Page 46 of Should've Been Us
“I’m not going to hurt her Dare. I promise. I’d rather cut myself open than cause her even a second ofhurt.”
“I know.” Derek squeezed his shoulder firmly, “I can see that now. The first night we were here in Mexico, at dinner, I saw the way you were with her too. You never took your eyes off her. Not for a second. I knew this trip wasn’t going to be easy on her but it was something she needed to face and you’ve stepped up for her at every turn. You gave her everything she needed before she even asked for it. You took care of her. That’s when I knew it was about more than sex foryou.”
“I love her. I’ve always loved her.” Connor shook his head, amazed at the words coming out of his mouth and that it was Derek he was telling first, “I hated her sometimes too. For ignoring me. For not seeing me. For not knowing what I couldn’t tell her. But even when I hated her, I lovedher.”
“Like I said,passion.”
Connor snorted, “She didn’t want me to tell you. This morning, she asked me not to say anything and I accused her of still trying to hold onto her dream life with you.” He shook his head when Derek winced, “I was a bastard to her about you for a long time. I’ve been jealous of you for a long time. I wanted to tell the world but she was right, I mostly just wanted to tell you. It’s going to take some time for me to really believe its me she wants after all these years but I’m trying, so thankyou.”
“For what?” Derek tilted hishead.
“Starting the conversation that I couldn’t start. I promised her I wouldn’t and I didn’t. But you did and now you know and there’s no going back from that. I love her. She’s mine, Dare. She’s mine and I’ll fight any man that tries to keep her from me, including you, from here on out. Do you getthat?”
“Of course.” His friend nodded. “Of course Ido.”
“I’ll fight her too if I have to. God knows it wouldn’t be the first time.” He managed a smile and Derekchuckled.
“Somehow I don’t think you two are done fighting with each other, not by a long-shot. You enjoy it too much. So does she.” Derek gave a soft smile, “She lights up for you. Maybe you don’t see it but shedoes.”
Connor smiled but remained quiet because of course he saw that. It was one of the things he loved about her so much. He loved the fire that lit her up from the inside out. The way she matched him smartass remark for smartass remark. She was witty and funny and biting when she had to be. He loved how beautiful she looked with her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide and a snarl on her lips as she yelled athim.
Total masochist that he was, he loved fighting withher.
Derek shrugged, “With me she’s always tried to keep herself soft, gentle and accepting but with you she’s not afraid to be strong and fierce. I like that side of her but she’d never tell me to go fuck myself the way she doesyou.”
Connor laughed a little, “True. Guess I’m justlucky.”
“You are.” Derek agreed, “We bothare.”
Connor traded a smile with his best friend the likes of which they hadn’t shared in years. All this time he’d spent being jealous of Derek, of secretly pining for the one woman that he wanted more than any other, the same woman that was in love with his best friend, had driven a wedge between them. It had been hard to see with it there. He’d chalked it up to growing up and growing apart. They were still best friends, always would be, but a distance had grown between them since Connor went to the Academy and Derek went to college. They met up for drinks down at the bar occasionally but they didn’t talk like they used to. He hoped that this was the beginning of them getting back to the kind of friendship that verged on brotherhood, the kind they’d had when they wereyounger.
Derek was happy with Aubrey and Connor finally had Lulu to himself. They could stop the mad whirlwind dance they’d been doing around one another. No more hiding or lying or secrets, they could just live and love and all be friendsagain.
“So are we heading back?” Connor asked when his friend continued to watch the others swinging theirclubs.
“Yeah. Sure. Let’sgo.”
“You gonna tell everybody else we’releaving?”
“I already told Dad and Mr. Dixon. They want to stay and finish the round.” Derekshrugged.
“And theothers?”
Derek grinned mischievously, “I don’t know about you, but I could use a little break from the wonder trio and their epic quest to bed abridesmaid.”
Connor laughed, “A-fucking-men.”
“Speaking of which…” Derek narrowed his eyes and Connor raised his hands up in a show ofinnocence.
“I only agreed to be part of that bet so they’d leave her the hell alone. This thing with Lulu isn’t about that. Not at all. But when they started making bets and picking girls I had to keep them away from her, Dare. I hadto.”
“I get it.” Derek shrugged, “I love my little brother but if he laid a finger on Lulu I’d beat him to a pulp. He’s a womanizing asshole with an ego problem and she deservesbetter.”
“Don’t think Dean is going to be a problem.” Connor grinned, “I threatened to cut off his favorite appendage if he so much as looked at her toolong.”
“Nice.”
“A man’s gotta do what a man’s gottado.”
