“Since when?”
“For as long as I can remember.”
I press my lips together to stop myself from laughing as nerves crawl up my throat. I’m too surprised to say anything as waves of shock hit me. Those are the words I’ve wanted to hear for years. Decades even. “You’re making me nervous,” I whisper eventually, excitement fluttering beneath my ribs.
“Relax.” He tries to calm my jitters.
How can I relax when we might be risking our friendship? I never want to lose him. But maybe we are each other’s future, and this isn’t just a quick roll of the dice in some game of roulette. Because it’s us. Him and me. He’s the one I’ve longed for, and right now, I want him again. I wasn’t brave enough to chase after him before because he was my brother’s best friend. But now, everything has changed.
I’m older, wiser, and more certain.
I know what I want.
I want Leon.
It’s only ever been him. I was kidding myself, trying to think otherwise.
And that might be the most awkward conversation I’ll ever have with my brother.
I won’t just need a glass of wine; I’ll need the entire bottle.
“Things might have always been confusing between us,” he says. I notice a fleeting weakness in his expression. “But that stops now.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Leon
Worry prickles up my spine with the thought that I’ve said too much or pushed her too far, too soon. Except the way she’s moving in for a kiss tells me everything I need to know: she wants this. Us.
She breaks the quiet with a whisper. “This is crazy.” Then, “Also unexpected, and most of all, really risky.”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I’m done playing it safe when it comes to you.” Because I have no plans of screwing this up.
“Same.”
The thrill of something new and unknown fills my chest with hope, but there’s also a touch of regret for waiting so long to tell her how I feel, which makes my temples hurt. If I had said something earlier, where would we be now? Married with kids? Or maybe we never would have lasted, and my immature lizard brain would have messed everything up.
I’ve always believed in divine timing.
And now is the moment.
I know it with every fiber of my being, every breath in my body, and every beat of my heart.
“Kiss me, Leon.” Her lips move against mine, making my heartbeat soar.
Until…
“Erika, it’s so good to see you.”
Startled, we both abruptly jump back from each other when my mom interrupts our life-changing moment, sounding excited to see Erika.
You have got to be kidding me?
“Oh, sorry, gosh, did I interrupt something? I feel like such a fool,” my mom rambles on as I sidestep toward my glass of wine, swipe it off the kitchen island, and finish it quickly while Erika turns to greet my mom.
“Hey, Val.” Erika’s cheeks flush with color. I’m not sure if it’s embarrassment from her disappearing act at the wedding or the fact that my mom caught us kissing. Well, not kissing, because she interrupted us.
Shit.
