Page 5 of Once Upon A Valentine
Tonight, at dinner, he could have behaved like a reasonable, rational human being. He should have been happy when he realized that Gibson had set him up with Julian. They’d been the only two single people in attendance and it hadn’t taken a rocket scientist to realize that his older brother had intended to pair Bran off with the cute assistant he flirted with whenever he was in the office. If he was a normal person he would have smiled and played along and maybe even thanked Gibson for the chance to be so close to Julian.
But he wasn’t normal and Gibson knew that which meant he also should have known better than to put Julian anywhere near his brother.
Bran wasn’t a good man. He wasn’t the kind of man that Julian deserved. Julian had his whole life planned out, and it was a plan that left no room in it for a damaged boyfriend that needed more care than he could possibly give in return. He wasn’t worthy of the love and happiness that his brother had found and being so close to Julian and knowing that he would only screw things up if he acted on their playful flirtation had done nothing but piss him off.
So he’d done the only thing he could do. He’d filled his glass again and again in the hopes of numbing the despair that tried so hard to overtake him when he thought of the future. He’d tried to get drunk but what he’d told Julian out there in the cold hadn’t been a lie. His alcohol tolerance was off the charts and he wasn’t drunk. He’d managed a slight buzz but even that had faded in the chilly night air.
Not that Julian would believe him. And maybe it was best that he didn’t. Bran could get away with so much more if Julian thought he was drunk.
He cleared his throat, “Jules?”
“Yes?” Julian’s gaze didn’t leave the road.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
If he hadn’t been paying attention, he might not have even noticed the way Julian’s knuckles went white. His grip on the steering wheel tightened only momentarily and then returned to normal. He didn’t even look in Bran’s direction when he spoke.
“No.”
“Why not?”
This time Julian sighed, “It’s not important.”
“It is to me.” Bran bit his lip to hide a smile when Julian shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Julian exited off the highway without answering but Bran didn’t push. He watched as Julian expertly shifted gears and tried not to drool over the man’s long, slim fingers. He was so damn sexy. Bran had to physically clench his fists to keep from reaching for him, to keep from sliding his fingers between the seams of Julian’s and lacing them together.
After Julian turned onto the city street, he cleared his throat, “I’m not seeing anyone because I haven’t… because there’s not… because I like things in my life a certain way and some men don’t… can’t… understand that.”
Bran couldn’t remember a single time he’d ever spoken to Julian that he’d struggled for words. He was smart and quick witted and he always knew exactly what he wanted to say before he opened his mouth to speak. Bran didn’t know what it meant that he was tongue-tied now but it intrigued him immensely. He started to ask another question, to ask Julian to elaborate on what his “certain way” was, but before he could Julian spoke again.
“What about you?”
“What about me?” Bran raised an eyebrow when Julian darted a quick look at him out of the corner of his eye.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
Bran’s lips twitched of their own accord. Julian had never asked him about his personal life before now and he liked this new development. Even if Julian was only humoring him because he thought Bran was drunk and in a bad mood, he would take it. Anytime he got to talk to Julian it made his day better and this was no exception.
“Right now, I’m seeing you.” He teased, wagging his brows when Julian flicked a gaze at him and snorted.
“Always a smartass.” He mumbled.
“Always.”
“Just once…” Julian sighed, his voice quiet, “If you’d drop the act and be serious just once, you might be surprised to find you don’t have to deflect with everyone in your life, Branson. You don’t have to put this act on for my benefit.”
“You think this is an act?”
Julian didn’t answer. Instead he pulled the car up to the sidewalk outside Bran’s apartment building and parked. He left the engine running and stepped out of the vehicle without saying another word. Bran frowned as he watched Julian stride around the front of the car. The valet started towards them but Julian held up a hand to stop him and Bran could make out just enough of their conversation to understand that Julian was telling the man not to move the car, that he was only taking Bran upstairs and would be right back down. He scowled when Julian opened his door and reached in to help him out.
“I can get out of a car on my own.” He snapped.
Julian narrowed his eyes but moved back, allowing Bran to step out of the car onto the sidewalk. Of course then, because mother nature hated him right along with fate and karma, Bran almost immediately slipped on a small patch of ice and felt his legs skid out from under him. A strong arm wrapped around his waist, hoisting him back upright before he landed on his ass and he glowered when Julian shook his head knowingly.
“That’s why I was trying to help you.” He guided Bran inside the high-rise. “But God forbid you lean on anyone, right?”
“You want me to lean on you, Jules?” Bran looked up at him from beneath his lashes as Julian pushed the button for the elevator and then walked them inside when it opened. Without even asking he punched in the passcode to get them to Bran’s floor but he didn’t have time to wonder how Julian knew that code because Julian snapped at him, drawing his undivided attention.
