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  The living room was empty when I reappeared, but Emma had dumped her stuff near the kitchen and I presumed she was getting more things from the car.

  I opened the door to the spare room and groaned. There was a queen-sized bed, but it was covered with stuff. I made quick work of clearing it so I could wash the sheets. I’d had a few parties and who knows what happened in here. I pulled them off and dragged them down the hallway to see Emma standing in the living room with a box.

  My eyes slid down her sexy body.

  “I’m going to wash these. Let’s get the stuff from your car and bring it up. Then I’ll tackle the room.”

  I could see how uncomfortable she was and I smiled at her. “I’ll take you to dinner to welcome you. We can stop by the grocery store on the way home.” She bit her lip. I knew that she hated being an inconvenience. “Emma, this is my bad. I forgot but it won’t be that hard to fix.”

  I went to the washing machine in the hallway and turned on the hot water before dumping the sheets inside.

  “Let’s get the rest of your things.”

  We walked out together and I spotted the old blue car. Inside were a couple of suitcases and a couple more boxes. I was glad I didn’t have a lot of furniture in the spare room.

  “You still have this car?” I asked.

  She wrinkled her nose and nodded. “It runs fine and I’d prefer not to have a payment until I have a decent job.”

  I pulled open the back door and took out a suitcase. Emma grabbed its handle and start to pull the luggage to my downstairs apartment. I made quick work of getting the other one and bringing it in before we both came out to get the rest from the car.

  I eyed the stuff taking up space in my tiny apartment and pushed away the thought that I was irritated. Greg would have my ass if I turned Emma away.

  I told her that I was going to clean the room. I acknowledged I was a slob as I made it all fit and went back into the room to get it ready for her.

  CHAPTER 3

  EMMA

  I put down my phone on the arm of the couch and thought back over the morning.

  Being greeted by Jackson wrapped only in a small towel was funny, but it reminded me he had a hot body and that I still had some feelings for him. Feelings that I had tried to forget over the years he’d been away. He was hot as hell now and I felt every bit the teenager I was.

  My eyes had roved over his muscled form in the doorway and I had tried hard not to giggle. I couldn’t help but look over his chiseled torso as he ran a hand through his hair, saying something under his breath.

  When he’d said that he was going to get dressed, I almost told him not to.

  Jackson was one of the most arrogant guys in school when I knew him before. He and Greg practically ran the place, making me glad I went to high school on my own most of the years that I was there. I still lived in my brother’s shadow, but I was a completely different person than him.

  I was the shy, studious type. People would mention him to me, but I just lived my life differently than he did. I was surprised Greg chose working with numbers for a living after playing football for a few years.

  I stood up and grabbed a bottle of water from the nearly empty fridge. I guess Jackson ate out a lot. I remembered his offer to take me to dinner and then go shopping. I smiled as I realized that he was trying to make up for the fact that he forgot I was coming today.

  I heard him down the hall and wandered down there to see if he needed any help. I looked through the open door to see a bed and dresser inside the modestly sized bedroom.

  Jackson gave me a wry smile. “Hey, I think that we can toss the sheets into the dryer and have this put together for you pretty quickly. What do you think?”

  “It’s fine,” I assured him. “Thanks again for this.”

  “It’s no problem. I can show you around and get you used to Nashville until you find something else.”

  I wondered if he was looking forward to living alone again already as I watched him stuff some things into a duffel bag. I moved so he could get by. This apartment was going to feel small quickly.

  “Why don’t we get your stuff in your new bedroom now.”

  I started with my suitcase. I set it on the bed and started to unpack, as I felt someone watching me. I glanced up to see Jackson watching me as I held a couple of bras in my hand. I blushed immediately.

  “Will this work for you, Em? We can get anything else that you need while we’re out.”

  “It’ll do. I am just going to get some stuff unpacked and I’ll be out in a while,” I assured him.

  He nodded and turned to go to the living room.

  I had called my mom while Jackson was clearing out the room to tell her I made it safely, assuring her that he was expecting me, and everything was ready. She sounded relieved. I ended the call quickly as I felt bad about the white lie, but I didn’t want to worry them.

  I called Willow next and she answered quickly.

  “Long time, no chat! So, how was your ride?”

  “It was good. Unfortunately, Jackson wasn’t ready for me when I arrived,” I kept my voice low as I spoke, hanging up some shirts.

  “What did you do?”

  “I offered to get a hotel, but Jackson refused.”

  “Seriously, Em?”

  “He did fix everything up pretty fast for me.”

  “How is the room? How is the apartment?”

  “I thought it would be a little nicer. I mean, it’s fine, but kind of small. Older than I expected. I should just be grateful that I have a place to stay for now until I can find something else.” I hated to sound ungrateful and pushed the doubt about staying here away. “This is temporary, and he only agreed because Greg forced him to.”

  “Jackson grew up with you. By the way, is he as hot as he looks in his pictures?”

  “Oh my God, he answered the door in a towel,” I said quietly. “As I said, he wasn’t expecting me.”

  “Ha, that’s what you think? Did you see anything good?”

