literature like we do, Zach,â Emily said with a huff of irritation.
âYeah, Zach here got all the brains in the family,â Nate said, not at all insulted. In fact, he grinned. âIâm just a dumb shmuck.â
Zach frowned. âYouâre not dumb, youâreââ
âEmily isnât interested in my problems,â Nate cut in. âMomâs waiting for us at home. Letâs stock up and get going.â
The two picked out a variety of cookies and several brownies. Emily bagged the treats while she pondered what had just happened. Some kind of message had been passed between the brothers. Like Nate didnât want Zach to reveal something he shouldnât.
She rang up the order and handed the bag to Nate. Zach snatched it up and filched a cookie.
âDinner, Zach,â Nate said, cuffing his brother in the arm for emphasis.
The teenager rolled his eyes as he stuffed a second cookie in his mouth. âLike I wonât eat at home, too.â
âRight,â Nate said with an ironic sigh. Then he aimed a stern glance at Emily. âKeep away from those torches.â
âI doubt Jessie will let me touch anything flammable again.â Meanwhile, Emily would probably have to put ice on her cheeks to douse the heat.
Nate laughed outright. âNot a bad idea.â
âIâm usually pretty coordinated. You make meââ She gulped and zipped her lips.
His stilled. âI make you what?â
Emily shook her head. No way could she answer with anything resembling the truth. Talk about a disastrous mistake.
Another long, heated look sizzled across the counter, and then Nate hustled his brother out of the shop. Emily didnât breathe again until the door shut behind them.
Remember, Em, you have a goal , and he is not part of it.
****
Nate burst through the door of Jessie â s Treats and hurried up the sidewalk toward the car. He needed to put some distance between himself and the caramel-haired Calamity Jane inside. His heart still threatened to erupt out of his chest like the alien tearing through that guyâs stomach. Emily claimed heâd moved fast, but in his mind time had slipped into slow motion. His only thought had been to stop the flames from eating into her skin.
Then, like an idiot, heâd pulled her into his arms. Man, what a dumb move. He could still feel the imprint of her pressed against his chest. Her scent, a combination of cinnamon and some kind of berry-scented shampoo, assaulted his senses every time he breathed. He should never have touched her.
âBro, are we running for a reason?â
Nate skidded to a halt. âHuh?â
âAre we late?â Zach asked.
âSorry, I was thinking of something else,â he said, forcing himself to take a deep breath and calm down.
The kid grinned. âIâll bet. Sheâs hot, man.â
âWho?â
If possible Zachâs grin spread wider. âAre you kidding? E.J. Sinclair. Like you didnât notice. Sheâs little, but everythingâs packaged just right.â
He scowled. âYou shouldnât talk about women like that. Itâs disrespectful.â
âIâm just saying,â Zach said with careless shrug. âAre you gonna do something about it?â
âAbout what?â
Zach sent him a come-on glare. âAbout Emily Sinclair? About you looking like you were ready toââ
âHey!â
The kidâs eyes widened. ââkiss her. Man, whatâd you think I was gonna say?â
âNothing,â Nate mumbled. âCome on. We need to go home and fix dinner.â
Zach laughed. âSo, more than kissing then? Do we need to have a talk?â
Nate jabbed a finger in his brotherâs face, but he couldnât come up with a good response. Thankfully, theyâd reached the car. âJust get in.â
Of course, Zach didnât let the subject drop. As soon as Nate had backed out