city limits and I know my truck sucks ‘bout an eighth of a tank going to and from school. So I can only imagine how that Charger does.” Beau pointed out. “Great. I can hear it now if someone finds out. ‘Did you hear that they have to pay someone to date their sister?’ ” Marie pulled her legs up further underneath her brushing the edge of my hand with hers. Just that simple innocuous touch of skin made my heart race and my blood start to flow in my jeans. “Only the five of us wi ll know about this arrangement, sis.” Luke stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned on his elbows. Marie bit her lip again and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “So we’re not even going to tell Roxy? Jess, yes, I can understand leaving her out of the mix but Roxy should know.” “I’ll tell her tomorrow.” Luke assured her. Beau took out a notepad from his knapsack and started writing on it. “So far we have my stipulation, Charles’s and the no thing more than kissing unless it’s called for. I think we should also add that during this neither of you can date anyone else.” “How long is this going to last?” Marie asked cautiously. I frowned and scratched my arm. “I guess for as long as it’s needed.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “Fine, but I want a public breakup and I want to be the one to end it.” “What do you mean by public?” I raised my eyebrow at her and leaned back a bit. “Public as in out in the open with witnesses, if I have to pretend to be in a relationship that will stifle any that I might really want. I want to at least be able to say I ended it in front of people.” She shrugged before a small smirk twitched at her lips. I cl enched my jaw as my pride reared its head again. So she has a crush on me but doesn’t want to date me. I hissed out through my clenched teeth. “If it makes you feel better, pet. That’s fine.” “Thank you it does, Shug.” She faked smiling sweetly before a frown settled on her face. “So when is all of this going to start?” Beau looked over the paper in front of him with his reading glasses perched on his nose. “I say we start now. If you two can fool momma then you can fool the school. Now is there anything else someone wants to add?” He glanced up at each of us. We shook our heads no. He looked over at the wall clock and put the notebook back in his knapsack. “Good. It’s almost time to eat so why don’t we go wash up.” *****
Chapter Four
Marie met me outside of the small bathroom across from her dad’s study. She nervously clasped her hands in front of her and chewed on her bottom lip. She let out a deep breath and motioned for me to follow her. “My thoughts are to keep things simple in here, no elaborate lies or whatever.” I grabbed her shoulder to stop her from entering the room while rambling. “That’s fine, pet. Don’t worry about it.” She looked up at me through her lashes with banked anxiety lighting those golden orbs. “I can’t help it. I know momma’s not going to say anything in front of the boys so that’s not bothering me. It’s daddy I’m worried about.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the dining room. I forgot all about her father. When I met him yesterday I acknowledged that he was a tall fit man but I hadn’t really paid attention to just how fit… until now . He was an inch shorter than my 6’5” frame but broader. If I had to guess, I’d say he outweighed me by at least two stone of solid muscle. I swallowed my sudden nervousness and followed her into the room. The twins were already seated in the same chairs as yesterday. They both looked up when we entered the room. The shy one gave me a quick smile and turned back to his brother. The othe r one glared at me then gave me a smirk that would rival