Page 285 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1
Brendan released me from his hug and laughed. "Oh. You know about that? Well, she wasn't exactly your girlfriend when that happened. Either time."
"Either time?" James said.
Rob laughed and ran over to us. "Seriously? You hooked up with Penny? This is just too good. Anyone want a beer?"
"What do you mean either time?" James asked.
"The second time doesn't really count I guess," Brendan said and leaned against the kitchen counter. "I kissed her, she didn't kiss me back."
"When?" James turned to me.
"In the hospital," I said. I had already told James about the first time I had kissed Brendan. I barely even remembered being in the hospital. But I remembered that now. Brendan was right. I didn't kiss him back. I had already decided to be with James.
"Don't get mad at her. I'm pretty sure she was doped up on morphine and she still pushed me off. Clearly she chose you. I didn't even get a thank you for sending her flowers. I'm not used to losing. I'll have a beer," he said to Rob.
"You got it." Rob slid a beer down the counter and Brendan picked it up.
"I do really appreciate the fact that you were there when Penny fainted," James said. "But I think it's probably best if we don't make it a habit to hang out here."
"Calm down, James. Brendan's cool. He even apologized for hooking up with your girlfriend. That's a quality guy," Rob said. "Besides, you can't blame him for trying. That's the risk of having a hot girlfriend."
"I'm not sure I'm completely comfortable having two guys here hitting on her," James said.
"I'm not hitting on Penny," Rob said. "She's the one that clearly wants me." He winked at me. "Was she a good kisser, Brendan? I bet she was a good kisser."
"A great kisser." Brendan smiled at me.
"I knew it," Rob said.
"Okay," I said. This was so ridiculous. "Will you all just stop? Stop talking about me like I'm not standing right here. James, Brendan's just a friend. I told you that. And actually, you should be thanking him because I talked to him that afternoon when I left your place confused. And he told me to choose you. He was actually really nice and helpful."
"That's true," Brendan said. "She told me you were a better lay than Tyler, so I told her she should choose you. I didn't even hit on her. Or wait. Maybe I did. I think I probably said that if she really wanted to know what a good lay was she should call me."
"I said stop talking. But yeah. See? He was just being a good friend. Despite that last part. And Rob," I said, turning to him."I don't want to sleep with you. I'm in love with your brother. So please just stop saying super weird things to me. It's really inappropriate."
"I do like you," Rob said. "You're like a million times better than the troll. Feisty too. I like a girl that can stick up for herself."
"Oh my God. I asked you to stop."
Rob smiled at me. "Stopping." He pretended to lock his mouth and throw away the key. "And Brendan's not going to hit on Penny anymore either, right Brendan?"
I wasn't at all surprised that Rob had immediately started talking right after he had thrown away the key.
"Sure, I won't hit on her anymore," Brendan said. He took a sip of his beer.
"How about you two go hang out at Brendan's place?" James said.
"But I just set up the Xbox! Let's all play Golden Eye. We can shoot it out." Rob patted James' chest and walked back toward the living room. "Besides, Penny promised to school us."
"I doubt that," Brendan said and followed him back to the T.V.
"Of course Rob had to befriend Brendan," James whispered to me. "I don't like this at all. I want you all to myself."
I laughed. "James, they're just joking around. You do have me all to yourself."
"They're not joking around." He looked down at me and smiled. "Even three men flirting with you isn't enough to make you realize how beautiful you are."
He didn't seem as mad as I thought he would. Maybe he was finally understanding that all I wanted was him.
