Scott and Ricky were standing around talking to Scott's dad about how he found a couple of available houses for Scott to look at. Scott barely listened as he noticed Katrina with her own share of admirers surrounding her. Damn, he couldn't get over her change. Who knew the mousy girl that use to ride on his front handlebars would turn out to be a knockout.
She looked up at him and smiled at him innocently. He nodded back in her direction, lifting his glass to her. She returned her attention to some guy handing her a glass of wine. This was very new for him to see her like this. He couldn't help but steal glances of her charming the group around her. Katrina has never really been a forward person, she was outspoken about things she was passionate about but never openly flirted. Scott turned back to the conversation and saw how Ricky stared at his sister. His jaw tightened as he watched the men laugh along with her.
"Excuse me, man." Ricky said walking over to them and Scott just shook his head. Some things would never change, he thought to himself.
"Is he ever going to let her grow up?" his dad asked.
"I don't know, but there were too many guys around her."
"Well, Miss Katrina has turned out to be a beautiful young woman," Scott nodded, "and single too." that's when he looked over to his dad.
"Are you trying to tell me something?" Scott asked, lifting his eyebrow.
"Nothing son, I just know a nice young lady when I see her. Besides I am the man that picked your mother."
"From what she told me, it was the other way around." Scott grinned.
"Very funny."
Ricky came over with Katrina, pouting with her arms folded over her chest, "Did I really look like I couldn't handle myself?" she asked.
"I don't care, I was making sure none of them tried anything."
"You really think they are going to with you and Ivory here? You are scary enough by yourself, Ricky." she said and the two men laughed as Ricky shook his head.
"I know what guys are thinking when they surround you like that." Ricky said.
"And what is that dear?" Kendra said, popping up at his side.
"They are thinking that she must be a very intellectual young lady, hey baby." Ricky said leaning down kissing her as everyone in the group laughed.
"You full of it Ricky." She replied pushing him away.
"Scott, what's been going on with you?" Katrina asked. For some reason her switching her attention to him, made him feel uncomfortable.
"The usual things: watching my back, working, and going to school" he said looking into his half empty glass.
"Has everything been okay?"
"Oh yea, you know I take care of myself." he said glancing at her.
"You know how my boy does it." Ricky said punching at Scott's arm.
"What about girlfriends?"
He sighed and looked up at her, "There is none." he would never admit it, but being so close to her, made him nervous. He tried looking uninterested in their conversation and her, but his body and mind was slowly betraying him. He pushed the thought from his mind and summed it up to him not getting laid in a long time.
"Really?" she said looking at him intrigued.
"Yea, I broke up with someone just before I went back on duty."
"What happened?" was anyone going to stop this Q & A portion?
"She couldn't take me being called away or some of the things that haunted me. She got selfish and cheated."
"Well, she didn't deserve you." Katrina added.
"I told him that when I first saw her, so where are you staying?" Kendra asked.
"Well, I was thinking of looking for a hotel around here."
"Nonsense man, you can stay with us." Ricky offered and Katrina looked at Kendra as if to say 'help me!'.
"Baby, we are going to be busy with our own stuff. I'm pretty sure Scott does not want to hear you screaming." Scott couldn't help to smile.
"I have a spare room." Scott blinked; he thought that came from Katrina.
"Oh yea, Kat just got this condo and it has two bedrooms. You can stay with her." Ricky declared and Katrina smiled as Scott suddenly regretted his friend's big mouth.
"No, I don't want to intrude on her."
"No, it's perfect; you can go and keep an eye out on her. There are some guys around her place I don't trust." Ricky said and Kendra hit his arm.
"Let your sister be a grown up."
"What? Scott doesn't mind. He always helped me watch over her before."
That was years and a D-cup ago, Scott thought. He was about to make another excuse when he realized something. There was no way that Katrina entertained any thoughts of him as being more than friends. He was starting to relax as he realized he was worried about nothing. When she was younger, her dream man was either Eddie Murphy or Johnny Gill, no way would she be interested in him. He sighed and smiled to himself feeling a weight being lifted off of him.
"Alright, why not?" he smiled, "We can pop popcorn, watch Thelma and Louise, and braid each other's hair," he mocked and she hit his arm as he laughed.
"You think you are so funny." Katrina didn't like this, at first she sensed his nervousness and his attraction to her, now he was doing the whole kid sister thing. She had to fix this quick.
After the party, Katrina took Scott back to her place. He continued with the buddy thing and frankly, it irritated her. She couldn't be outright and honest about her feelings with her brother watching. She battled with herself for years about Scott. She didn't want to ruin the friendship Scott had with Ricky, but her need for him took over.