by Lisa Suzanne
“Fine,” I snap. I hate the jealousy in my voice. We never labeled what we have as exclusive, but I sort of assumed we were after how much time we’ve been spending together. And just because his secretary is there doesn’t mean he’s sleeping with her.
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what?”
“You know what I mean. I can’t have this conversation now.”
I press my lips together. “Fine.”
“For the record, it’s kind of hot that you’re jealous of my secretary.”
“I’m not jealous,” I mutter. I’m totally jealous, though I’d never admit that. I hate Kelsey and I don’t even know her.
He laughs. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Fine. Bye.”
“That’s the third fine you’ve thrown at me in the last ten seconds.”
“I thought you had to go.”
“I do. I’m sorry, Reese. It’s just you. Okay?”
“Okay,” I say.
“That’s better than fine.”
I chuckle.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He hangs up first, and I stare down at my phone for a minute. I’m not typically a jealous person, but knowing sexy and sultry Kelsey is with him in Houston while I’m back here at home is enough to put me on alert. I think back to the conversation we had about her—the one where he said he hadn’t noticed how pretty she is.
If he hadn’t noticed it, then why didn’t he mention that she was going with him to Houston?
fourteen
“Lizzie?” Brian says, his jaw dropping. He pulls a pretty woman with dark hair into a hug. “What the hell are you doing here?”
We’re standing at a bar in the Aria near the entrance to the hall where tonight’s black tie networking event is being held. We’re at some media event celebrating the newest businesses in Vegas, a black tie affair with dinner and dancing, and Brian wanted to come to check things out. They’re on the short list for next year’s honorees. This year’s award recipients were selected before FDB Tech Corp officially opened its doors to the Vegas market. Brian just ordered our drinks when this woman tapped him on the shoulder.
The woman’s eyes slide over to me as Brian laces his arm around me, back to the sweet and protective boyfriend rather than the guy who made me worried he was sleeping with his secretary. I think back to that whole dumb fight. We’ve been dating for well over a month. We’ve spent pretty much every night together. I’m starting to fall for him and I’ve even relegated my one night with Mark Ashton to just one night. I still think of him often, and the emotions clouding that night are still fresh, but I’ve committed to giving myself wholly to Brian.
Something is in this woman’s eyes, something familiar and some emotion I can’t quite place. It’s not jealousy. Curiosity, maybe.
“Your secretary let me know you’d be here tonight and I thought it would be fun to surprise you. I’m here to see you and Beavis.”
Brian rolls his eyes. “Aren’t you a treat?” he asks.
She laughs and sticks out her hand to shake mine. “Since he’s not exactly taking the hint on introductions, hi, I’m Lizzie. Brian’s sister.”
A sense of relief washes over me, and I see the family resemblance that I somehow missed before. She’s tall and gorgeous with hair the same near-black as Brian’s and eyes the exact green shade as his. She even has that same imposing presence he does, like she owns the room but she’s glad you’re in it, too.
“I’m Reese. And I’ve heard so much about you,” I say as I knock her hand out of the way and pull her into a hug instead.
“You have?”
“He once told me his older sister is his secret weapon.”
“Oh?” She narrows her eyes at her brother. “In what way?”
“In training him how to treat a woman.”
Brian is mysteriously quiet during our exchange.
Lizzie raises a brow and looks at me again. “And have I succeeded?”
I nod. “He’s pretty wonderful.”
“He’s okay. Still my baby Butt-head brother.”
“Beavis and Butt-head?” I ask.
“From the nineties MTV cartoon. I’ve called them that since we were little.”
“Nice,” I say, giggling.
“Brian always hated being called little Butt-head.” She elbows him affectionately and he rolls his eyes.
I shrug. “If the shoe fits.”
“Hey,” he says sharply. “I don’t need you two ganging up on me.”
“Touchy, touchy,” Lizzie says. “Where’s Beavis?”
