Page 18 of Brooke's Bliss
“She works for Bianchi,” Shane added.
“Seriously?”Sabrina asked.“I met her, and she said she didsomething in design.I didn’t realize it was fashion.I’ve heard of Bianchi.I’ve wanted a pair of their palazzo pants for years.”
“She designed the navy ones from this spring’s collection,”Bay offered.
“How the hell would you know that?”a very familiar voiceasked.Brooke.
He winced and looked at his brother.“She’s right behind me,isn’t she?”
Shane nodded.
“I seem like a creepy stalker now.Don’t I?”It was good toknow what he was going into.If he turned around.He could pretend she wasn’tthere.The stool turned, so if she moved, he could move, too.He could keepturning, and at some point he would get a chance to run, and he could live inthe woods for the rest of his life.
“He’s good at recognizing what I like to call artistictells,” Shane began.“You showed us some of your sketches.Bay is an artist.Herecognized your style.”
Thank the universe for Shane.His brother was so much coolerunder pressure than he was.Shane didn’t regularly think about running into thewoods and becoming one of those dudes who got misidentified as a Sasquatch,though apparently there was love for them out there too, if the runaway costumedesigner was any indication.
Did Brooke have a thing for Bigfoot?
He turned since his brother had given such an excellent non-stalkeryexplanation.“That’s right.You talked aboutworking real hard on those pants.You said you thought they were coming back instyle and wanted to put your own flair to them.”
She stared for a minute as though trying to figure somethingout.“It was my first big addition to a line.I did some T-shirts andaccessories.The palazzo pants were well received.”
“Because they were awesome,” Sabrina said with a grin.
Brooke flushed, a pink tone hitting her skin, and hewondered if she blushed like that all over her body.If her skin would be thatsweet shade of pink when he got her naked and spanked her pretty ass.
And that was a mistake because his jeans weren’t all thatforgiving.
“Thanks,” Brooke said.“I love a good pair of leggings, butthere are days when I need the freedom of those pants.It’s good to see youagain, Sabrina.I hear congratulations are in order.”
Sabrina practically glowed as she showed off the one-caratring her men had bought her.They’d asked her to marry them on New Year’s Everight here in the bar.
“Yes, and I hope you’ll be able to come,” Sabrina said asBrooke inspected the ring.
There was a lot of talk about venues and parties and stuff.He was watching Brooke.So was his brother.Wyatt moved behind the bar andtalked to his partner.Likely about them, because they were probably back todesperate stalker vibes.
Brooke ordered her second glass of wine and thanked Sawyer.She promised Sabrina she would help her with the wedding dress and then noddedBay and Shane’s way.
And left.
“Now she thinks you’re a complete weirdo,” Sawyer said witha cheeriness that Bay had never associated with the big guy.
Yep.That chance was probably blown.
Chapter Three
Shane watched the party as they started to break up.
He and Bay had moved to a booth when it became apparentBrooke was staying for a while.
“It’s her and Cleo and three others left.The drunk girl whosang karaoke without a machine, one guy, and another I suspect is hisboyfriend.”Shane had made a study of the people around Brooke tonight.She’dbeen hit on more than once by random dudes, but she’d given them polite butfirm nos.Surprisingly enough, he and Bay had been left alone all night.At onepoint a couple of women had walked in and looked Shane and his brother overlike they were an all-you-can-eat sex buffet and they had some excellentcoupons.He’d prepared several excuses, including he was married and he didn’tlike women.The last thing he’d needed was to have Brooke think they were opento anyone but her.
Then they’d come back from the bathroom, looked him overlike he was dirty, and walked out.
He didn’t smell or anything.He looked good.It didn’tmatter.He knew why he was here, and he was close to meeting that goal.
He also knew something else.“I’m fairly certain they camein Cleo’s car.It’s tiny.I don’t think they’ll all fit.”
