Page 26 of Starry Skies, Stolen Kisses, and My Best Friend's Brother

I lean against his desk, touching his arm with my hip.I cross my arms and stare down at him.

“You’re mad at me.”I have no idea what I did.Maybe he thought about what a deeper relationship with me means and decided I wasn’t worth it.That’s what Rick did.Maybe Seth just came to that conclusion before taking things too far.

He shakes his head but won’t look at me.On his screen is a spreadsheet with a bunch of numbers that make no sense to me.

I reach over and place my hand on his chin, his stubble pricking my fingers, forcing him to look at me.“Seth.Talk to me.”

His eyes roam up and down my body, and he scoots away.“You’re positively indecent.”

I snort.“Have you been watchingPride and Prejudice?”Then I realize I’m wearing what I sleep in.A tight tank top with no bra and very short shorts.

He sighs and runs a hand along his face.He meets my eyes, and for the first time I realize it isn’t anger there, but sadness.He’s not mad at me at all.I read this whole situation wrong.Something happened while I was dancing with Abi.

He leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees.“You have always been mymei mei, my little sister.When you were in college, things shifted a bit, and we became friends.Maybe even best friends.I call you before I call anyone else.But I still thought of you as my sister.”

I don’t like where this conversation is going.I cross my arms and debate just running out of here so I don’t have to face the coming rejection.

“But then I saw you in person, and from the second I laid eyes on you, I knew I’d never think of you that way again.You are a woman.Gorgeous in every way, and my feelings toward you changed in an instant.And it was more than sexual attraction.You held that silly sign that said you want to have my babies, and my first thought was, ‘Sign me up.’We can have as many babies as you want.Then, when you sat in the car next to me, I knew you felt the spark too.But of course I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.When we started working together, I saw you in yet another light.You’re such an incredible woman.You make me want things I didn’t even know I wanted.”

He stands up and shuts the door, and I swear the temperature in the room rises ten degrees.He drags his chair closer.For a second, his hands hover next to my hips, but he drops them.

“I want so badly to touch you.To run my fingers along that sliver of skin between your shirt and pants.To kiss that spot where your neck meets your shoulder.To hold you in my arms and never let you go.I want you.All of you.”

My mouth goes dry.I don’t know what I was expecting when I came in here tonight, but it wasn’t this.

I lean down so I’m looking him in the eyes.“So take it.I’m yours.Because newsflash, I feel the same way.”

A sad smile crosses his face.“I know.”He scootches back and glowers, but not at me.“But we can’t do anything about it.”

“Why not?I don’t understand.You’re my best friend.There’s no reason not to pursue this.Last I checked, we’re both consenting adults.”Part of me is a little hurt.I can’t figure out why he would do this.

Seth’s face twists.“Because at the party tonight, your dad cornered me.”

I laugh.He’s always scared the boys a little, but I can handle him.He’s harmless.“Don’t worry about him.He’s always been overprotective, and he’ll get used to it.”

Seth hesitates for a moment and grabs my hand.He rubs his thumbs along my palm.I don’t know why he’s making such a big deal about this.I don’t care what my dad thinks.

“No.You don’t understand.Your dad is the only barrier between us and Green Bank.They want his land.”

I already knew that.But my dad tells them to go to hell every time they come knocking.

“He wouldn’t sell out because you and I had a relationship.Now, if you break my heart, he might, but he’s not that dumb.Todd is his very best friend.Plus, he loves that place.”Which is true.He loves it even though it’s falling apart, and he doesn’t have the money to fix it up.I love it even more than he does.I can’t believe he’d consider selling out.

“Fathers do strange things to protect their daughters.He knows we’ve been friends for a long time, and he sees the chemistry between us like everyone else.He says your happiness is too important to him, and he thinks I’ll run off and break your heart.He made it very clear that, if I even think about crossing that line, he’ll sell out, and we’ll be done for.He was emphatic.I cannot risk my family’s livelihood.I’m sorry.”

Dread pools in my stomach, and I pull back.I can’t believe my dad would stoop that far.And I have no idea what my dad has against Seth.

“So we can’t even be friends?”

“I’m not letting you go.We’ll still work together and maintain our friendship.Eventually, we’ll work something out, but for now, we need to keep things platonic.After the summer, you can go to D.C., and I’ll head out to India.Once my project is over, I’ll come to D.C., and we’ll see how things go without your dad interfering.It’s not long if you really think about it.Though, now that everything’s out in the open, I don’t know how I’ll handle being in the same room with you and not want to kiss you senseless.”

I snort.“The feeling is mutual.Let me talk to my dad.We might still be able to make this work.”My second thoughts over going to India are growing stronger, but we can talk about that later.Plus, it seems like he’s settling in, so maybe he’ll decide not to go.

Seth reaches out and grabs my hand again.“I can’t risk the resort, Mae.It means too much to the people I love.I have to protect them.”

After everything that Todd has done for my dad, I can’t believe he’d be this ridiculous.They’re practically brothers, and he’d go and betray Todd because of a possible romance between me and Seth.I swallow my anger because I don’t want Seth to see it, but Dad and I are going to have words about this.I will not let him ruin this resort.

“This place has been my second home, and I can’t believe he’d do this.Let me talk to him.That’s it.Then we’ll see.”I head for the door.Nothing more will happen tonight, and I need to wrap my head around all of this.

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