Brian shrugs. “Last time I checked, it wasn’t my day to watch him.”
“You can shove the sarcasm,” she says. “Aren’t you staying with him?”
“Yeah, until I find a place.”
“I didn’t know that,” I say.
Both of their heads turn to me.
“I didn’t know you were staying with your brother,” I say.
He nods. “Plus Jason and Becker.”
“You’re all living together?”
Lizzie smiles. “Beavis has a big place.”
“Will you be staying there, too?” I ask her.
She shakes her head. “I’ve got a room at the Mandarin. I don’t want to stay at the boy’s club. It’s like a damn frat house over there.” She looks over at Brian. “Haven’t you taken her there yet?”
A room at the Mandarin. My heart beats a little harder in my chest as I remember the last time I was at the Mandarin.
He shakes his head, and if I’m not mistaken, I see a bit of pleading pass from his eyes to hers. He masks it well, but there’s the tiniest hint of desperation there—something I’ve never once seen on his face before. He’s always been so disciplined, so in control.
I watch as some sort of understanding dawns on her face, and then she changes the subject.
“So, Reese, what do you do?” she asks.
“I’m a teacher.”
“Out for the summer?” she asks.
I nod.
“Nice.”
“Is Dave here?” he asks her.
She shakes her head. “He’s back home.” She looks at me. “Dave is my fiancé. He had work to do this weekend and I needed a getaway.”
Brian glances at his watch, and I can’t help but feel like he’s trying to get me away from his sister. “We need to get inside, Liz,” he says, nodding with his head to the doorway where the event is set to take place.
“Of course. Let’s meet up after. I’ll be hanging around the casino for a bit.”
“Why don’t you stay with me?” I blurt. “We have a spare room, and that way you don’t have to stay at a hotel.”
She looks at Brian, and he shoots her that same look of pleading desperation. It’s so fast that I nearly miss it. I feel like an outsider around these two, like there’s a giant secret they’re not letting me in on.
“That’s so sweet of you, Reese, but my room is already paid for. Next time.”
“Do you come to town often?” I ask.
“More now that both my brothers are here.” She looks at Brian. “You’ve even got Mom and Dad looking at houses online.”
Both my brothers are here.
Not only did I have no idea that Brian’s staying with his brother, I also had no idea that his brother lives here in Vegas.
This entire conversation has just reminded me how very little I know about the man I’m falling in love with.
“I’ll text you when we’re getting ready to leave,” he says, and then he grabs my hand and pulls me toward the reception hall.
Becker and Jill are already inside, and I can’t wait to dissect what just happened with my best friend. The only problem is that Brian hasn’t left my side—hasn’t given me even a minute to myself to chat in private with Jill. He keeps introducing me to people, tugging my arm, keeping me close. How the hell he already knows all these people when he’s only been in town for a month is beyond me.
&nb
sp; I want to ask him about that encounter with his sister, but I don’t even know where to start.
We eat, we drink, we dance, and the only time I get a moment alone is when I’m in the restroom, but Becker has Jill tied up the same way Brian’s had me tied up. They’re in the middle of a conversation with a couple of middle-aged businessmen in the spare moment I find myself alone, so I don’t bother to interrupt. We can talk at home tomorrow.
Brian texts his sister when we’re getting ready to leave. “Shoot,” he says once he gets her reply. “Looks like she already turned in for the night.”
“Too bad,” I say. “I’d love to chat more with her. She seems sweet.”
He just gives me a tight smile, and then we head back to my place…of course.
fifteen
“My brother’s having a few people over tonight since my sister’s in town.” I can’t quite get a gauge on Brian’s mood. He’s never been easy to read, exactly, but ever since we met up with his sister, he’s a damn enigma. We’re sitting on my couch in front of the television. Sitting is sort of a loose term. I’m sitting, and Brian’s laying across the couch with his head cradled against my lap. He’s facing the television as I stroke his hair.