  “Kinda, but I can’t think of him that way! He was shocked and obviously not ready for me. He got dressed right away and helped me bring my stuff into the place. It isn’t like that.”

  “If it were me staying there, it would be. What a chance you have.”

  “I’m like a little sister,” I said as I reached for another shirt. “Jackson is so out of my league to begin with.”

  “I don’t know. We’re all out of high school now. He has to have matured, right?” Willow said.

  I sighed.

  “I’m just here to go to school and break away a little bit. I don’t need to complicate anything so quickly. I need to prove that I can handle being on my own.”

  I thought about that goal, reminding myself that I was going to be a junior in college.

  “You’re living with a pro football player, Em. That’s everything.” She was silent for a moment. “I already miss you.”

  “I miss you, too. I can’t believe we can’t just pop over and hang out. I’m worried about making friends,” I confessed.

  “Everything will be fine. You’ll probably be hanging out with fellow engineers in no time.”

  “I guess I’ll see what happens if I get a job before school starts. If not, I’m sure to get to know someone at school.”

  Suddenly, being away from Chattanooga seemed scary. I only knew one person here, and I was just an annoying little sister to him. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

  “You are in Nashville, Em. Do you know how many celebs live there and how much fun you can have?” Willow said.

  She was right. I giggled.

  “I’m sure Jackson has friends who you’ll end up meeting. It’ll be okay. If not, I’ll come visit.”

  “Me or him?” I teased.

  “You, silly. If he offers to introduce you to some of the other players, go for it. They can take you all over Nashville and it would be a great way to start your new life there.”

  Willow was full of in
sane ideas that I’d never consider. I was just the quiet girl in the corner. Willow was the one who changed any room that she walked into.

  After we ended the call, I sat on the bed. Of course I noticed how hot Jackson was, but I didn’t have a chance.

  He was a pro football player and when he was in high school, he was a player in the other sense of the word, too. I could only imagine how it was now that he was a big deal.

  I stuffed the suitcase into the bottom of the closet. I took out the picture that Willow had given me only yesterday, which seemed now a world away, and found a nail in the wall above my new dresser. I could make this work even though it was strange.

  There was a knock.

  “Yup?”

  Jackson poked his head in with a smile. “It looks lived in now. Are you hungry?”

  “I am, yes. The drive and the unpacking has worked up an appetite,” I looked down at my clothes. “Do you mind if I take a shower before we go?”

  “Not at all. There are fresh towels in the bathroom in the hall. That one is yours so fill it up with your stuff if you want.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be out soon,” I said.

  He nodded and ducked out of my room. I grabbed fresh clothes and walked to the small bathroom. I started the hot water and step under the steady spray, grateful to wash away any grime.

  I stood there for a moment, amazed that I was in Nashville. Not only that, but I was using Jackson Cooper’s shower. I laughed as I squirted some body wash into my hand and closed my eyes.

  This was almost too surreal.

  CHAPTER 4

  JACKSON

  I waited for Emma in the living room, dressed in a clean pair of shorts and the same shirt from before. I liked wearing workout shorts around the apartment but there was always a chance of running into a fan. I might not be a star player on the team, but I was recognized sometimes.

  If I wasn’t, the mere mention of the team usually got me where I wanted to go.

  I heard her door close and Emma walked out, her hair hanging down her back, wearing a soft green dress and sandals. Her face was natural and beautiful. I never noticed that her brown eyes had hints of gold in them before.

  “Where are we going?” she asked on the way to the truck.

  “Well, I could take you anywhere in Nashville, but I had a little dive that I love to eat at. You up for hot chicken?”

  “Hot chicken?”

  “It beats the shit out of any chicken you can get back home. Trust me,” I said opening the passenger door of the truck for her as she slid in. She smelled like cherries and I felt a spark inside that I pushed away. Not good.

  I walked around to my side and we headed into Nashville. Emma’s eyes widened as we drove along the main strip. I felt the same way when I first moved here, and I grinned as I pointed out a few places.

  “I can’t believe I’m actually here,” Emma said softly.

  Hot Chicken Shack was a little hole in the wall with just a few tables. I grinned as I parked and hopped out as Emma opened her own door.

  I watched her get out, taking in her breasts and toned legs as she slipped her purse over her body. Fuck, she was sexy and off limits. Her brother was my best friend and would murder me for the thoughts I was having about her.

  I held the restaurant’s door open for her and we walked to the counter to order, with Emma choosing the mild chicken. I paid and headed over to my usual table in the corner. Emma looked around as she sipped her iced tea and I watched her closely.

  Why the fuck did I agree to let this woman live with me again?

  “Like it?” I asked as I thought back to the fried chicken her family used to always order in. This was going to wipe any memory of that.

  “It’s a total dive, but that’s not always a bad thing. I might be impressed.”

  I sensed some of the sarcasm that I remembered and grinned.

  “You’ll never think about Pip’s Chicken again. I guarantee it,” I teased.

  “That remains to be seen,” Emma replied loftily as she heard the clerk call out a number.

