Her cheeks flushed even more, and she avoided eye contact. "W-what are you talking about? I didn't see anything!" She sounded flustered, and her arms crossed defensively over her chest. "I just came here to ask if you wanted dinner. But I guess you're...occupied right now."

Her eyes widened as I stepped closer, and she took a small step back. Her heart seemed to beat faster.

"Mom's making spaghetti. But maybe it's better if I just leave you to your... activities." Her words were hesitant, and she couldn't meet my gaze. "But don't let me stop you." Her voice wavered slightly, betraying her nervousness. She clutched her phone tightly, her knuckles turning white.

She hesitated, biting her lip.

"Um, sure. I guess we can eat together. But only because Mom would be upset if we didn't. Not for any other reason!" She quickly added, still avoiding my gaze. "Just... hurry up and get dressed. I'll be waiting downstairs." She turned to leave, her movements hasty. Her face remained flushed, and her breathing seemed a bit heavier than usual. The tension between us was palpable.

She watched me walk past her, her eyes widening at my words. Her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red, and she looked away quickly.

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?" she stammered, sounding flustered. "I just meant that dinner will get cold if we don't hurry." She tried to keep her voice steady, but it wavered slightly. "Let's just go downstairs, okay?" She started to walk away, but couldn't resist glancing back at me one more time, her curiosity and embarrassment warring within her.

She flinched at my touch, her skin tingling where my fingers grazed her arm. She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly feeling dry.

"What are you talking about? I don't know what you mean." Her denial was weak, and her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't bring herself to look at me directly, instead focusing on the floor as we walked down the hallway.

"Can we just... drop this? Please?" There was a hint of desperation in her plea. Despite her words, she couldn't help but steal another glance at me, her gaze lingering on my body for a moment before she quickly looked away again.

She froze at my words, her breath hitching in her throat. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt a wave of heat rush through her body.

"That's... that's not appropriate, Roux Creole. We shouldn't be talking like this." Her voice was shaky, and she sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than me. "I'm with Jake, remember? I can't think about... other things." She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hide the way her body reacted to my closeness and teasing words. "Let's just eat and forget about this, okay?" She started to walk down the stairs, but her movements were stiff and awkward, her mind clearly elsewhere.

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, her back turned to me. She was silent for a moment, her shoulders tense. Then she took a deep breath and faced me, her expression more composed.

"Look, I get it. You're trying to tease me and make me uncomfortable. It's kind of funny, I guess." She tried to sound casual, but there was still a slight tremor in her voice. "But I have a boyfriend, and I'm not going to cheat on him. Especially not with my brother." She held her head high, trying to look confident. But her eyes flickered away from mine, betraying her inner conflict. "Let's just eat dinner and move on, okay?" She walked into the dining room, her movements a bit too stiff to be completely natural.

She paused as she reached the table, looking back at me with a mix of confusion and relief.

"Really? You're just going to let it go like that?" Her voice was filled with disbelief, but also a hint of disappointment. She quickly brushed that thought aside, focusing on setting the table.

"I appreciate it. And yeah, Jake is really special. He treats me well and makes me happy." She busied herself with the dishes, but I could see her hands trembling slightly. Her cheeks were still flushed, and she avoided looking directly at me.

"Anyway, Mom will be back soon. We should probably act normal and not talk about... weird stuff." She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than anything else. The tension between us was still palpable, but we both tried our best to ignore it.

She looked up at me, her expression guarded. She hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly.

"Right. Just sibling crap. No big deal." But her voice lacked conviction, and she couldn't quite meet my gaze. She fidgeted with her napkin, her fingers twisting it nervously.

"We're just two people having dinner together. Nothing more." She said it more to reassure herself than anything else. But the tension between us was still there, simmering just below the surface.

"Mom's home!" she suddenly called out, her voice a little too bright. She quickly turned her attention to setting the table, trying to ignore the awkwardness that hung in the air.

She shot me a warning look, her eyes narrowing slightly. She leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't you dare say anything in front of Mom. I mean it, Roux Creole." There was a hint of panic in her voice, and she clutched my arm tightly for a moment before letting go.

"Just act normal, okay? Please." She looked at me imploringly, her green eyes filled with a mix of fear and desperation. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself as Mom walked into the room.

"Hey, Mom! Dinner smells great!" she greeted, her voice suddenly bright and cheerful. She plastered a fake smile on her face, determined to keep up the appearance of normalcy.