“Okay,” I say lightly, hoping he’ll give me some insight into his frame of mine. “Sounds fun.”
He clears his throat. “I was thinking of not going, of having a night here, just you and me and a bottle of wine.”
Heavy disappointment settles into the pit of my stomach, but I mask it. “That’s fine. Whatever you want.” What I want to ask is why don’t you want to introduce me to your brother? Why don’t you want me around your sister? What changed between us?
“I don’t want you to think it’s about you,” he says softly, as if he can read my thoughts.
“Think what’s about me?” I ask.
“It’s them. Him.”
“What’s him?”
Brian sighs. “My brother is one of my best friends. We’ve just always had this extremely competitive relationship.” He untangles himself from my lap and sits up. When his eyes meet mine, my heart twists at the vulnerability in his. I’ve never seen him like this. “He has this way of charming women and wanting what’s mine, and he always gets what he wants.”
I press a palm to his cheek. “Brian, if you’re worried I’m going to run off with your brother, don’t be.” I keep my voice low and genuine. “I would love to meet your family, to learn more about you.”
He nods, fear replacing the vulnerability in his eyes.
“It doesn’t matter what he wants.”
“It doesn’t?” Brian asks.
I shake my head, my lips tipping up in a smile. “It doesn’t,” I confirm. “I don’t care how charming he is. I’m yours.”
“You’re mine,” he says softly. His eyes darken. “That’ll just make you more attractive to him.”
“Well you’re the brother I’m falling for.”
He blinks in surprise. “Falling for?”
I nod and brush it aside even though my cheeks burn in embarrassment. I can’t believe I let that slip out, no matter how true it is. “You don’t even know that he’ll try anything with me.”
He grunts out a laugh. “I know my brother. He’ll try, for sure.”
“How do you know?”
“You’re exactly his type.”
“And what type is that?”
“Sexy, brunette, smart. Legs for days. An ass that won’t quit.” He reaches over to grab one of my breasts. “And these. God, these.” He closes his eyes and I giggle. “He’ll want you, Reese, and I’m terrified he’ll go after you. I’m terrified you’ll want him, too, that you’ll leave me for him.” He’s pleading with me, and it tears a little piece of my heart. I wish he would let me in and tell me what’s happened between them in the past, but I don’t want to press more information out of him when clearly this is difficult for him. All I can do is assure him where my allegiance lies.
“I won’t,” I say, my voice fiercely adamant.
“Promise?” he asks.
I take his hand and loop my pinky finger around his. “Promise.” He takes me to the bedroom then and we seal our promise with much more than just our pinkies.
*
“Becker said there’s some big surprise tonight,” Jill says as we get ready for the big party. I’m working on my make-up while she curls her hair. We’re both still in our bathrobes and sipping occasionally from glasses of wine.
“I’m a little nervous,” I admit.
“Why?”
I shrug. “Brian was weird about me meeting his brother. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you last night, but we ran into his sister right before the event, and he kept shooting her weird looks.”
“What kind of looks?”
I brush some blush on my cheeks. “Like shut up kind of looks. Like he was silently telling her not to say anything.”
Jill’s brows draw together. “I wonder why.”
“We might find out tonight. Don’t you think it’s strange that neither of us has been to their house even though we’ve been seeing them for over a month?”
Jill shrugs. “Beck told me it’s crowded and loud all the time. He said it’s nice to come here and just relax.”
“Did you know they were all staying with Brian’s brother?”
She shakes her head. “Nope. He told me he was staying with Fox and Jason, but he didn’t mention the brother.”
“So weird. I wonder why it’s all so hush-hush.”
“Boys are just weird sometimes, you know?”
I nod and roll my eyes. “Ain’t that the truth?”
I’ve got a nice buzz going from the wine when Brian and Becker pick us up. Brian seems a little distracted and out of sorts as I sit up front with him while Becker and Jill talk quietly in the backseat.
Brian signals off the highway then maneuvers the car onto the Strip, which strikes me as very odd. I had no idea they lived in the heart of the action.
