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talking about a website business deal, a totally foreign subject to me. All I could hear was, “ blah blah blah.”
    Bentley got up to leave once everyone was finished eating and I followed him into the breezeway. I wanted to talk to him without Trey breathing down my neck, or trying to eavesdrop.
    “Thank you for staying with me,” I said shyly.
    “The pleasure was all mine. That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages, what there was of it Thank you for letting me stay,” he replied with a big smile on his face.
    “I’m heading up to my parents until tomorrow. Maybe we can do something when I get back?” Realizing that might have been a bit presumptuous, I added, “Don’t worry about answering me now. Just e-mail me.” I wanted to leave the ball in his court, while letting him know where my head was.
    He bent down and kissed me as passionately as he had the previous night. The chemistry was undeniable. We said our goodbyes and he was gone.
    He walked down the hall and I turned to go face my brother.

    The drive from my downtown apartment to my parents’ house in Cambridge was barely fifteen minutes, but it seemed to take forever in the tense company of my overprotective big brother. I had to try to set the record straight before we got to my parents’. I didn’t want him to spread the word to my other brothers.
    “Trey, it’s not what you think at all. It was just late and I didn’t want him walking back across town at four in the morning. We’re just friends .” I braced myself for the fight I knew was coming.
    “I believe you, Scrappy. I just... I know him and it was... strange. I overreacted. I’m sorry.” Even though I had my suspicions, his words caught me off guard. He knows him? I think I would much rather they be strangers. The only consolation was that maybe I could use my brother’s knowledge to get to know the man who was still very much a mystery to me.
    “You know him?” I asked.
    “Look Charlotte, he’s bad news. He’s not a good guy and he’s definitely not the type of man I want to see you get involved with. I want better for my little sister.” He was lecturing me.
    “The strangest thing is that he was still there this morning,” Trey continued. “He’s usually more of the ‘bang and bounce’ type.”
    “We did not have sex! I’m not that kind of girl,” I shrieked. I crossed my arms tightly across my chest, livid with my brother for implying I was nothing more than some bar bimbo looking for a good time. Not only that, but the thought of my brother talking about me having sex made me want to vomit.
    “That’s not what I meant Charlotte. Bentley has a reputation for kicking girls out after he’s done with them. He’s not the cuddling type and you guys looked pretty cuddly this morning.”
    “Well that’s all that happened... cuddling. That’s it. Please don’t tell Jon and Christian,” I begged. I didn’t want to be at my parents’ house to begin with. The last thing I needed was to catch shit from all my brothers over this.
    “Your secret is safe with me... for now ,” Trey promised. Judging by the look in his eyes, I knew it would only be a matter of time before he told them. He was giving me the opportunity to tell everyone on my own, but I didn’t want to tell anyone anything yet. He didn’t understand that I had no idea where this thing between Bentley and me was going and there was nothing to tell until I did.
    I didn’t want to over-think anything. We hadn’t been apart long but Bentley hadn’t emailed me to take me up on my offer to see him again, so I could only wonder if he regretted last night.
    I planned to spend my day the same way I did every time my parents planned one of these large picnics for all their yuppie friends; by hiding as much as possible and trying to survive the day. I kept looking at my phone waiting for the e-mail I hoped would come. Nothing showed up. I was starting to believe what my brother had said, asking