Page 409 of His Virgin Romance Series

SETH

It was strange seeing Brie in the flesh after six years of absence. I could recognize the young girl that she had once been, but I could also see the woman she was now.

She had that tousled, fresh-off-the-plane look, but it did nothing to detract from her appearance. She had the kind of old-world beauty that couldn’t be hidden. Her blonde hair had been tied into an untidy topknot, from which loose strands trailed around her face and down her neck. Her blue eyes were lighter than I remembered, and it put me in mind of the ocean just after sunrise.

I calculated in my head and realized that she was around twenty-four now. It didn’t matter, I told myself firmly. She was still Jason’s sister.

“It’s been a long time,” Brie said.

I smiled and leaned in for a hug. I thought she returned the hug stiffly, but that might have just been my imagination. When I pulled back, I tried not to get sidetracked by the intensity of her blue eyes.

“It has been a long time,” I nodded. “Too long.”

Alani cleared her throat, and I realized she was still in the room. “I’ll just wait outside,” she said, with a knowing smile. She shut the door behind her, leaving Brie and me alone together.

I gestured towards one of the chairs opposite my desk. “Come, sit down,” I said. “You must be exhausted after the flight.”

Brie followed me to the desk, and I noticed that she was preoccupied with the view as she sat down. “I am,” she replied. “I had been hoping to head straight to my room and get in a couple of hours of sleep first.”

“I’m sorry, I should have thought of that,” I said. “But I just…had to welcome you to Hawaii.”

Brie smiled, and I was struck again by how much she had changed. There was a new confidence about her that hadn’t existed before. There was more maturity in her features, which lent itself to her beauty. She really did look like a modern-day Grace Kelly.

“Have you had anything to drink?” I asked. “I can get some refreshments up here.”

“No need,” she said quickly. “Your staff already saw to it. I met Ben downstairs.”

“Ben,” I nodded. “I expected him to bring you up to meet me.”

“There was an emergency he needed to sort out,” I told him.

“Thank God for Ben,” I said. “I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

We fell quiet for a moment, and in that silence, Brie’s eyes met mine. She was looking at me with a curious expression, and I couldn’t help searching her face. It felt as though there was an unspoken conversation that needed to be had, sitting between us and distracting us both.

“Thank you for the plane ticket, Seth,” Brie said at last, breaking the silence. “I haven’t traveled first class in quite some time.”

“You’re most welcome,” I replied. “How was the helicopter ride here?”

“Fabulous,” she said, and her eyes lit up. “It was amazing experiencing Hawaii from that vantage point. This island is breathtaking.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I nodded.

“Seth…” She looked at me awkwardly.

“Yes?”

“Are you sure I can’t pay for this trip?” she asked. “I feel bad staying here for free.”

“Nonsense,” I said immediately. “I want to do this.”

“You wanted to do this for Jason,” she pointed out. “I’m not Jason.”

I was surprised to find that I was annoyed at the mention of Jason. He was just another reminder that Brie was off limits to me. Then again, I reasoned that I needed reminders to keep me in check, especially if Brie was going to be around for the next few weeks.

“You’re a lot prettier than he is,” I joked, brushing off my initial annoyance. “Which means you’re more deserving.”

She smirked at me. “This was very generous of you,” she said. “And, I want you to know how much I appreciate it. So does Jason.”

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