Guilty Pleasures by Deborah Fletcher Mello

Author:Deborah Fletcher Mello [Fletcher Mello, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2016-02-05T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

For weeks Sarai and Alexander had been inseparable. They were tied at the hip, with work the only time that the two found themselves apart. The duo had fallen into an easy routine with each other, and it all felt good. Hiking had become their second-favorite pastime. Sarai had fallen in love with the natural waterfalls that spanned the area and the trails that took them past the spectacular water sights. She’d been excited to drag him to the annual Colorado Shakespeare festival, and despite his reservations, he’d actually enjoyed the theater production of Othello. She motivated him to do and experience things he’d never considered before.

He and his brother had also fallen into a comfortable routine with each other. Fully focused on his training, Zachary barely missed her presence when he’d find his way home to fall into his bed. Alexander had put him on a strict regime, and he was so intent on following it to the letter that he didn’t have time to focus on anything, or anyone, else.

Alexander let himself into his brother’s home, calling out the man’s name. He found Zachary slumbering heavily on the living-room sofa. He snored loudly, a low rumble of air echoing around the room. Staring down at him, Alexander couldn’t help but smile. Zachary was working hard, and everything had improved since he had shown up on his doorstep. Knowing how hard his brother was working, he almost hated having to wake him from his deep sleep. Almost. He swatted a pillow at his twin’s head, smacking him in the face—hard.

Zachary jumped, his eyes wide. “What the . . . ?”

Alexander laughed. “Wake up. It’s just me.”

His twin shot him a look through narrowed eyes, not at all amused. He stretched his body upward and yawned. “What time is it?”

“Time to get a good run in before we head to the gym.”

“Why didn’t you just call me?”

Alexander shrugged. “Does it matter?”

Zachary yawned again. “I guess not.” He looked around the room. “Where’s Sarai?”

“My place. She was still sleeping when I left.”

“Lucky girl. I wish I was still asleep.”

“Sarai’s not in training. Now get up,” Alexander said, casting a glance down to his wristwatch. “We’re already thirty minutes behind schedule.”

Zachary nodded. He eased his legs off the side of the sofa and sat up. Rising from his seat, he moved to the bathroom to wash his face and rinse his mouth.

Alexander wandered through the house as he waited. The space was oversized and lavish, but it felt cold, nothing about it feeling like a home. The last weeks had found Sarai at his home more than not. He had convinced her to move her stuff, giving her a key and unfettered access to every aspect of his life. He sensed that with her gone, the house was now just a house and little more.

Standing in the doorway of Sarai’s room, he saw that the space no longer showed any evidence of her previous presence. Zachary seemed to read his brother’s mind as he came out of his own bedroom, pulling a long-sleeved cotton T-shirt over his head.

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