Page 22 of My Brother's Best Men
Maybe I’m drunker than I thought, because I don’t remember closing that gap…
But it takes all of two seconds for me to crumble like sand as Elijah’s hand in my hair holds me still, his thumb still brushing those soft circles over my knuckles. My entire body loosens as his scent fills my lungs, surrounding me like a warm hug. His lips are softer than I thought they’d be. But just as sweet as I always imagined.
I part my lips easily for him. I break for Elijah like glass on concrete, shattering to a million pieces like I always knew I would.
I’ve dreamed of this moment a hundred times in my life.
But then reality hits me as I realize I amkissing Elijah Brecker!My ex–best friend, my brother’s groomsman, my?—
The sobering thought echoes through me as I realize I’ve just crossed a line I will never come back from.
Fuck.
I push away from him, noting the look of guilt on his face.
Shit. What the hell was I thinking?
The door opens, and my gaze flashes to Matt, who looks completely oblivious, thank God. I can onlyhopehe didn’t see anything. I don’t need to start some kind of drama days before this wedding, drama that could ultimately ruin it.
And kissing Elijah Brecker—no matter how badly I wanted to—is definitely grounds for disaster in more ways than one.
“Dessert’s served,” Matthew says, looking between us.
“Thank you, Matthew.” Elijah’s voice is detached, cool, calm. I know that voice. The one where he pretends to be in control when he’s really spiraling.
Fuck, this isn’t good.
I expect Matthew to turn around, since he’s always been the type to take orders when it comes to the other guys, what with them being older and all. But instead, he nods at Elijah and pushes past him, the door swinging behind him as he heads toward me. “Come on,” he says, motioning for me to follow. “They have cheesecake.”
My insides twist once again, this time in hunger as well as desire.
“I love cheesecake,” I say like an idiot while the entire time my insides are screaming at me that I just kissedElijah Brecker!
But I can’t focus onthatright now.
So I follow Matt, leaving Elijah in my wake once more.
5
ELIJAH
“You okay?You seem…jumpier than usual,” Matt asks as he throws his duffel bag in the back of my SUV. Benny follows up behind him, chucking his heavy-duty suitcase in and rattling the whole vehicle. I shoot him a glare.
“I’m fine,” I say, but Benny only huffs out a sigh of annoyance. Or arrogance, but I guess that’s par for the course for Benjamin Anderson.
Honestly, sometimes I swear our friendship is just God’s sense of warped humor. Benny and I havenothingin common. Nothing except the Martin twins.
But despite our vast differences, if I found myself in trouble, I know I could call him. Hell, he was the one who offered to let me stay here—at his townhome—with him when I came back to town to look for a new position and a new place. And he extended the same offer to Matt too, even though he didn’t have to.
I try to remember those things when I think about how much Benny annoys me.
Like now, when I can tell he wants to say something, and whatever it is, I know I’m not going to like it.
“Just say it, Benny,” I tell him as Matt pulls open the back passenger door.
“Say what?” he asks with a shrug, but I can see the gleam of mischief in his eye.
“Whatever it is you’re going to say that’s bound to piss me off.” I close the trunk of the car, rounding toward the driver’s side, but Benny clashes into me. I look at him in question.
