“What—what did he look like?” My mouth goes dry as I try to imagine Wade in a protective fury…over me.
“Jealous.”
I shake my head. “Not possible. Wade and I are like brother and sister.”
Sophie barks out a short laugh. “Trust me. Brothers donotlook at their sisters likethat.”
Chapter Fifteen
BREE
It’s late by the time I get back to the apartment. A light breeze rustles through the nearby palms, carrying an earthy scent from a brief rain shower.
I pause in front of the door with Sophie’s words repeating in my head, wreaking havoc with my frontal cortex. That’s all I could think about on the ride home. I haven’t known Sophie long, but I feel like I can trust her.
So, what if she’s right? What if Wade does have feelings for me? I don’t even know how to process that, but I can’t deny the tingles running through my entire body at the thought. Sure, Wade’s attractive—very attractive. Maybe I’ve noticed more so since I arrived, but I just assumed that was because he’s bulked up over the last year, and I’m simply appreciating his male form.
But what if it’s more than that? Am I developingfeelingsfor Wade?
I jiggle my keys in my hand, noticing the feel of them against my skin, and take a deep breath. This is crazy. I’m behaving like a silly teenage girl who just found out a boy has a crush on her, and suddenly she has stars in her eyes for him.
Well, maybe not stars. More like curiosity or intrigue.
Wade and I are best friends. That’s it. Whatever Sophie thinks she saw, she must be mistaken. Wade’s always been fierce about the people he loves. There isn’t a more loyal and caring person on this planet. I’m almost positive that’s what Sophie witnessed on his face.
Well, mostly. That’s the story I’m running with before my heart and my brain go to war with each other. The last thing I need right now is more romantic drama. I’ve had more than my fair share over the last year. Enough to consider staying single for the rest of my life. At this point, I’m content to become one of those cat women, except with Chihuahuas. I don’t do cats.
I move to insert the key into the door when it flies open.
Wade stands there, filling the doorway with his broad shoulders sheathed in a very soft-looking heather gray T-shirt, black joggers that tug over his muscular thighs, and a concerned expression that makes him appear more broody than grumpy.
“I was starting to worry about you.” He steps to the side so I can walk in.
As I brush by him, his musky, spicy scent wafts up my nose. I have this urge to wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face against his chest to see if his shirt’s as soft as it looks and if his pecs feel as muscular and firm as I imagine.
It’s like every cell in my body suddenly stood up and took notice of this man standing in front of me…worrying about me. I don’t recall my heart beating this fast in reaction to Wade, except for the times we raced on our horses to see who got back to the barn first.
Now I’m starting to worry about me, too.
As he shuts and locks the door, I hold my arms out to my sides. “I’m fine. See?”
I’m not sure why I said that. Do I want him to look at me so I can search his face for something that may or may not be there? I’ve memorized the planes of his features, noticed how the colorof his eyes shifts between hazel and green when he’s happy, and catalogued every version of his smile, but I’ve never noticed him look at me in any other way than friendship.
But have I truly seen him?
Our gazes connect and lock. His eyes look greener than hazel at the moment, and the start of a smirk sits on his lips. “Looks like you had a good time.”
I drape my purse over the dining room chair in front of my laptop and sit down. “I did. The girls are great. They’ve really made me feel welcome.”
The smirk turns into a genuine smile, as if he likes whatever he’s seeing. Or is that relief because he won’t have to be my one and only friend during one of the most challenging times of my life?
“That’s great. I had a feeling you would hit it off with them. You need friends here.”
Guess that’s enough confirmation right there. Feeling mischievous, I fold my leg under me and tilt my face toward him. “Why? I already have you.”
His smile falters as he slips his hands into the pockets of his joggers. Are his ears turning red? His hair is on the longish side, so I can only see part of them, but they definitely appear darker right now.
I’ve never noticed that happening before. Ever.
