“Huh?” I knit my brows together and glanced up from the haphazard sketches in front of me.
Maya, my very pregnant sister-in-law, joined me in her living room with a bowl of oatmeal in hand. “I saw you take off in a car last night. Hot date?”
She wiggled her eyebrows, and I tried not to laugh. Cameron emerged from the kitchen, the scowl noticeable on his face.
My smile faded. “More of a business meeting.”
“With?” Maya sank into the couch adjacent to me, rested the bowl on her belly, and took a spoonful to her mouth.
“Will Donovan. I met him at the new location yesterday. He wanted to discuss…some design direction with me.”
I felt guilty for lying, but if Cameron knew, his reaction would be murderous.
“And how did that go?” Cameron’s deep voice filled the room, his overprotectiveness not to be missed.
“Fine. I noticed some of the build-out wasn’t going to plan. I voiced my concerns, and he’s agreed to give me creative control.” As long as I agree to sleep with him.
I wanted to flog myself for even considering it, but I’d woken up with Will’s proposition as prominent in my mind as it had been when I’d driven away from him last night.
I’d cycled through all the emotions. Fury that he’d be so bold to think I’d ever consider it. Frustration that bringing up his bad behavior to my brothers would only hurt the project that we’d all invested so much into. And finally, a spark of intrigue at what such a misadventure could be like.
He frowned, and for a second, I worried he could see the truth written on my features.
“He picked you up in a private car to give you creative control over his investment?”
“Something like that,” I said, my voice light.
“So what did you think about him?” Maya asked.
I shrugged. “He’s okay. Kind of cocky.” And rude. And incredibly sexy.
Maya snorted. “Typical finance guy.”
“He’s a real estate developer. And typical or not, he’s the one who’s putting his money on the line,” Cameron said.
He was right, and I probably should have cared more about Will’s very important investment. But in this moment, I was more concerned about the way my body paid attention when he was near. His easy and confident way irritated me as much as it aroused me.
“He was making changes to the plans,” I said, without looking at my brother directly.
“If it’s a problem, I can step in, Liv. This needs to stay on schedule.”
“I’m aware of that. So is Will. Trust me,” I said, hoping to reassure him.
His expression remained taut. “Okay. Well, keep me in the loop.” He softened when he leaned down to kiss Maya. “I have to head to the gym and take care of some things. You okay?”
“I’m good.” She smiled, her brown eyes glittering when they met his concerned expression.
He gently rested his hand on the swell of her belly. “Call if you need anything. Anything, okay?”
“I promise. I will. Now go to work, and I’ll try not to go into labor while you’re gone.”
He kissed her again and left us.
When the door clicked shut behind him, Maya blew out an audible breath. “Sorry. He’s gone into big-brother-overprotective-daddy mode lately.”
“I know. He’s always been like that. Probably will only get worse now.”
She put her bowl to the side and folded her legs up on the couch. “So tell me what really happened with Will.”
I widened my eyes a fraction. “Nothing. That’s pretty much it.”
She canted her head. “Don’t bullshit me, Liv. I’ve seen Will. He’s a dream. Any sparks?”
I shrugged because I didn’t know what to say. Sparks had flown, along with an indecent proposal and some very inappropriate banter. I couldn’t risk telling Maya because it might get back to Cameron. I trusted her, but he was her husband and their confidences came first.
“He’s definitely not husband material,” I said, using Will’s own words.
She fiddled with the tail on her long blond braid. “I don’t think many single guys are. But you have to start dating at some point. You can’t stay cloistered in your apartment downstairs forever.”
I let out a short laugh. “I’m sure the last thing Cam wants is for me to start bringing dates home.”
“He’d get over it. Eventually.”
I shook my head, because he wouldn’t.
Between Cameron and Darren hovering constantly, I could hardly give a guy a second glance at the gym, let alone my number. Even if I did, the prospect of entertaining any kind of normal dating relationship opened up another world of problems. My parents’ world, specifically. I’d seen what they’d put Cameron and Darren through with their romantic relationships, but I wasn’t like my brothers. They were fiercely independent, strong-willed in the face of our parents’ judgments.
Frank and Diane Bridge weren’t letting me slip away into the arms of just any man without one hell of a fight. They’d all but promised me this. I wasn’t in the mood for that fight.
“I have plenty of time to date. I want to focus on the business right now.”
“Listen, Cameron is going to have his hands full when the baby comes. Between that and work, he probably wouldn’t notice if you shaved your head. Promise me you’ll try to get out there a little more. I’d offer to be your wing woman, but you know.” She gestured to her very pregnant state with a silly smile.
I laughed. “I’m not in any rush, but I’ll give it some thought, okay?”
Oddly, I couldn’t envision jumping into the dating scene, but I could imagine taking Will up on his ridiculous offer.
Being with him could be safe because he wasn’t a prospect. Neither of us wanted a relationship, and he wasn’t someone I’d have to measure up against my parents’ or anyone else’s standards. Truth was, this arrangement could be perfect.
Or it could be a complete disaster.
“What are you working on?” Maya pulled me from my tumultuous thoughts and pointed toward my notebook.
“Just sketching some things out for the baby’s room.”