  I made a show of setting her plate in front of her. As I was sliding into my seat, she was looking at the chicken layered on the roll with pickles and raised an eyebrow as I leaned back. She lifted the sandwich to her full lips and took a bite. I grinned and raised my hands in the air as her eyes rolled back in her head as she chewed slowly.

  “Told ya!” I said as she swallowed and smiled.

  “It’s good. I’ll give you that.”

  “Are you Jackson Cooper?” a little voice asked.

  “I am. What’s your name, young man?” I asked the boy as he took the hat from his head that boasted my team’s name.

  “I’m A.J., sir,” He twirled the hat in his hand as he pressed his lips together nervously. “You’re my favorite player. Can you sign my hat for me?”

  “Sure thing, buddy.”

  I grabbed the offered hat as a woman rushed up.

  “I hope my son isn’t bothering you.”

  “No, not at all. I love kids.”

  I hurried to the counter and brought back a thick, black marker before I signed the bill of the cap with a flourish. I loved the attention from fans, but the kids touched my heart the most. They were impressionable and looked up to us as some kind of heroes.

  I didn’t mind the female fans either, but I preferred this situation with Emma present. I was sure she knew about my reputation since I hadn’t changed all that much from high school, but I didn’t want to flaunt that.

  I chatted with the boy and his appreciative mother for a few moments before she dragged her son away.

  I went back to my sandwich and took a big bite as Emma shook her head and laughed. “Here I thought the awkward boy from back home didn’t make it. I’m impressed.”

  “Oh, I made it and I am in no way awkward. I’ll bring you along to practice one day and show you what a big boy I am,” I shot back.

  She blushed and picked up her sandwich in a hurry. I smirked and was glad to get the last word with this one.

  I let my thoughts wander as I continued to eat, imagining things that I shouldn’t. Emma was an innocent girl when I was living in Chattanooga, but I wondered if that was the case now.

  My cock hardened as I forced those thoughts away. I reminded myself who the fuck she was and tried to focus on dinner as we ate in an awkward silence. I was pissed at myself for letting my attraction to Emma get the best of me because this was my best friend’s kid sister. She was off limits in ways that no other woman ever had been.

  CHAPTER 5

  EMMA

  It had been two days since I’d arrived, and my room was finally looking lived in. It made me feel slightly closer to home as I figured out Nashville.

  I missed home once I unpacked everything, but I would make do. Jackson was gone a lot with training and working out at the gym, I supposed, and I managed go into town a few times just to look around.

  I even ate at the chicken place on my own again though I’d never give Jackson the satisfaction of knowing that. I wandered the main street, looking at some of the famous buildings and feeling the vibe of the town. It made me wish that I was more musically inclined than I was, and I noticed some celebrities across the street.

  I called Willow as I wandered around. Before long, the conversation turned to Jackson.

  “He’s not there a lot. I guess he’s training or something,” I said as I leaned against the wall of a building and looked at the Ryman Auditorium with a smile.

  “I can just imagine him at practice with that team. You have to go get pictures!” Willow urged me.

  I laughed and remembered what he said about bringing me along.

  “Why? I am sure that Greg either called ahead and told them all to never talk to me or assigned Jackson that job. I don’t think I’ll be allowed to date while I’m here,” I sighed. “I guess it’s a good thing that I don’t date, isn’t it?”

  “You’re gorgeous, Em! Why do you think that you’re
not?” Willow chided me before she went silent. “I love your family, but they really sheltered you. They made you scared to go get what you want.”

  “Hey! I’m here going to college, aren’t I?” I defended myself. She laughed.

  “Yes, you are, and I am so proud of you. Don’t let college be the only thing that you own. Live a little!”

  I smiled. I knew she was right, but I just felt so uncertain most of the time. I told her that I missed and loved her as she said that she had to go.

  Willow was right. I could do this.

  I kept window shopping, not wanting to go home quite yet. I knew that I had to do some laundry, and that was the chore that I enjoyed the least. I grabbed a coffee at a cute little cafe before I went back to my car.

  I was reading a book on my phone at the cafe, just to kill time and looked up to see the singer of a band that Willow loved. I bit my lip as I took him in and subtly snapped a picture of him with my phone before sending it to her.

  There were a lot of gorgeous men here in Nashville. There was no doubt about that, but I found that one lingered in my mind more than any other and he was my off limits roommate, who was also my brother’s best friend. I sighed and sipped my drink.

  I shouldn’t be thinking about Jackson at all. I shouldn’t be thinking about his dark hair and sultry blue eyes, or his gorgeous body. I was a few steps away from seeing all of him the day I arrived, and I blushed at the memory. I also found myself smiling.

  I sighed and watched the singer for a bit as he met with some guys and a blonde who was obviously his girlfriend. I was going to like people watching here more than ever and I thought ahead to football games, wondering if I’d get tickets. They were probably different from the high school games I had once went to.

  I sighed, knowing that I had to get my clothes washed. I had a couple of days before school started, and I felt the need to get ready now, well in advance. I liked to be prepared and knew that it was a habit that drove people close to me insane at times.