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Aard silence followed as they each ca could be done on this particular horse and it was time to lay it to rest

“Okay, good Now, since it’s cold as frick outside and the roads are too dangerous, let’s bunk up and get through the night,” Erik said

“Your sister probably needs an ice pack or soh as if he hated to be helpful in this regard because he was still holding a grudge, and gestured to Alexis’s swollen ankle “How about I grab soements”

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him not to worry about it, that she could tend to her own injuries, but Layton had already split Maybe he needed ice for his nuts, too

It was then that she realized her brother addled in a blanket like a Scottish laird

“Why are you wearing a quilt?” Alexis asked

“?Cause I’her

Ah Yeah, good idea Therapy for getting an eyeful of her brother’s junk was not in her budget But wait ato her friend

“Wait, did you clirossed out for E, but, e, Erik was like a big brother to Emma, too He used to torment Emma just as enthusiastically as he’d tormented Alexis He’d been an equal-opportunity torturer

“Yeah,” Erik admitted, and color climbed Emma’s cheeks Was Emma embarrassed because she’d seen Erik in his birthday suit or, worse, because she’d liked what she’d seen? Ugh The very idea Alexis couldn’t handle it

“Well, how come you didn’t scream?”

“I rarely scream,” Emma said, as if that made perfect sense

“Well, if a big bozo sat on you, you would,” Alexis countered, not quite buying Emma’s explanation

But there wasn’t ti of frozen broccoli wrapped in a dish towel “Here I’m happy to take the couch,” he said

“And I’ll give you your bed back and sleep with Alexis,” E here when you—”

“I told you to,’ Alexis interrupted, still thinking about Emma’s reaction “He was at work”