Chapter 17

Keira was staying at Sally's in Elwood, but Pepper had booked us a room in one of the penthouse apartments in they city. It was kind of embarrassing when my big sister asked me where I wanted to be dropped so I said we should all go to her place first. I don't know if Pepper had been prepared for the whole family thing because she seemed somewhat uncomfortable in the back of Sally's Holden with Keira on the other side of me. It was probably the first time she had been in the back seat of a car without a leather interior that wasn't a taxi in a long time.

I carried hers and mine bags in and we dumped them on the floor. I was sorely tempted to ask if we could stay here as well, the place was nicer than I remembered, guess the new job was pretty good after all.

'Where's the fat man?' I asked her. I was referring of course, to her hubby, who had a solid beer gut although he was a handsome enough dude. We had never really gotten on all that well, it wasn't that either of us didn't like the other, or even that we didn't want to get along. We just as people didn't quite click.

'He's at work, something you two never seem to know anything about.' Sally snorted.

Pepper was just looking around her, her face was impassive, but I saw her gaze linger on Keira once or twice, was it jealousy? I suppose Pepper as probably used to being the hottest chick in the room, but the way Keira was looking now ... man this was one of those times I REALLY hated the fact that we were related. My sister glanced over at me and smiled sheepishly. She mouthed something to me that I didn't quite catch because sally stuck her head in between us.

'Nice to see you two lovers are still as perverted as always. Why don't you just get a room.' Sally said.

Pepper shot me a questioning look, as if to say, "Does she know?" I shook my head almost imperceptibly. Man, Sally would kill us if she ever found out. Keira's phone was buzzing again. 'Aren't you going to answer that?' I asked her.

Sally scoffed, 'ever since she got back everyone in Australia seems to want a piece of her, it's also been non-stop from the boys. They probably forgot what a hot little piece of ass she was while she was away, and single now too, I hear.'

Keira shrugged, 'half these people I didn't like that much before I left anyway. I think they will be happy to hear you're back now too. I showed them your photos and sent a few hearts fluttering.'

'Ahh, yeah.' I scratched my head.

'What, people actually like you here?' Pepper chuckled.

'Believe it or not, yes.' I sniffed. 'I was reasonably cool before I moved to the US and got shit from all the snooty people over there. Present snooty chick excluded ... oh wait, now I remember, you were one of the worst!'

Pepper almost smiled, but I think she was still trying to work out how to react to the new situation. She was greatly outnumbered by Michels. It was nice to be in the majority again though. Keira turned down her plans and we decided to spend a night in having a drink or fifty and catching up. I knew in the back of my mind Pepper wasn't really up for hanging with us like that, but I didn't expect what happened next.

We were in to our second round, and when I went to the fridge to get a top up, I turned around to find her gone. I came back in and saw Keira and Sally sitting at the table.

'Where did she go?' I asked.

'Pepper said she was tired and was going back to the hotel, to meet her later. She didn't want to bother you, actually it was kind of weird.' Sally observed.

'I see.' Yeah I should have gone after her, but blood is thicker than jizz, or something like that. My brother-in-law, Shane, came home next. I saw him do a quick double take on Keira before he caught himself and concentrated on his wife, then me.

'Hey, fag.' He said.

'What's up, knob jockey.' I answered, we shook hands and didn't say much more. He and Sal went in to the kitchen leaving me and Keira alone. She leant over and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

'I'm really happy you're here.' She whispered, 'but aren't you going after Pepper?'

'Pepper has been messing with me this whole trip, I thought at first it was a way for her to prove something to me, to herself. I think that's how it started ... but now I just feel like she is doing her best to drive me away.'

'That doesn't surprise me.' Keira said. 'Pepper is strong on her own, even with Ryan, it seems like she cared about him, but it was just convenient. With you ... well I can talk from personal experience when I say you're a heady drug.'

'You can talk, look at you! Did you get plastic surgery while I was away.'

Keira blushed crimson. 'No, silly, it's called growing up.'

'Aww, you look cute when you do that.' I tousled her soft hair.

Keira swatted my hand away. 'Dad keeps saying mum must have been screwing the milk man since I hardly look like him any more.'

'If only it were true.' I said, more than a little sadly.

'Tell me about it. I'd be fighting those two bitches to the death for you.' She said conspiratorially.

Sal came back in at that time and we automatically shifted a little further apart.

I got back to the hotel a little later and a little more drunk than I had planned. Pepper was sitting on the balcony smoking a cigarette, I couldn't remember ever seeing her do it. I sat next to her and smiled.

'You really are an asshole, you know.' she said softly.

I had been expecting something like that. 'Look, you knew we would see my family when I was here, what's the problem?'

'It's not that. It's Keira, Hunter.'

'What, you aren't happy she's here?'

'It's not that either, you dense dipshit. It's not fair.'

'Um, what isn't?' I didn't get it.

'That girl loves you so much it makes my heart hurt. She pines after you 24/7 and when you're around she doesn't see anyone else in the room. Do you really think it's fair to keep her hanging on like that when you're still moving along with your life? She's trapped by you, and unless you do something about it she will never move on.

Just look at her, for Christ's sake. She is one of the most beautiful people, inside and out, that I have ever seen and she's always single, or going back to that half arsed idiot Brian because no one seems to measure up to you.'

How was I supposed to tell Pepper that in a way, I felt the same? That out of everyone in the world, I just wanted Keira, but I knew I couldn't have her. Not really, anyway. 'I wish I knew what to do.'

'Just move to France then!' she snapped.

'Why?'

'It's legal to fuck your sister there, dumbass.'

'Oh.' I said.

Pepper shook her head and sighed, 'You really are trouble with a capital T. I'm going to bed.'

I slept on the couch, the whole night, even though there was a smoking sex bomb in my bed, I couldn't stop wondering if I should start learning French.

The net day I woke to find Pepper in the shower. I crept in behind her and slipped my arms around her waist. 'What do you want to do today? It's all about you.'