Page 57 of Give Me a Reason

She didnotwant his friendship. It would never be enough, because she hoped for… everything. She wanted his heart. She wanted forever. And it killed her that she had no right to ask for it.

“I want that, too.” She forced a smile big enough to cramp her cheeks. “I would love to be your friend.”

“Great.” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “That would be nice.”

“Yes.” She nodded until she was dizzy. “So nice.”

He nodded back, then stopped abruptly and stared down at his wineglass. And she lowered her gaze to hers with a shuddering sigh. Their server had come by unbeknownst to them and had poured them their fourth wine. They’d apparently advanced into the realm of red wines. A dark swirling red. The color of despair.

“Hey, are you guys having fun?” Joe came up behind them, slurring his words slightly. “Because I sure as hell am.”

“Yeah, I can tell.” Frederick glanced over his shoulder andgave his friend—hisotherfriend—a lopsided smile. “And youshouldenjoy this.”

“Aww thanks, Cap’n.” Joe draped his arms around each of their shoulders and dropped his head like it was getting too heavy to hold up. “Have I told you how much I love and admire you, man?”

“I don’t know.” Frederick’s affectionate smile turned into a shit-eating grin. “Have you?”

“If I haven’t, then please accept my official declaration of love and admiration.” Joe snorted, then suddenly attempted to look stern, but his sloppy grin kind of ruined the effort. “And I’m not just saying that because I’m drunk. I’m notthatdrunk. I mean it, Captain. You”—he patted Frederick’s cheek none too gently—“are an all-around awesome dude.”

“And you love and admire me,” Frederick said slyly.

“Yasss.” Joe pulled him into a side hug. “I do. So much.”

“All right, Lieutenant. I fully support your bromance.” Coraline detached her fiancé from Frederick. Then she smoothed away the hair from Joe’s face with such tenderness that tears prickled behind Anne’s eyes. “But let’s not smother the captain with your love at the winery.”

Joe gasped and clapped his hand over his mouth as he let his fiancée lead him back to their seats. “Do you think I embarrassed him?”

“No, babe.” Coraline reclaimed her chair across from Anne and smirked at Frederick. “But you should save some of your love for when we get back to the villa, where you could express it properly.”

“You’re right.” Joe nodded solemnly. “I can’t do it justice here. I have toshowhim my love and admiration.”

Anne almost spewed out her wine, laughing at the look of dread on Frederick’s face. “That’s what you get for egging on a drunk friend.”

“I couldn’t help myself.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “It was too much fun.”

“I’d better not get drunk in front of you.” She made a show of pouring herself more water. “I wouldn’t want you to take advantage of mefor fun.”

“Uh.” A flush crept up Frederick’s neck and spread across his face.

Shedidspew out her water when she realized what she’d just said. “Oh my God. I didn’t mean… I meant that…”

“Easy, Anne. I know what you meant,” he reassured her. But before she could sigh with relief, a devilish grin curled the corners of his mouth. “Although you’re right to be wary because Iwilltake advantage of you for my amusement. So you’d better not let your guard down.”

Anne opened and closed her mouth several times, but she couldn’t manage to form actual words. Did he mean…? She took several gulps of water because she was very warm.Is it hot out here?

She snuck a glance at him to find him watching her with hooded eyes, swirling his sinfully red wine in his glass. Hedidmean it that way. And suddenly, she was furious. Wasn’t he the one who’d just asked her to be hisfriend? Howdarehe flirt with her after breaking her heart.

“I wouldn’tdreamof it,” Anne said in a breathy voice, making sure her smile was sultry enough to conjure dark, sweaty thoughts. When his smirk melted away and a vein pulsed in his forehead, she took a dainty sip of her wine and sighed contentedly.

Two could play at this game. And she had no intention of making it afriendlymatch. Frederick could draw all the lines he wanted, but she would make sure that he toed the line, wishing he’d never drawn it.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Frederick smothered a yawn in one hand as he maneuvered the steering wheel with the other. The festivities had continued late into the night, and the morning after was brutal—for some more than others—but Anne promised a day trip to Cambria would be worth the early start.

Being the least hungover of the four men, he was designated as their driver for the trip to the coastal town, while she volunteered to drive the more civilized half of their group.

Last night, he had made sure to pace himself once the limo dropped them off at the villa, because he couldn’t risk making any more suggestive comments to Anne. He was a firefighter—he knew better than to play with fire.

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