I didn’t think that she could take the heartache when you moved on.”
“Well, thank you for not sugarcoating it,” he growled.
He ran his hand through his hair and wondered whether she thought that this was a temporary relationship. The word temporary clawed at his stomach, and he knew that their relationship was anything but.
Lucian was right. He’d never been serious about a woman in his life and it suited him fine, but the thought of not having her in his life made his heart stall in his chest. Despite the distance she’d placed between them, he had been acutely aware of her whenever she was near. His body would respond to her presence; her scent, her hair, everything about her drove him crazy despite the fact that he wouldn’t acknowledge the power she had over him. A smile from her would bring him to his knees, but he wouldn’t allow her to have that kind of power over him then. Now, though, was a different story.
He glanced up at Lucian’s short bark of laughter. The sight left him speechless because his friend wasn’t overly fond of expressing his emotions, but there he was, on the other side of the table, laughing at him.
“What?”
“You’ve fallen for her. Holy shit, you’ve fallen for my sister.” His laughter continued.
“Why is it so fucking funny?”
Lucian sobered when he realized how pissed he was.
“Are you serious about her?” Lucian asked.
“Fuck that, man. I would never hurt her.” He ran his hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture. He glanced at his friend and knew he had to tell him the truth. “I want her more than any other woman I’ve ever met.”
He’d never been in love before—hell, not even close—but knowledge of the truthfulness of Lucian’s statement had settled in his chest and he knew it wouldn’t be budged easily.
“I’d never thought I would see the day, that’s all, man. If it’s with my sister, then I’m happy for you.”
He blew out a breath that he’d been holding, and was relieved that Lucian didn’t have a problem with their relationship. He respected his friend’s opinion and was secretly worried that he would disapprove, but Lucian’s approval had lifted that guilt off his shoulders.
“Thanks,” he grumbled.
Both of their numbers were called, and after Lucian grabbed his bagel, he waited as Gabriel gathered his entire order. They walked toward the door in silence when Gabriel brought up a subject he’d been curious about since his first meeting with Bec in his office.
“Hey, why didn’t you invest in your sister’s business?”
Lucian shrugged and held the door open. When Gabriel exited and turned back to his friend, Lucian answered.
“She never asked.” And with that, he was gone.
He was alone with his thoughts and they went right back to her, lying in his bed, right where he wanted her to be.
After his conversation with Lucian, he knew that there was no going back to the friendship that had existed up until last night. Panic welled in his chest; he’d never found himself in a situation where he felt overwhelming possessiveness for a woman who had the power to destroy him.
He couldn’t let her know that, but he was afraid that he’d already demonstrated how far he was willing to go to see that she was taken care of. He had no idea where this was headed, but he knew that he couldn’t let her go.
His mind circled back to the fact that she liked him before he invested in her business. He knew that Lucian would have given her the money she needed for Liaison, but instead she’d come to him. Did that mean that she wanted to spend time with him? Or was there something more?
He was still deep in thought as he headed up to his loft. When she opened the door, giving him a smile that sent shafts of pleasure throughout his body, he almost forgot that his arms were full. All other thoughts fled his mind when his eyes traveled
“Well, thank you for not sugarcoating it,” he growled.
He ran his hand through his hair and wondered whether she thought that this was a temporary relationship. The word temporary clawed at his stomach, and he knew that their relationship was anything but.
Lucian was right. He’d never been serious about a woman in his life and it suited him fine, but the thought of not having her in his life made his heart stall in his chest. Despite the distance she’d placed between them, he had been acutely aware of her whenever she was near. His body would respond to her presence; her scent, her hair, everything about her drove him crazy despite the fact that he wouldn’t acknowledge the power she had over him. A smile from her would bring him to his knees, but he wouldn’t allow her to have that kind of power over him then. Now, though, was a different story.
He glanced up at Lucian’s short bark of laughter. The sight left him speechless because his friend wasn’t overly fond of expressing his emotions, but there he was, on the other side of the table, laughing at him.
“What?”
“You’ve fallen for her. Holy shit, you’ve fallen for my sister.” His laughter continued.
“Why is it so fucking funny?”
Lucian sobered when he realized how pissed he was.
“Are you serious about her?” Lucian asked.
“Fuck that, man. I would never hurt her.” He ran his hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture. He glanced at his friend and knew he had to tell him the truth. “I want her more than any other woman I’ve ever met.”
He’d never been in love before—hell, not even close—but knowledge of the truthfulness of Lucian’s statement had settled in his chest and he knew it wouldn’t be budged easily.
“I’d never thought I would see the day, that’s all, man. If it’s with my sister, then I’m happy for you.”
He blew out a breath that he’d been holding, and was relieved that Lucian didn’t have a problem with their relationship. He respected his friend’s opinion and was secretly worried that he would disapprove, but Lucian’s approval had lifted that guilt off his shoulders.
“Thanks,” he grumbled.
Both of their numbers were called, and after Lucian grabbed his bagel, he waited as Gabriel gathered his entire order. They walked toward the door in silence when Gabriel brought up a subject he’d been curious about since his first meeting with Bec in his office.
“Hey, why didn’t you invest in your sister’s business?”
Lucian shrugged and held the door open. When Gabriel exited and turned back to his friend, Lucian answered.
“She never asked.” And with that, he was gone.
He was alone with his thoughts and they went right back to her, lying in his bed, right where he wanted her to be.
After his conversation with Lucian, he knew that there was no going back to the friendship that had existed up until last night. Panic welled in his chest; he’d never found himself in a situation where he felt overwhelming possessiveness for a woman who had the power to destroy him.
He couldn’t let her know that, but he was afraid that he’d already demonstrated how far he was willing to go to see that she was taken care of. He had no idea where this was headed, but he knew that he couldn’t let her go.
His mind circled back to the fact that she liked him before he invested in her business. He knew that Lucian would have given her the money she needed for Liaison, but instead she’d come to him. Did that mean that she wanted to spend time with him? Or was there something more?
He was still deep in thought as he headed up to his loft. When she opened the door, giving him a smile that sent shafts of pleasure throughout his body, he almost forgot that his arms were full. All other thoughts fled his mind when his eyes traveled
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