Fiona rolled her eyes. “You work too much.”
I ignored her because it wasn’t like I had a choice in the matter. “My life plan can’t be interrupted,” I continued. “And Brooks? He has distraction written all over him.”
“Distractions are the best part of life.” She grinned.
I snorted. “You would say that.”
She flipped her hair dramatically. “Look at me, being all happy and shit. I don’t even recognize myself.”
“Sex with Gideon would do that to a person.”
“He is dreamy.” Her eyes crossed, and we both snickered.
She sighed, checking the clock on her phone. “I should get back out there, but I will demand all the details when I return from my honeymoon.”
“Oh? All the details?” I smirked.
“Every single one.”
“You want the size of his dick or how far apart his nipples are?”
She howled. “You’re an asshole.”
She stood, shaking her head as she smoothed down her gown. But before she left, she pointed a manicured finger at me.
“Do me a favor and don’t pull a Michelle and ruin your happiness.”
I stiffened.
“You deserve fun,” she said. “You deserve this.”
I didn’t answer because Fiona didn’t understand. She was a great friend, the closest person I’d let into my life…ever, but happiness wasn’t something you kept. It was something you borrowed.
And I had borrowed enough for one night.
So I forced my lips into a smirk, rolled my shoulders back, and stepped out of the bathroom like I wasn’t just in there fighting off a full-blown identity crisis. The minor freak out exhausted me, and I yawned as I walked back into the party to find Brooks leaning on the doorframe, waiting for me.
He was completely at ease, his massive frame draped in confidence like it was second nature. Relaxed. Unbothered. Completely unaware of the storm in my chest.
The sight of him—those broad shoulders, the lean strength beneath his suit, the easy smirk tugging at his lips—warmed me from the inside out.
I should’ve been careful. I should’ve kept my distance. But Brooks was like gravity the longer I let myself orbit him, the harder it was to break away which was why tonight was it. I barely survived breaking it off two years ago. Any more time with him would make it even worse.
His smirk deepened as I stepped closer, his eyes flicking toward Fiona’s retreating figure before settling back on me. He waited until I was close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him before dipping his head toward my neck, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.
“So how was girl talk?”
I let out a breath of laughter, trying not to shiver at the way his voice slid over my skin like warm silk.
“Shut up.”
His arm slid around my shoulders, casual, easy, like he had every right to touch me like this.
And maybe he did.
“At this rate, I’m going to get used to this,” I muttered, rolling my eyes as his fingers traced lazy circles against my shoulder. “And that would be dangerous.”
“For who?” His tone was pure amusement, his fingers just the right amount of possessive.
