Free Tender Kisses by Sheryl Lister Page B

to leave sixteen-year-old Brandon in charge while she went to meet her friends and arriving home to find flashing red lights and paramedics tending to a bloodied and unconscious Malcolm, to her parents’ concerned and questioning gazes and Siobhan’s own rising guilt. She was the oldest, and her parents had trusted her to take care of her siblings.
    Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. She had let her parents down that day, and she promised herself that it would never happen again. Of course, they hadn’t blamed her, but had Siobhan been there watching her eleven-year-old baby brother, he might not have got that gash along his hairline that required twelve stitches, or the concussion.
    After that incident, she’d turned to her books, graduating high school and college at the top of her class while working summers at the family company. She rarely hung out with her friends and worked hard to make her family, especially her parents, proud. She’d slipped up with Arthur, and having fun had cost her thousands of dollars, not to mention almost costing her the coveted PR director’s position.
    Now there was Justin. Siobhan didn’t believe in repeating the same mistakes, but he made her feel different and she enjoyed being with him. Still, she wasn’t sure she should allow him to get too close.

Chapter 7
    S iobhan woke up Sunday morning feeling out of sorts and exhausted from tossing and turning all night. She’d fallen asleep thinking about Justin and his sweet kisses, and they were the first things on her mind when she woke up. Maybe a good workout would help excise him from her brain—Morgan swore exercising helped reduce stress—except her brother’s gym was closed on Sundays. She could always go for a jog, but the thought of running brought a deep frown to her face. She settled on a cup of chamomile tea and some soft jazz out on her small patio.
    Two hours later, she gave up all hope of relaxing and called her brother, who agreed to meet her at the gym.
    Khalil unlocked the door to let Siobhan in, then locked it behind her. He kissed her cheek.
    â€œThanks for coming in. I hope it didn’t interfere with any of your weekend plans,” she said.
    â€œNo. You know I like to wake up in my own bed, alone .”
    She shook her head and followed him to the elliptical trainers. All of her brothers loved women, but Khalil was the worst of the bunch. Women had been falling over the former model since his teenage days, but he had never been serious about one.
    He leaned against the machine next to the one she climbed on and folded his arms. “Okay, sis. What’s got you so tense that you’re calling me to open the gym on a Sunday morning? Brandon said you’d be in next week.”
    Not wanting him to know the real reason for her anxiety, she said, “I’ve been working a lot of hours and getting ready for the launch of the new mattress. This is my first big project since taking over as PR director, and it’s got me a little stressed, that’s all.” She set the program and started with easy strides.
    Khalil flashed a dimpled smile. “Siobhan, you can write press releases and shut down publicity nightmares in your sleep, so I’ll ask again—what’s going on?”
    Siobhan kept up her pace and rolled her eyes. “Why do you think something is going on?”
    â€œFor starters, you’ve never asked me to open the gym on a Sunday for an hour workout, and Brandon mentioned some new guy you were seeing.”
    Some days she wished she didn’t have brothers. “Khalil, I can’t work out if you’re going to keep talking to me,” she huffed.
    He eyed her a moment longer, straightened, then sauntered toward the other side of the gym. “When you’re done with your warm-up, come on over to the bench press,” he called over his shoulder.
    Two minutes in, and Siobhan’s legs were already burning.