Page 53 of Endlessly Yours
Brooks shrugged. “Not really. But I can practice.”
“Fine, but I want to hear too,” Cameron muttered as she turned on her heels and went upstairs, presumably to get in her pajamas.
My lips twitched because Cameron did indeed have a little crush on Brooks, in the way that twelve-year-olds did, and maybe a story would calm her down.
But it wasn’t going to do anything to help me in this situation.
“Alice, why don’t you get in your pajamas and brush your teeth, and we’ll meet you with whatever book you choose.”
“Okay. Are you sure you’re not leaving early? Are you sure you’re going to stay?” Alice asked, her gaze intent on Brooks.
He nodded tightly, and I saw the pain on both of their faces. None of us were strangers to loss or broken promises, but we were trying.
At least, I felt we had been.
Alice ran upstairs after her sister, leaving me alone in the entryway with Brooks. The man I was falling for, and I had no idea why.
“It wasn’t what you thought,” Brooks whispered.
I snorted before taking off my reading glasses, having not realized I had left them on. “Really? That’s what you’re going with?”
“Lauren was just there?—”
“So her name is Lauren. I hope you two will be very happy. Because I’m not playing the jealous harpy or whatever this was supposed to be. I’m sorry for thinking this was something more than it was.”
Brooks was right in front of me then, hand on the back of my neck, the other lifting up to rub his thumb over my bottom lip.
“Don’t touch me,” I whispered, my body shivering. For more? Or for him to leave. The problem was I didn’t know.
“Listen. My parents brought her here to introduce her to me because they didn’t know.”
“Know what?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest. That slight twinge of hope at his words threatened, and I refused to let it take root. I refused to want any more than I had.
“I told everyone in that room that I was taken. That you and I were seeing each other. I realized I don’t know what the hell we’re doing, and I’m not good at this, but I wasn’t about to let you be hurt by something as stupid as a woman saying she was sorry about my loss.”
I tried to take a step back, but his hold tightened. “I don’t want her. I want you.”
“She touched you,” I whispered. “And I don’t like being territorial.”
“Callum looks at you, and I want to rip his face off. Do you want to talk about territorial?” he asked, his voice low with a growl that went straight to my core. I pressed my thighs together, and his eyes darkened.
“It’s fine. I guess I was wrong.”
“It’s not fine,” he bit out. “I’m sorry. I keep hurting you, and I don’t mean to.”
And just like that, I melted. For him, for what could have been. Because I was a fool.
“I’m sorry, too. For running. I’m just a little tender it seems.”
“We’ll fix that. And I’ll show you how sorry I am soon.”
I swallowed hard and took a step back at the sound of Alice’s footsteps at the top of the stairs. “I guess we should go read to them.”
“I guess so. What do seven-year-old girls read these days?”
“I think it varies, but Cameron’s going to be involved too.”
“Why do I feel like I should be worried?”