Maya had enlisted my art major skills to paint a mural for my nephew’s nursery, but I’d yet to begin.
“You should start soon. My due date is a few weeks away, but I have no idea when this little guy will decide to show up.”
“I know. I want it to be perfect though.” I’d gone through a dozen drafts, but nothing felt good enough.
“Anything painted with love by his auntie will be perfect. Just go for it. Have fun with it.” She smiled warmly, but her gentle encouragement wasn’t enough to nudge me out of my creative funk.
I hadn’t painted since graduation. I’d been thrown into work with my dad and pushed into dating someone I had zero interest in. The turmoil should have driven me toward an outlet, but I’d been too busy starting over in the city to tap that passion. I’d latched onto Cameron’s life instead, ignoring the one thing that used to really make me happy.
“Hey.”
Maya’s concerned gaze came back into focus. “What?”
“You went someplace else for a minute. What’s on your mind, Liv?”
I sighed and tossed down my pencil. “I don’t know. It’s been almost a year since I moved in, and I still feel…off somehow. Like I’m treading water and have no idea where I’m supposed to go next.”
She was thoughtful a moment. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No, you and Cam have already done so much. I’m living in your house. I feel like a total leech on your life sometimes.”
“Don’t be crazy. You helped Cam turn this place into a home before I even got here.”
“But you’re a couple now, and you’re about to be a family. You don’t need a fourth person lurking around.”
She laughed loudly. “You don’t lurk. You’re my friend, and now you’re my sister. I like having you here. If you leave, who’s going to gang up on Ca
m with me when I need to get my way?”
I smiled. Maya and I had gone to college together, lived in the same dorm, and a fast friendship had formed. Then she started dating my brother, and when their relationship fell apart, so did ours. I’d cut things off, resentful of how Cameron had dealt with the separation from Maya. I’d been young, too, and misguided by my mother’s disapproval of her.
I hadn’t always been fair, but I was more grateful than Maya probably realized that she’d come back into our lives. For Cameron’s sake and for mine. After years of the silence, we were slowly rebuilding a friendship that I’d missed so much.
“I’m serious, you know. We love having you here.”
I exhaled a sigh. “Thank you. I guess something’s missing, is all. I’m just not sure what it is yet.”
“Well, when you figure it out, I’m here for you. To talk and bitch. Whatever you need.”
I nodded, pretending for her sake that whatever was missing in my life could be fixed that easily. But in a matter of weeks, Maya’s life would dramatically transform. As grateful as I was for our rekindled friendship, she’d have bigger priorities than tending to the emptiness that had taken up residence around my heart.
Chapter Three
IAN
I flipped through the morning news channels, landing on a story that covered the three-alarm fire I had worked the night before. The electrical fire had sparked in the basement and spread quickly, consuming most of the building. Thankfully, we were able to get everyone out and contain it. I was exhausted, but my adrenaline was still kicking hours after my shift had ended.
The news segment played out, and I caught a glimpse of my face as I worked the hose.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
Will shuffled out in a pair of mesh shorts. His hair was sticking up. He glanced at the television. “Fuck what?”
“I have to pay for dinner at the station tonight. Standing rule when one of our faces hits the papers or the news.”
He chuckled and went to the kitchen, emerging a couple of minutes later with a steaming cup of coffee from the fresh pot I’d brewed.
He sat at the end of the couch, took a sip, and rested his head back with a tired sigh.
“What’s with you?”
He rubbed his eyes. “Ah, I didn’t get a lot of sleep.”
I smirked. “Sounds promising. Who kept you up?”
“No one. Got shot down, and I could have really used the company.”
“Not often that you let one slip through your fingers. She must have been a piece of work. Either that or you were on your worst behavior.”
“Little bit of both. But Olivia Bridge is definitely a piece of work. I’m determined though.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Hoping to hear from her today, actually.”
I stared at him, frozen as I replayed his words in my head. Had I heard him right? “Wait. Olivia Bridge? As in Darren and Cameron’s sister?”
“That’s the one. I take it you’ve met her?”
“A couple times at the gym. Darren nearly broke my face for looking too long.”
He grinned and blew a puff of steam off his mug. “Can’t blame you for looking. I took her out last night and couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Would be a lot easier to get her under me if her brothers stayed out of the way, though. Either way, she’s an adult. She sure as hell has her own mind.”
Guilt swirled in my gut. I loved women, and I’d taken my fair share to bed. Will and I were cut from the same cloth that way. My friend’s baby sister getting mixed up with either one of us definitely wasn’t good news, especially if Darren got wind of it.
“So what’s the plan?” If she’d already shot him down, maybe there wasn’t one.
“Just waiting on her to make the next move. I’ll let you know if it goes anywhere.”
He winked, and more guilt took root.
I was between apartments and had accepted a room at Will’s place a few months ago in return for some side work that he needed for his renovation. In that time, we’d gotten to know each other well. An easy friendship had formed, and women were a regular part of our interactions. We pursued them, enjoyed them, and sometimes we even shared them.
Putting Olivia anywhere near that category challenged my already taxed nerves. Darren was one of my best friends. I’d saved his life, and I knew he’d do the same for me in a heartbeat. His sister was a ten, but fuck.
