Free Love Brewing (Love Brothers #3) by Liz Crowe Page A

side
    of his neck, she blinked.
    “No,” she said, quietly at first. “No,” she repeated,
    stronger as she stood, clutching her elbows. “You don’t get to have me
    anymore.”
    He sat, propped up in the space she’d just vacated, using
    the same puppy-dog eyes she’d seen way too many times. It steeled her resolve.
    She helped him to his feet without another word. When he leaned into her as she
    knew he would—Dom was nothing if not predictable when he wanted to get laid—she
    slapped him so hard her shoulder ached.
    He yelped and glowered at her. “Hey, whatever happened to
    not smacking a man when he’s down?”
    Diana shoved the small tendril of guilt under a huge pile of
    righteous indignation. “Get the fuck out. Bunk in the barn if you must. You can
    stay a couple more nights. After that, Jen and Dale are gonna boot you out.
    Lord knows there are a blue million breweries now. Go find a new one.”
    He opened his mouth. But she spoke, because if he did, Diana
    honestly did not know what she might do. She pressed his chest with her
    fingertip.
    “Two nights, Love. Then you move along. The barn’s getting
    some kind of stupid remake anyway. My brother-in-law’s determined to make my
    Daddy’s farm into some kinda come see the hillbillies in their natural habitat
    freakshow. Or something.” She propped on the wall opposite him, so exhausted
    she could hardly move. “Besides.” She glowered at him. “Aren’t you gay now?”
    He frowned and crossed his arms. “I think the term you’re
    reaching for is bi . I won’t ever stop loving these.” His hand shot
    across the space between them and cupped her breast, bare under the tank top
    she’d fallen asleep in earlier. “I was just messing with….” he gulped, telling
    her another story entirely, one that did not square with his words. “Him.”
    “Get your fuckin’ paws off me.”
    “With pleasure.” He gave her nipple a quick pinch then
    stomped away, turning when he got to the bathroom door. “I was a real bad guy
    to you, Diana, more than once. I want you to know that I’m truly sorry. I
    appreciate you letting me hide out. I’ll be gone tomorrow.” The sound of shower
    water hitting the tiles filled her ears.
    Diana dropped to the step, willing him back, willing him
    gone, willing her own weak self to get a life so she didn’t want him
    back in it so badly. “Bastard,” she muttered. “Mother-fucking, cheating jerk!”
    She screamed before running upstairs and falling face-down onto her bed.

Chapter Eight
     
     
    Then
    “Dom!” Diana called from the open car window, waving him
    over. He barreled up and down the outdoor basketball court, getting harder and
    harder to see in the growing twilight. “Hey! Let’s go!” She slapped the car
    door, trying to get his attention.
    “Hang on,” he shouted after a few minutes. “Almost done.” He
    took the pass and headed the other way, maneuvering through the opposing team
    and executing a perfect lay-up.
    She glanced down at her arm, which still stung like crazy.
    She’d been having a devil of a time hiding the strip-mall tattoo from her
    parents. Jen had agreed to help her keep it a secret, but only after a serious
    blackmailing guilt trip about the young man in question.
    Diana slid down in the seat with her book for English class.
    Dom’s almost done with a basketball game always translated to thirty
    minutes minimum . She grabbed a hard candy from the container between the
    seats and popped it into her mouth, getting lost in To Kill A Mockingbird .
    When it got too dark to see, she switched on the dome light and grabbed another
    candy, content to wait him out. Her chores were done for the day. She and Dom
    were supposed to go to a movie. After glancing at the car’s clock and figuring
    that unless he got in the car in two seconds they’d never make it, she sighed
    and resumed reading.
    “Hey, isn’t that Dominic Love?” A female voice floated in
    her passenger’s side