"Ah, at last, so you are the beautiful Valerie who Martin talks about all the time. I can see why now," he said in a warm soft tone, as his eyes raked slowly over me. His appealing smile on his handsome face captivated me, and he instantly had my undivided attention.
Flattery will get you everywhere, I thought, staring openly at Flynn in front of my family. I kind of froze on the spot. It was suddenly way too hot in the room. I knew my parents and brothers were all watching me, but I stood speechless. Flushed and self-conscious, I was horrified at how frumpy I must have looked in my sweats. When I looked up at his face, I saw a perfect mouth, attached to a perfect face, on the most perfect-looking guy I'd ever seen. Perfect was the only word to describe him. No one had prepared me for the extent of this man's hotness.
As soon as we made eye contact, the genuinely soft smile he gave me instantly melted my heart. I was toast. Flynn's piercing green eyes were almost the same color as mine, but his were hypnotizing. All it had taken was one smile and our eyes connecting, for a current of electricity to create havoc within my body. My heartbeat soared, and I almost fainted with the heady feeling of instant attraction toward him. In a nano-second, I had developed a huge crush on Flynn, and I hadn't even spoken to him.
"I'm Valerie. Flynn, is it? Nice to make your acquaintance," I said in return and cringed inside at my less-than-sophisticated response. I sounded like someone from a historical romance movie, set in the deep South. I was almost sixteen, but my answer sounded like something a sixty-year-old woman would say while chatting with someone in the doctor's office.
He reached out his hand, and I slipped mine into it. Flynn's long, warm fingers curled around my hand and he squeezed it gently. I couldn't tear my eyes off him. Goosebumps crept over my body as the full effect of meeting him, and now touching him, sank in.
The guy should have come with a warning label. I almost drooled as my unblinking eyes remained locked with his. Mentally, a little fantasy took hold, and I imagined my hands running eagerly over his smooth cotton t-shirt.
Only Buster barking at the kitchen back door brought me back to reality, and I remembered my parents and siblings were still in the room. Luckily, they had begun talking about everyday things like football and stage sets, and something else I missed because I hadn't been paying attention. I pulled my hand back and sat heavily on the chair, still buzzing from his touch.
Try as I might, I was off my game after that. I stared at him again, drinking him in, while my brothers chatted unaware and tore each other up about things that had happened since the last time we'd all been together. Normally, I'd have been just as rowdy, but I found myself tongue-tied by the guy with the dark brown hair, athletic build, and mysterious smile, who was observing my brothers cut each other up. I couldn't stop watching him watching them with a twinkle of amusement in his gorgeous dark-green eyes.
"Earth to Valerie. Can you hear me?" Adam was waving a hand in front of my face, and I felt myself being drawn back into their conversation. I'd only heard background noise, and I had no clue what they'd been talking about. My mind had eloped with the hot new friend of Martin's somewhere along the line.
"Sorry, Adam. What did you say? I was wondering how Auntie Joan was coping on her own," I said, and prayed God wouldn't strike me dead for lying. Adam nudged my shoulder and smirked.
"I was just telling Flynn you play a mean tune on the guitar."
"I'm not playing the guitar, Adam," I said dryly, indignant that he should even mention that in front of our new guest. My parents used to make me sing and play for the neighbors sometimes, or at family cookouts. Kayden was a kickass drummer, and Martin sang a bit as well, but I was regarded as the musical talent in the family.
"Jeez, Val, I wasn't asking you to sing, just telling Flynn here you have something in common with him."
"I do?" Good grief, I really hadn't been listening.
"Have you been listening to anything we've been talking about?"
I must have looked like a complete airhead. I hadn't joined in any conversation. I glanced over at Flynn, who was obviously enjoying how distracted I was. His intent stare was fixed on me, and the twinkle in his eye was brighter as his grin grew even bigger. He looked relaxed with every one of my brothers, but he hadn't said much to me since our introduction. I was certain anything he said would have registered with me if he had.
As the evening wore on, Adam's friend Jim arrived. He and Adam left to prepare for the game. Kayden had already spoken to Martin, and when I'd found out he and Flynn were going to the game with us, I'd gotten a little flustered. I'd planned to go with Kayden dressed as I was, but there was no way I was going out with my hair looking like I'd been dragged through the bushes and then treated with a humidifier, with Flynn there.
I excused myself and ran upstairs. At lightning speed, I straightened my hair until it hung down my back, looking sleek and glossy. I applied mascara and the tiniest amount of blush. The final touch was some lip gloss after I'd changed my entire outfit. Twice. I knew it was pointless. I was too young, and he'd never notice me in any romantic sense, but I'd never met a guy who'd had such an impact on me.
