Another shiver runs through me, but I shake it off when I see an email pop into my inbox with the subject line “Article Approved.” With a smile on my face, I sign out and pack my things. I’m happy I get to leave early. This will give me more time to spend at home with Preston and my family. It’s going on 2 p.m. when I make it to the parking lot, and it’s nearly 3 p.m. by the time I’m packing my car for the weekend.
As I make the long drive home to central Illinois, my mind goes back to the daydream I always have, only this time, when I tell Preston how I feel, he looks at me with pity as he shares the news of his recent engagement. That would be my luck. You’d think that since these are my daydreams, I’d have control over them, but nope. They surprise me just as much as they would anyone else. Things like this make me not want to tell him how I feel at all.
Instead of thinking about what his reaction might be, I instead try to remember the good times we’ve shared. Like that drunken kiss when I was 16.
I reach out and spin the bottle. Everyone watches intently as it spins and spins. I look away, glancing at all the smiling guys who are watching the bottle spin. And then I look at the one guy I want to kiss. He isn’t smiling. In fact, he looks a little afraid that it’ll land on him.
The bottle starts to slow and I watch it, willing it to land on Preston. Like I had some kind of mental control over it, the bottle stops and I follow the neck to see where it’s pointing. Preston.
His eyes are wide with fear and his lips are slightly parted. I smile up at him as his tongue slips out, wetting his lips. Everyone in the circle is hooting and cheering, clapping and whispering. So many of them have questioned our relationship before. I mean, Preston sleeps with everyone and I’m already around him all the time anyway. They can’t figure out if we’ve slept together or if we’re really just the friends we claim to be.
I get up on my knees and lean toward the center of the circle as Preston does the same, only he doesn’t shy away. He doesn’t move slowly like I’m doing. He’s in a hurry—whether it’s a hurry to kiss me or a hurry to get it over with, I don’t know, but he doesn’t waste any time.
He reaches for me and his hand lands on the base of my neck, pulling my lips to his. His lips are soft and strong—sweet but with the lingering bitterness of beer. His tongue rubs against mine and my eyes flutter closed. My entire body feels like it’s been lit on fire. I don’t know if it’s the embarrassment I feel with everyone watching or if it’s because he’s touching me, but it’s a burn I enjoy nonetheless.
Just as I place my arms around his neck, he pulls away. His face is red and his eyes are glassy. His body seems harder than it did before and his back is straight. I smile as a giggle escapes at the awkwardness of our moment, but he’s stock-still, not smiling, not moving, not even looking at me.
The kiss itself was amazing, but the way he acted like he’d just been made to eat a worm was a bit of a turnoff. I still can’t figure out why. Was he repulsed by the thought of kissing me? Was it all a show to make everyone believe kissing wasn’t something we’d done before? Was he worried it’d end our friendship?
I guess I’ll never really know, because I’ll never get up the nerve to ask him. I can live with not knowing; I’ve done it this long. What I can’t live with is his rejection—not after I’ve seen him with the quantity of women I have. He’s never turned down anyone. It’s only ever been me, so I prefer to believe it’s because we’re friends and he doesn’t want to risk what we have. Yes, that sounds better than the thought that I’m not good enough.
Click here to finish reading The Wrong Brother.
Also by Alexis Winter
Love You Forever Series
The Wrong Brother
Marrying My Best Friend’s BFF
Breaking Up with My Boss
My Accidental Forever
The F It List
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Slade Brothers Series
Billionaire’s Unexpected Bride
Off Limits Daddy
Baby Secret
Loves Me NOT
Best Friend’s Sister
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Grand Lake Colorado Series
A Complete Small-Town Contemporary Romance Collection
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Make Her Mine Series
My Best Friend’s Brother
Billionaire With Benefits
My Boss’s Sister
My Best Friend’s Ex
Best Friend’s Baby
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Castille Hotel Series
Hate That I Love You
Business & Pleasure
Baby Mistake
Fake It
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South Side Boys Series
Bad Boy Protector-Book 1
Fake Boyfriend-Book 2
Brother-in-law’s Baby-Book 3
Bad Boy’s Baby-Book 4
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Mountain Ridge Series
Just Friends: Mountain Ridge Book 1
Protect Me: Mountain Ridge Book 2
Baby Shock: Mountain Ridge Book 3
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**ALL BOOKS CAN BE READ AS STAND-ALONE READS WITHIN THESE SERIES**
About the Author
Alexis Winter is a contemporary romance author who loves to share her steamy stories with the world. She specializes in billionaires, bad boys, alpha males and the women they love.
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If you love to curl up with a good romance book you will certainly enjoy her work. Whether it's a story about an innocent young woman learning about the world or a sassy and fierce heroin who knows what she wants you,'re sure to enjoy the happily ever afters she provides.
When Alexis isn't writing away furiously, you can find her exploring the Rocky Mountains, traveling, enjoying a glass of wine or petting a cat.
You can find her books on Amazon or here: https://www.alexiswinterauthor.com/
Naughty or Nice: A Friends to Lovers Christmas Romance Page 15