I tried to focus on the television, which was now broadcasting a political story that made me want to throw the remote. Same shit, different day.
I stood and tossed the remote to Will. “I’m going to clean up and get some sleep. I’ll catch you later.”
“All right. Hey, I need you to help me pick out some of the materials for the condos above the Bridge site. You want to swing by there later? You owe me rent, and my bathrooms need tile.”
I laughed. “Yeah, sure. I’ll come by before my shift tonight.”
Once in my room, I hastily undressed and fell into bed. Behind my eyelids, a vision of Olivia formed. Those icy blue eyes that I couldn’t forget. Every time we met, I had to fight every primal instinct not to make a move on her. I could hardly fault Will.
Not voicing some reservation felt like a betrayal to Darren, but I couldn’t keep Will from pursuing a beautiful woman.
But if he managed to get her into bed…
I groaned and rubbed my eyes. Damn. We weren’t going to share her. No matter how much I might want to.
WILL
The scent of wood and dust tinged the air. I stood still with my arms crossed. The sounds of progress filled my ears, but my thoughts were far away from the work that was being done before me.
Three days had passed. I’d had Tom rip out the studs of the entryway wall and add reinforcements to support Olivia’s dream glass wall. Wishful thinking, perhaps. I hadn’t texted or called, and I hadn’t heard a word from her either. The gauntlet had been thrown, and I’d be damned if I was going to beg.
Cameron had come by to discuss progress. Neither of us had mentioned Olivia, but I sensed an undercurrent of tension between us that hadn’t existed before. Perhaps he’d learned of my dinner with her, but for the sake of our working relationship for the remainder of this project, I sincerely hoped that Olivia had omitted the finer details of our conversation.
A vision of her pressed against my car flashed across my mind. Her brown hair blowing in wisps. Her soft pink lips, parted and full. Her body communicating in a thousand subtle ways that she wanted me to kiss her. I should have, and then she would have given me an answer right then.
Instead, I’d let her go.
I hadn’t wanted to give her time to think. But the less impulsive part of me knew her surrender would be all the sweeter if she could talk herself into it and save me the guilt. No room for regret. Still, I wasn’t quite sure how to handle seeing her again if the answer was no. I wasn’t used to getting shot down.
Only time would tell. But how much time?
I cursed quietly as the rest of my crew went to work nailing up drywall, the next phase of turning the first floor into a fully outfitted fitness center in a few short weeks. On an average day, I’d be preoccupied with the transformation. Today I was preoccupied with something else entirely, and it was driving me fucking crazy.
Fuck it.
Kevin, my drywall guy, was carrying sheets in a few at a time. I went to help him and spent the next four hours making a total mess of myself. The work was labor intensive, but I relished it. My back hurt, I was covered in drywall dust, and I’d almost forgotten all about Olivia Bridge.
Until she walked in the front door.
“Boss!” Tom hollered through the hum of drills and motioned toward her.
She stood a few feet away, looking like the goddess that she was. Tight dark jeans and heeled black boots. A simple white tee under the same little blazer that didn’t cover an inch of her tits. My palms tingled and my cock throbbed. Why did I want this woman so damn bad? If I were smart,
I’d have started looking elsewhere as soon as she’d driven out of sight the other night. Now I’d been dreaming of her for days and wanted to fuck her more than I wanted air.
I brushed myself off and stalked toward her. “You come to check on progress, princess?”
She lifted her chin. “I came to talk.”
I hesitated, trying to read her, but she wasn’t giving me anything.
“It’s loud in here. Let’s go upstairs.”
I led the way to the yet unfinished condos, which were completely quiet, thanks to the expensive soundproofing we’d installed between each floor. The sound of her heels on the unfinished floor marked her entrance behind me.
I slowed at the center of the large room and turned to face her. “What did you want to talk about, Miss Bridge?”
“You know me well enough by now. You can call me Olivia.”
“We’re hardly intimate.” I raked her in again from head to toe, taking my time. Why’d she have to show up looking so fucking edible?
Her lips tightened, and she looked past me quickly. “About that.”
“You’re referring to my proposal? Do you have an answer for me?” On the inside, I prayed for progress. If she showed any weakness on the matter, I swore then and there I’d show no mercy.
“I do.”
I held her stare. “You made me wait. Not sure if we still have a deal,” I lied.
She cocked her head. “Really? I didn’t see a wall when I walked in.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, I had a little chat with Cameron. I reconsidered your suggestion, and I think you’re right. Aesthetically, it was worth the extra pennies.” Lies. I’d made the call well before her big brother had come poking around for updates. I’d done it for her and no one else.
“I guess there’s no reason for me to be here, then.” She didn’t move an inch.
“No more suggestions? You’re good with me taking the reins from here?”
She exhaled a breath through her nose. “What is this about, Will? I don’t want to play games.”
I went to her until our bodies were inches apart, until I could smell her expensive perfume and see the pebbles under her shirt. The ache to haul her against me raged. But I was dirty, and she was too perfect right now.
Over the Edge: The Bridge Series: Book Three Page 3