Page 30 of Affinity

“He is the best.” She smiled weakly. “That’s why this is so hard. I hate that I disappointed him. If he hadn’t been about ready to go out on a job, I’m sure he would already be here sizing you up.”

“Again, I’m sorry.”

“Like you said, we didn’t know each other before we stupidly got drunk and fixed ourselves to each other's sides for the next year.” She gave a half-hearted shrug.

“Where’s your brother’s job?”

“In Virginia normally. He works with Catherine’s husband, Jackson, so who knows where he is right now? Somewhere on the other side of the world, probably doing something that will threaten his life.”

When she said her brother could kick my ass, I didn’t believe her, but now knowing he works for Jackson, I knew he could hand my ass to me. I was man enough to admit that to myself. Knowing that your only family was doing god knew what in a war-torn country couldn’t have been easy.

“Do you hear from him while he’s away?” I found myself asking. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to know more about her situation.

“Not until he’s back. The jobs are becoming less frequent, but sometimes they need his expertise, and he’s the only man for the job. I’m hoping he’ll move out here soon and start doing security for celebrities and government officials. Once he’s back in the States, Paul said he would come for a visit to see how I’m doing. I hope that’s alright with you.”

Who was I to deny her seeing her brother who had put his life on the line for our country? I wasn’t that big of an asshole–unless he wanted to move in.

“He’s welcome anytime.”

Abbi’s face lit up as if I’d just told her this had all just been a dream, and she could wake up and be back in her own hotel suite back in Vegas. “Great! Thanks,” she chirped. “I think I’m going to take the rest of my lunch inside and go work in my room.” She bit the inside of her cheek. “I haven’t been too productive today. I can’t have Catherine firing me before I ever make it into the office.”

There was no way Catherine was going to fire Abbi. If she wanted to, she would have already done it when we were glaring at each other in my hotel suite back in Vegas.

Before I could stop myself, I offered. “You don’t have to work in your room. The house is yours, too, and I have a perfectly good office that I rarely use.”

The way her big, brown eyes lit up had my heart beating a staccato in my chest, and making me feel things I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

What was she doing to me? It wouldn’t do either of us any favors if I started to open up to her, or even worse if I caught feelings for her. Our situation had an expiration date, one we’d both be better off to do our best to remember. I needed to keep to myself, and my cold, dead heart locked away from the bright-eyed, gorgeous woman who could easily wiggle her way in if I wasn’t careful.

Chapter Thirteen

Abbi

Sophie pulled her towel tighter around her as she caught sight of Jenner in the pool. His wet body glistened in the sunlight. Each drop of water amplified his golden physique and every ridge of his defined and lickable abs.

It should have been illegal for him to look that good when I couldn’t touch him. Greg had never gotten me so hot and bothered in all our time together. Every passing moment I spent with him, I contemplated his proposal about having sex with him for the next year. Then right before I was on the cusp of giving in, it was like a switch flipped, and he’d be a huge asshole.

“I thought he was going to be at work.” With the way she was eye-fucking him, it didn’t seem like it bothered her too much that he was here. It did bother me, though. I didn’t like her eyes all over him, just like every other woman in the world when they saw him. I wanted to be the only person who got to see him like this, even if he wasn’t mine.

“There was an accident on set, and everyone went home. That’s all I know. He wouldn’t say much about it. Right before you got here, I was in the kitchen making us some lunch and saw him out in the pool. I almost called you to tell you not to come over.”

“Why? It’s your house too.” Her reply was a little too loud.

I gave her big eyes and put my finger to my lips. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to hear us talking. He’d been short with me when he came home, and I didn’t want to anger him further.

Her unfiltered mouth was the reason I had thought about rescinding my invitation.

“It is, but when someone has a bad day, you try and make it better not—”

“You can always leave,” Jenner sounded off from behind Sophie.

How had he snuck up on us? He had literally been like twenty or thirty feet away from us.

Sophie twirled around in her spot, with her green eyes lasered in on him. “You have no idea what this woman has gone through, and she doesn’t need the likes of you making her life any harder than it already has been. If my best friend wants me to come over or live here or fucking take a shit on your floor, I will do it. I don’t care about you or your stupid drunk ass. Just let her live her life and be happy.” Turning back to me, Sophie’s entire demeanor changed. “I’m no longer feeling like a swim. How about a rain check?”

Before I could answer her, Sophie swooped up her bag with her clothes in it and stomped off to the front door. When I heard her car drive off, I twisted toward an equally confused Jenner.

Where had that come from?

---