That changed his frown into a smile. I was caught by surprise when he leaned in and brushed his lips against mine. The kiss was too brief for my liking, but it held a promise of what was to come later in the night.
“Aw,” Kayla sighed, reminding us she was still present. “I’m so happy you finally went on vacation, Brutus.” She gave us a wistful look before heading toward Joshua, who stood across the room, waving her over.
“I’m pretty happy about it, too,” I said, tugging at his tuxedo jacket a little.
He palmed my arms and stroked them up and down. “I’m fucking ecstatic about it.”
“Does that mean you’ll vacation more often?” The question popped into my mind, and I blurted it without thinking.
“As often as you want me to,” he replied. There was no hesitation in his response.
“Do you mean that?”
“Brutus?” Aaron called from behind him.
A brief look of aggravation crossed his face.
“You know what?” I pointed behind me. “The restroom is up this stairwell, right?”
Brutus nodded at the same time Aaron reached us.
“I’m going to use it. You two talk.”
Brutus squeezed my hand. I observed Aaron with that ever-present scowl was in place.
I made a beeline for the stairs toward the bathroom—a sigh released from my lips. Though Aaron had barely said two words to me, I felt like he was watching me. Suspicion laced his stare. While it didn’t make me exactly uncomfortable, I could tell he was suspicious of me.
I gazed upon the artwork as I made my way up the stairs. The early founders of Williamsport had busts and portraits painted of them that filled this building for visitors to observe.
The bathroom was just around the hallway from the stairwell. I breathed a sigh of relief to find that there wasn’t a line. I did my business before checking the mirror to touch up my makeup and then headed out.
I started for the stairwell that was opposite the one I’d come up to be able to observe more of the artwork. However, before I could even exit the hallway, I was confronted by a tall male figure.
“Aaron … Mr. Townsend,” I corrected for some reason.
His lips thinned, and for the first few seconds he didn’t say anything. His presence filled up the space in the hallway, and while he made an intimidating figure, I didn’t feel threatened.
“Are you here for him?” he asked bluntly.
The implication in that question was apparent to me. Someone in his position, both in his family and the role in his family’s company, I imagined it had become second nature to be wary of people. To question their motives.
I didn’t need to think of my answer. “I’monlyhere for him,” I said with all of the confidence in my body.
His gaze shifted over his shoulder, then back to me. “Why?”
That question threw me for a moment, and I felt my hackles rise. Not because I was personally offended, but because why wouldn’t I be with Brutus?
“Because he’s amazing,” I said, thinking about the man who waited for me downstairs. “He’s brilliant and loves learning. The attention he pays to detail is mind-boggling but so attractive. He’s protective and, at times, scary, but his heart is so damn big that sometimes I get scared that it’ll consume me whole.”
I shut my mouth just before I told him that I probably wouldn’t mind if Brutus’ big heart did consume me.
Aaron studied me for a few more beats. “You love him.”
Not a question, a realization.
A conclusion I’d come to weeks earlier but still hadn’t said out loud.
I nodded. “Yes, I do.” It felt like a relief telling someone. I hadn’t even admitted it to Carlene or Sharise, the two closest people to me in the world. “I love him,” I repeated because it felt so good to say again.
