoulders and giving her a hug.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m so happy that you said yes because you’re going out with him next Saturday.”

And just like that, Jessica had once again wiggled her way into organising Abby’s life whether Abby liked it or not. When she left the room, Abby returned her focus back to the computer screen. She just hoped the night didn’t turn out to be a bust or worse—the best night of her life.

That scared the shit out of her even more.

One week later, it was date night. Abby had been a ball of nerves all week.

She didn’t know why she was so antsy. There had been other times in her life when she should have been a hell of a lot more nervous than tonight. Meeting her book editor and publicist was one of them and attending her first book signing was another. But neither of those made her as nervy as she was now. Those had been frightening moments for Abby, but she was in her element when she was talking about her books. When she was on a date, she had no control of what was going to happen.

Of course, she went out, but she didn’t date as much as some women did. If she was out with a friend and there was a guy there who enjoyed her company, it would turn into a couple of drinks with each other. That was it. Only a handful of those nights eventuated into going out on a real date. And nothing had come from those times other than casual sex. It was why she’d become pretty disillusioned with the whole dating scene.

As she sat alone at a restaurant near the harbour and waited for Levi to show, she found herself anticipating the worst. Maybe he wouldn’t turn up at all, or worse, make awkward small talk and then come up with an excuse to cut out early. She knew she was negative and insecure, but she couldn’t help it.

Questions kept plaguing her mind. Why did it seem men didn’t like her beyond a one-night stand? Did she have bad breath? Was she a bad kisser? Was she just a good fuck, but an undatable person?

“So we have got to stop running into each other like this.”

The voice was familiar and almost sexy. Abby knew that voice. When she turned around on the stool she was sitting on, she found Sam smiling at her. His eyes were as blue as the sky. Those eyes had haunted her dreams lately, but of course, she would never admit to dreaming about the gorgeous doctor.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Abby calmed herself and flashed her most confident smile. “I’m on a date. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

“A date?” Sam scanned the room. “So where is he? Did you scare him off already?”

“Very funny. He hasn’t arrived yet.”

Sam grew serious. “Hey, you know I didn’t mean that. You look fantastic. He’ll take one look at you and think how lucky he is to be going out with you.”

Abby wasn’t expecting the compliment, but she was grateful for it. When Jessica had insisted on the black mesh insert shorts and spaghetti strap top, Abby wasn’t sure. But maybe Jessica was right in saying she could pull the look off well because of her toned and tanned legs. She’d left her long hair down and tousled.

She gave Sam a smile and felt her cheeks warm. “Thank you.”

Out of the blue, Sam pulled a card from his pocket and slipped it into her hand. His hand was warm to touch. He leaned in and whispered into her ear, “My card if you need to use me as an excuse.”

His voice was as warm and smooth as his touch on her skin. It was almost like silk. Then he departed, his words lingering through her head as she watched him walk away. His card was still in her hands, her fingers grazing each word on the card as she read his official title.

Dr Sam Collins. PhD. Harvard University.

Impressive. Much more so than the card she handed out at book signings and conventions: Abby Carter. Contemporary Romance Bestselling Author. It wasn’t a competition, but if it were then Sam would win by leaps and bounds.

Another voice sounded behind her. This time, it wasn’t Sam.

Abby turned around to face a man a little taller than her, though not as tall and sturdy as Sam, still good looking with his dark hair cut into a buzz cut and piercing blue eyes.

“Abby?” He extended his hand out towards her and Abby took it. His voice was pleasant, but not as smooth and sexy as Sam’s.

Fuck! Why was she comparing her date to Sam? What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she get the handsome doctor out of her head? It was like she was obsessing over him, and she didn’t like it one bit.

Abby nodded her head and smiled. “I am, and you must be Levi.”

“Yes. Jessica has told me a lot about you.”

“I hope all good things.”

“Of course! She told me how you live in New York City now and that you’re a writer. That’s cool!”

Abby made a mental note to thank her sister later for praising her as a writer. She wasn’t aware if her brother and sister had even read her books, let alone told other people about them. Of course, Jessica was always raving on the phone about how proud she was that her big sister was following her dreams as an author. But she got the impression that Jessica only had a rough idea of what her books were about. She didn’t like to read as often as Abby did.

“You know,” continued Levi, “to be completely honest, I wasn’t sure about going out with you tonight. Jessica is stunning, so I was sure good looks run in the family. I was a little intimidated by that. But Jessica made it out like we would get along. And I don’t know how to say no to her. She’s persuasive.”

“Well, Jessica is right that we’d get along because we already do have something in common. We both have a problem in saying no to my sister.”

Levi laughed. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Then Abby said something she never expected to say first.

“Should we go on our date?” she asked him. She caught the way his body relaxed when she made it clear she was okay with continuing with the evening.

“Let’s go,” Levi said, offering her his arm. She linked arms with him, and they walked towards the dining area of the restaurant.

A
n hour into the date, Abby was bored out of her mind as she sat across from Levi. He was chowing down on his meal while he talked all about how he hadn’t been out with someone in four months, since his break up with his girlfriend.

No one liked to hear about the ex on a first date, but Abby didn’t have the heart to tell Levi what she was thinking.

“I’m boring you aren’t I?”

His question took Abby by surprise. It was like he read her mind. She was a little embarrassed and hoping she hadn’t given off clear negative signals.

“I’m sorry?” Abby blinked.

“I am.” Levi frowned, looking down at the table. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? I’m usually much better at dates. You don’t want to hear me harping on about my ex-girlfriend.”

Abby reached across the table, taking his hand in hers. There was no warm, tingly feeling there when their skin came into contact with each other.

Nada. Nothing. Zilch.

Abby wasn’t surprised, though. She didn’t expect to feel something for Levi. Not when her thoughts were on someone, she shouldn’t and didn’t want to be thinking about.