I pulled on some black skinny jeans and a dark, ruby-red top, and grabbed a black sweater, because it always got chilly sitting in the bleachers. Martin knocked on my door just as I was tying my sneakers.
"We're heading out. Are you ready?"
I stood and flicked my hair behind my shoulders with both hands. "Yup, was just making myself look human again."
"Hmm, let's hope it's the opposing team's attention you attract and not our players, Val. You're gorgeous. I always worry about the effect you have on guys."
I smirked at Martin. "You're only saying that because everyone says I look like you, aren't you?"
Martin chuckled and nodded at my chest. "Val, if I looked like you, I think I'd have even more friends than I could handle."
I swatted his arm and strode past him.
"Martin, I'm your sister. That's inappropriate."
Martin chuckled and caught up with me, throwing his arm around my shoulder.
"I know. I'm just annoying you so that you'll scowl at anyone who looks at you when we get to the stadium."
Flynn was downstairs when we went back to find him and Kayden.
Kayden smiled and picked up his car keys from the bowl on the console table behind the sofa. "Ready? I'll just go warm up Susie."
Raising his eyebrow, I could see Flynn was puzzled. "It's his car, Flynn. Susie's his car."
Flynn chuckled. "Cool, I was wondering if it was pay-per-view."
I didn't know how to react to Flynn's suggestive joke, and Martin smacked Flynn upside his head. "Sister," he growled.
Flynn shook his head, smirked, then raked his eyes the length of me. "Goodness, Valerie. I didn't realize we were supposed to dress up for this. You look beautiful."
Martin chuckled. "Flynn, trust me. You'll may never get used to how our little Beatnik looks. Us Darsin boys spend most our time shooting menacing looks at anyone who comes within thirty feet of her."
"Glad I'm on the right team then, Marty. I'll have to remember that."
"Hello. When you're both done trying to get a rise out of me, are we going to see my brother demolish this other team or not?"
Martin smiled mischievously and shook his head. Then he spun me toward the door by the shoulders, and we headed out to join Kayden in the car.
Opening the back door for me, Martin ushered me to climb in first. I thought he would get in beside me, but he opened the front passenger door and got in there instead. Kayden and Martin struck up a conversation about Dad's workshop as Flynn slid in beside me in the back seat. His hand brushed the side of my thigh absentmindedly, while his other hand closed the door. My heart pounded with excitement at the thought of us sitting together in the back.
"Oh, sorry." He chuckled and grinned as he moved his hand away and straightened his jacket from behind him. He tugged on the seat belt and reached down to fasten it before he looked up, straight into my eyes.
I'd been staring at his head the whole time. He raised an eyebrow, smiled slowly, and pulled his bottom lip into his mouth. I blushed because he'd caught me watching him, and the sexy way he was chewing his lip. Every muscle in my body tightened, and I tried to control my heart as it hammered in my chest. He never made anything of it and stared ahead of him, listening to Martin and Kayden talking.
Once I settled from my reaction, I tried to relax into the seat. I drifted off into my thoughts about how handsome he was. My body sat limply as I looked out of the window, marveling at Flynn's closeness. Kayden suddenly took a sharp turn, and I was instantly hurled toward Flynn, flopping heavily into his side. My face brushed the side of his head as his strong hand reached out to steady me. He twisted to face me and for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me.
"Whoa, Val. No need to throw yourself at me, babe. You've already got my attention." Then he gave me a panty-melting smile. His mouth was so close to mine I'd felt his breath on my face when he'd spoken.
Heat rushed through me as I considered his flirtatious comment. There was no doubt about it, my initial assumption had been correct; I had an instant crush on Flynn. I stared at him a bit too long and saw a fleeting discomfort in his eyes when they darted back to the front seat, and Martin.
My brother's head snapped around in our direction, and from the startled look on his face, he'd noticed Flynn's comment had made me blush. I remained silent, not really knowing how to react. Fortunately, we were distracted as Kayden pulled into the stadium parking lot. Martin climbed out of his seat and closed the door. Kayden got out and opened my door while Flynn slid out of the car on the other side. Martin grabbed Flynn by the shoulder and pulled him back. I don't think I was supposed to hear him, but I had.
"Dude. She's my little sister, remember? I told you she's not like the girls you've been around. Stop fucking hitting on her. Last guy who did couldn't walk for a couple of days after Kayden kicked him in the balls. Valeries pretty innocent and has only ever had one boyfriend. You'd do well to remember what I said before we got here," Martin said through gritted teeth, warning him. The anger in his voice was primal.
Kayden walked toward them, chuckled, but reinforced Martin's warning. "Val's quite special to us, Flynn. Don't go pissing us off. Otherwise, your beautiful friendship with Martin will end as abruptly as it started."