Chapter 10

Holy fuck. My heart is about to burst through my ribcage with the way it’s hammering in my chest. I sink back against the leather seat of the car with the scent of her in my nose and only the faintest taste of her on my lips from when they brushed her skin. Fuck me, I want more. So much fucking more.

And I know she wanted more too. I could tell from her blown-out pupils, how her breathing grew heavier whenever I got close to her, and the way her body instinctively leaned into mine. But now my cock is hard, and I’m left with nothing but the memory of her to keep me warm tonight. I’ve never had any problems getting women into my bed, and this feeling is both unusual and unwelcome.

I pull out my cell phone and tap out a text.

You fancy a nightcap?

Elijah replies within seconds.

How was the date?

Meet me at the bar and I’ll tell you

Amber’s sleeping.

I sigh.

I didn’t invite Amber

I stare at the three dots, waiting for his response.

I’ll meet you there in half an hour. Is Mase coming too?

He’s on a date with that underwear model and I can guarantee his night will have a happy ending. Unlike mine

Well, I would have said that about you before tonight.

I can picture the grin on my brother’s face and roll my eyes.

I’ll see you at the bar

Already two glasses of Scotch in, I slide Elijah’s drink across the table to him when he arrives. He takes a sip and eyes me over the rim of his glass. “So?”

“It was okay.” I shrug. “Less painful than expected.”

“Wow.” He purses his lips and nods. “I see nothing but happiness in your future then.”

Ignoring his sarcasm, I take a swig of my Scotch and savor the rich, smoky liquid burning my throat. “Well, we don’t marry for love, right?”

Elijah snorts. “It sure didn’t work for me.” He downs his drink and signals the waitress for another.

“Anyway, I’m being unfair. As a date, it was good.” Pausing, I stare into the bottom of my glass. “More fun than I’ve had at dinner with a woman for as long as I can remember.”

“So why the long face?”

I shake my head and blow out a breath. “As a rule, the fun part of my dates usually begins after the dinner and conversation.” At least that was the case until recently.

“Oh.” Elijah laughs. “So you’re pissed because she didn’t let you fuck her?”

“No, buddy. I’m pissed because I wanted to fuck her. I went into this tonight thinking it would just be dinner, and she surprised the hell out of me.”

“So she’s going to make you wait a while, horndog. Is that so bad? And isn’t it a good thing that you want to fuck the woman you’re going to marry in a few weeks?”

“I really don’t know, Elijah. Being attracted to her makes the whole arrangement way more complicated.”

He frowns at me. “Or easier if you’re going to have kids with her.”

“I dunno.” He might be right, but all the things I’m feeling right now are making me think I’ve bitten off more than I anticipated. “Anyway, she was different tonight.”

Our waitress brings us each a fresh drink, and Elijah thanks her and slips her a twenty for her service. With a sweet smile, she flutters her eyelashes at him, but his attention remains on me. “Different how?”

“She was quiet today in the boardroom. Reserved even. Then tonight she was fun. Flirty. Feisty as fuck.” A smile tugs at the corner of my lips at the memory.

“Maybe alcohol loosens her inhibitions?” he suggests.

“Obviously not enough.” I snort, the buzz from the whisky finally taking the edge off my frustration, and he laughs at my crass joke. “But anyway, it wasn’t that. She had a glass of champagne and two glasses of wine over the course of three hours. It was more like she acted differently around her brother. I think there’s something weird going on between them.”

His lip curls in disgust. “Eww, bro!” He lets a bit of his old frat-boy self slip out past his usual reserved-CEO facade.

I give him a light punch on the arm. “Not that sort of weird, you pervert.” He snickers, but the troubled look in his eyes makes me realize what a bad brother I’ve been lately. “How are things with Amber?”

He shakes his head, avoiding my gaze. His only response is a heavy sigh, and he takes another gulp of his Scotch. After a long pause, he lifts his head again. His eyes glisten with tears when they meet mine, and my heart breaks a little for him. I remember when he and Amber met in college, and although she never seemed right for him as far as I could see, I also recall how happy they were. But they haven’t been anything close to happy for a long time now.

“I don’t know how to fix it, Nathan. Every time I try, it seems to push her further away.”

I give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“So, maybe Dad was right about not marrying for love, huh?” He downs the last of his Scotch.

“So what you’re saying is I should count my lucky stars that I’ll never fall in love with my wife”—I sip my drink—“but the fact that her sass, not to mention her fine-as-hell ass, makes me as hard as iron is a major plus?”

Chuckling, Elijah raises his empty glass in a toast. “You’ve got it made, brother.”