Homerun (Pro-U Book 4) by Ali Parker

took her hand and pulled it toward my lips, kissing her knuckles a few times. "We're family, Layla. I'm here for you, okay?"
    "Yeah. I'm glad." She squeezed my hand and walked back down the hall.
    I glanced down at my erection and rolled my eyes. "Really, right now?"
    By the time she walked back into the kitchen, I had breakfast on the table and was just starting to pour us a cup of coffee.
    "I didn't know you cooked." She took her mug from me and walked to the table.
    "I didn't know I did either." I laughed and sat down, trying hard not to stare at her like I wanted to drag her back to my cave and make her scream my name. "I watched my mom and dad cook a lot growing up." I shrugged. "I guess some part of those memories helped me learn how to cook."
    "Maybe so." She took a sip of her coffee and let out a long sigh as she sunk down into her chair and gave me a sweet smile.
    "I'm sorry I blew up at you last night. I got scared in the middle of all of that, and I just let my emotions get the best of me. I shouldn't have done that." I shook my head, honestly feeling like shit for brow-beating her in the middle of her almost getting physically hit by her father.
    "No. It's okay." She reached for a piece of bacon.
    "I haven't really told anyone what's going on, because honestly, it's embarrassing. I know I should call the cops, but my father would lose his job and my mother has nothing. He'd go to jail and she would be out on the streets."
    "She could come stay here with us, Lay. There are lots of other options. Us doing nothing isn't the only one."
    "Us?" She smiled and took another sip of her coffee.
    "You know how I feel about you. You're my sister’s best friend. I've cared about you since we were kids. Kinda hard not to, you know." I hated the shyness that swept through me, but it was Layla. My dream girl.
    "I know the feeling all too well." She sat up and reached for the plate of eggs. "Let's change the subject. I'll think things through and we'll figure it out, but I need to let it go for now. I'd stay in my room crying all day if I let myself think about how bad it's gotten for too long."
    "I get that. Let's talk about how you're going to single-handedly save my college career and help me pass Chemistry this year." I gave her a boyish smile. It had to be the same as batting my eyelashes, or so I hoped.
    Her eyebrows lifted as she glanced up. "Oh am I? I almost like the sound of this."
    "Good. I think it's a great ego booster for anyone who can pull off this nearly impossible feat." I grabbed a piece of toast and started to butter it. "You think you're up for the challenge?"
    "Hmmmm..." She put her finger over her lips. "What exactly do I get if you pass?"
    "The joy of knowing that you helped me graduate college on time? The accolades of our family and friends for being a hometown hero?" I was reaching.
    "Not enough." She shrugged and took a bite of her bacon.
    "All right... what do you want then?"
    "I don't want to cook, but I will clean."
    "Easy enough. I've obviously got this cooking thing down." I wagged my eyebrows, quite proud of myself.
    "And for every test you pass, I want a date." She leaned back in her chair and pinned me with a sexy smile.
    It took me a few seconds to process her words, but for some reason, I couldn't comprehend their full meaning.
    "Like, you want me to set you up on a date with someone?" Angst rolled around in my stomach. There was no way in hell I was setting up Layla with anyone I knew. She belonged to me, or should have by then.
    "No, silly." She shook her head. "Never mind."
    "No. Tell me what you mean. You wanna go on a date with me?" I forced myself not to cringe. Why the hell would she want to go on a date with me? I'd been after her our whole lives and nothing... not even a kiss other than New Year’s, which was when it was expected.
    "Seth and I broke up awhile back, and I miss going out." She shrugged as her aggression bled out and something softer took its place. I loved both sides