Excerpt from #BLUR

copyright Cambria Hebert, DO NOT distribute, share or repost.

Arrow

Caught in the middle. That was me right now.
I didn’t much care for it.
“I do,” I told Jace. Then with a sigh, I turned toward Hopper.
“I’ll ah, go. Give you guys some room.”
“I don’t want you to go.” I said instantly.
Behind me, I heard Lorhaven’s indrawn breath.
Hopper’s light eyes widened.
“Maybe just give us a few?” I asked, hoping he would understand. I didn’t want him to feel like I was choosing.
But, I also wanted to smooth things out with my brother without the pair of them snarling at each other every other word.
Hopper’s eyes bounced between mine. Then, he relented. “Sure.” He produced the keys to his Audi from his pocket. “I’ll go sit in my car. Handle a few calls I needed to make.”
I followed him to the door, and when he stepped through I followed. Instantly my nipples hardened against the frigid air.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Hopper bitched. “It’s below freezing out here.”
“You’re not leaving are you?” I asked, feeling stupid and vulnerable.
“Leave you here with that asshole? No way.”
“He’s not that bad.” I scoffed. I reached up to wipe at the blood still on his lip.
Our eyes connected. “You’re close to him.” He stated.
I nodded, rubbed my thumb over the prickly, yet soft stubble lining his jaw.
“You got between us though, went up against him.” He shifted a little closer, his body blocked the coldest of the wind.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Do you regret it?” he asked. Was that vulnerability in his voice now?
“I’d do it again.”
The icy quality to his eyes warmed, he leaned closer, palmed the back of my head and pressed his lips to my hairline. My eyes closed. Affection was not something I was used too, I took it straight to my heart because I didn’t know where else to put it.
“Go back inside, your sack is gonna freeze.” With every word he spoke, his lips brushed over my forehead.
I grinned.
Hopper pulled away, a half smile tugged his lips. He gestured toward the door with his chin. “I’ll still be here when you’re done talking.”
When I was at the door he called to me.
“Hey A?”
I glanced around.
“Put on a shirt would you? You’re driving me crazy.”