Page 25 of Out of Bounds
“So, I was thinking of Vegas, but I was also thinking about Bree.”
He knows not to think about Bree. The last time we spoke about Bree was not good and it still irritates me because he went out with her.
Bryce is one of my closest friends, but I know what he’s like when it comes to women. And this isn’t the case of the pot calling the kettle black.
I love a beautiful woman on my arm and in beneath me in my bed. But there’s a difference between a man like me who doesn’t do relationships and a womanizer.
That’s what he is, and he became that way after his sister’s death.
He thinks none of us know he was left broken after her death and he blamed himself because she killed herself, but we know. I know and I get it, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to feed his bad habits. And definitely not with Bree.
“What about her?” I ask setting my elbows on the edge of my desk.
He straightens up and smiles.
“I just wondered if you’d calmed down from your high horse yet so I could ask her out again.”
I see red again. the same flash of heat that struck me when Logan told me Liev was with Bree. Again, Bryce is a friend but he’s another example of the poor choices Bree has in men.
I calm myself down enough to answer him. “No. I have not calmed down, Bryce. I will still shoot your dick off if you go near her.” I speak with such nonchalance it takes him a few moments to see I’m serious as fuck.
“Why? You’re obviously not into her.”
“Are you?”
“I like her, and she liked me too.”
She did like him, but I don’t believe for one second he liked anything more than her body. Again, I get it. I like her body too. It’s stared in many dreams and fantasies, but at least I can control myself.
“Tell me you don’t just want to bang her and dump her,” I say “You just want that date because you didn’t get her in bed last time. I know you, Bryce.” I give him my fiercest don’t-bull-shit-me stare and he backs down.
He bites the inside of his lip and grins. “You know me too well.”
“Now that that’s clear I don’t think I need to say anymore.”
“Fine, but you know if she happens to come my way there’s nothing I can do about that.”
“Goodbye Bryce.” I could say another thing or two, but I decide against it.
We just closed a case, and I didn’t want to spoil the euphoria.
If he mentions it again, though, I will.
“All right Ethan, see you in the week.”
He gets up and leaves. I watch the door close behind him and I stare for longer that necessary getting lost in my thoughts. There’s so much uncertain shit happening to me. Every time I see her or hear her name, I feel like I’m being pushed toward her—drawn to her.
That southern belle is the least of my worries at the moment.
She still has my sweatshirt. It still gets to be closer to her than I’ll ever be.
* * *
Logan staresat me in shock from across the garden table and sets his beer bottle down on the wooden surface.
I’ve just finished telling him about my Grandfather’s terms and conditions of my getting the business. I got to his house about an hour ago, deciding I had to speak to someone other than my mother who is livid at me for making up Miranda.
She thinks it pushed him to come up with the plan.