Traffic is slow, and all the red lights and honking horns do nothing good for the anxiety I feel as the car carries us closer to our final destination—wherever that may be. I get the sudden feeling in the pit of my stomach that this is a bad idea. If Brian wants to keep me away from his brother, he has his reasons, and I should respect those reasons.
He turns into the Mandarin Oriental. Anxiety presses heavily on me as my mouth goes dry.
I’m not ready to be here again. The Cosmopolitan was a little close for comfort a few weeks ago, and the Aria last night reminded me of that night again, but to be back here again with a different man…it’s too much.
I had no idea Brian was living at the Mandarin, but now that we’re pulling into the valet station, it makes a whole lot of sense. That morning I left Mark’s place and ran right into Brian and he helped me pick up all the shit that fell out of my purse…of course this is where he’s living. I was stupid not to make that connection before.
I take a deep breath and hold it in for a five count. I need Jill beside me because she’s the only one who might possibly understand what this means—being back here. It’s been well over a month, but that night still haunts me, and as I look around me at things I’ve seen before, flashes of Mark and our night together ghost through my mind. All the images that’ve been burned into my memories start attacking my brain from different angles. The feel of his lips against mine, his fingertips dragging up my thigh. The taste of his peppermint breath and the smell of his sandalwood skin. The view of the Strip and the view of him stripping. His velvet voice in my ear.
Brian gets out of the car and walks around to my side. He opens it and holds out his hand. I’m trembling as I slip my hand into his, scared to go into the building that holds so many painful memories that all trickle back to one unforgettable night.
Becker and Jill get out of the backseat and join us. Jill’s wide eyes meet mine, and she reaches for my hand and squeezes it in silent reassurance. Tears spring to my eyes, but I won’t
let them fall. I can’t. I’m here with Brian, to meet his brother, to make new memories—as desperate to wash away the old ones as I am to cling to them.
We walk through the doors toward the elevator, and it’s all very familiar as the ball of anxiety in my stomach feels like it may burst. Brian pushes the button to call the elevator. We get on the same car I traveled down that morning I left Mark’s place, and the haunting memories are right at the surface, filling the back of my throat with nausea. That same feeling of giddiness mixed with shame the last time I rode this exact elevator rushes over me.
The hotel only goes up through the twenty-third floor. When I got on the same elevator car with Mark, he pressed the button for the forty-seventh floor. The top floor. The penthouse. He told me there were other suites up there, too, and when we exited the elevator, we turned to the right and entered the door in the corner, the one marked 4701.
I assume Brian will press any button from twenty-four through forty-six. Never once does the idea enter my mind that he might hit forty-seven, and when he does, a searing pain squeezes my chest. I don’t want to be so affected by this—I don’t want to hold that connection between Mark and me so close to my heart still, not after all this time has passed, not after I’ve started a relationship with another man, not after I’ve started falling for another man.
But I do.
I take a deep breath, pushing away the images of Mark slamming me up against the mirrored elevator wall, shoving down the feel of his mouth on mine, our breath mingling and our bodies craving.
When we get off the elevator, I assume we’ll turn to the left. It’s the only option. When we turn to the right and Brian leads me to the door marked 4701—the same door I walked through just over a month ago, my heart stops. My ears buzz. My chest hurts. My stomach lurches.
It’s not possible.
“Your brother lives here?” I ask, my voice trembling. I sense that Jill is somewhere behind me, but she can’t have any inkling of what’s going on in my head.
“Yeah,” Brian says as he turns the knob and pushes open the door. He might’ve nodded to answer my question, I’m not sure—I can’t bear to look at him, can’t bear for him to see all the emotions my eyes surely hold, can’t bear the thought of going through the door and facing what—who—is on the other side. Instead, I focus my eyes on the door, trying everything in my power to forget, to let it go, to push one leg in front of the other and act like everything’s normal.