Page 67 of Gorgeous

Both guys bark out a “ooh-rah,” but it’s laced with humor. It’s obvious they are happy to have their commander back.

“So, tell me what brings you by, Breck?”

Right. Why am I here again? Because I am a stupid and naive girl, and I feel terrible thinking I’ve set Cade back by kissing him.

“I …”Get your shit together, B. Just tell her. She knows Cade. Maybe she can share some insight on how to get through to him.“I came to apologize to Cade.”

Her head lifts to look me in the eye. This is one of those moments where instinct demands you not look away from the predator or it may attack you. That’s how her stare feels right now. She likes me, but she will kill me if I’ve hurt Cade in any way. If I’ve learned anything from living here and being around this family for two weeks, it’s that they take care of one another, no matter what.

“Oh?” Eyebrows arched and a hard look on her face, she encourages me to continue.

This was a bad idea. I should have just called him. What the hell was I thinking? Oh, that’s right. I was thinking I would toss on some clothes, breeze in here, and say, “Cade, I’m sorry for kissing your kissable face. I’m sorry you’re so damn hot that I want to have your babies. And I’m sorry that I’m a liar, and now we have this complicated and fucked up relationship.” Yeah, not so smart.

I swallow and lift my head. “Can we, uh, speak in private?”

Anniston nods curtly, her face one in deep thought. “We’re done for the day, boys. Go shower and hydrate.”

Both guys collapse on the ground with me still on their back. They groan and I spring up. “I’m sorry!” I say. “I didn’t mean to stay on you.”

Anniston laughs, dusting imaginary lint off her spandex shorts, and waves away my comment. “They can take it. They bench twice your weight on a daily basis. They’re groaning because it probably makes them horny. Well, Hayes anyway.”

Hayes stands, sweat dripping down his jaw, and winks at me, adjusting himself right in front of me and walking away as if nothing happened.

My mouth gapes open, caught between a laugh and shock, and I snap it shut.

Anniston taps me on the shoulder, reading into my look as more shock than humor. “Don’t worry about it. The doorbell ringing gets him hard. You’ll get used to it.”

I’m not going to correct her and tell her I’m already used to it. Hayes is my friend. My partner in crime. My horny compadre.

I know—not from experience—that the slightest breeze hardens him in seconds flat. But for some reason, I keep mine and the guys’ relationship a secret. I know it’s stupid. After all, Anniston invited me to help out which led to this friendship with the guys, but I want to be stingy with them and not tell her I love them like brothers.

Anniston pulls me from my thoughts, lightly touching my arm. “Come on. Let’s go talk in the kitchen.”

Anniston made us something to drink, and we’ve been chatting about how things went during my two-week stay. She didn’t push me to get down to the nitty gritty reason I’m here. Instead, she had me tell her of my adventures with the guys. She laughed with me and genuinely seemed thrilled that we had bonded.

It was her love and selflessness for the guys that had me wanting to speak up and be truthful. This woman was not my enemy. Yeah, she makes me feel insecure, but so what?

Hence my random confession.

“I pushed Cade when he wasn’t ready. I shouldn’t have kissed him,” I blurt out like someone with zero social skills.

Anniston eyes me thoughtfully and takes a sip of her water. “Why don’t you think he’s ready? Did he tell you he wasn’t?” My mouth slams shut as she drills me with questions. “Did he not kiss you first?”

Okay, she’s making this seem super simple, and it’s not. Cade has issues, and I didn’t consider them when I shoved my tongue down his throat two days ago.

“He did kiss me first. But that’s not the point.”

Anniston adjusts in the chair and cocks her head to the side. “Is it because you’re getting close to him and he still doesn’t know about Bennett?”

My stomach takes a swan dive right out of my ass. I blink back at the woman who is Cade’s most trusted confidant. She knows. This whole time she knew who I was.

“Does he know?” I swallow and pull my knees under me.

She makes a soft noise, her lips going tight at the corners. “I was hopingyouwould have told him by now.”

And now I feel like the shittiest human on the planet.

The vein in my forehead throbs, and I know it’s only a matter of time before my eyes willburn with tears. “I’m going to,” I whisper, unable to meet her eyes. “But he’s still so angry about the past that I’m afraid he won’t receive it well.”

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