“No!” She fought to turn, but his hold wouldn’t budge. “Please. Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.”
Shocked at the fear slicing through her, she wrapped her hands around his wrists and hugged them to her stomach.
“Shh, I’m not leaving you alone, Vee. I’m just going to wait in the hall while you get dressed.”
His words should have calmed her, except her heart still raced and she couldn’t unclench her fingers from where they were digging into his arms.
Tears stung her eyes and the back of her throat seemed to shrink making it hard to swallow—to breathe.
She knew her reactions were out of proportion—melodramatic—but she couldn’t stifle the panic rising in her chest.
“Shh…” He pressed closer, his body curling around hers. “It’s okay.”
He held her in the dimly lit closet until the panic receded, until her heartbeat slowed and she didn’t feel as though she was going to fly apart anymore. She took a deep breath and eased her hands away from his wrists.
“I’m fine now,” she murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper.
“You were always fine, Vee.” He let her go and stepped back. “I’ll be in the hall. Come out when you’re dressed and we’ll go downstairs and talk.”
He left before she could tell him she didn’t want to talk. She knew he’d want her to rehash tonight’s events, and that was the last thing she wanted to do.
She’d prefer to talk about their relationship, but she doubted that was on the cards tonight either. What she really needed was something to take her mind off everything. And she knew just the thing.
Somehow she’d convince him to watch a movie with her. Wade had a huge selection of streaming services. There was bound to be the perfect distraction on one of them.
She pulled on a pair of cut-off sweat pants. Tossing the towels aside, she grabbed one of the soft t-shirts she preferred to sleep in, and threw it over her head. If she was going to curl up in Wade’s movie room she’d be more comfortable without underwear.
Besides, she didn’t sleep in any and she planned to silence her turbulent thoughts by numbing her mind with movie after movie until she fell asleep in front of the monster screen her brother had installed.
True to his word, Brent waited outside her door. Leaning against the wall, ankles crossed and hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans, he made her heart skip and her mouth water.
He was one mighty fine specimen of a man.
Her hands itched to run up his chest and she wanted to explore every dip and hollow on his body with her lips.
Oh boy, she was in trouble.
Obviously the blinkers she’d worn for years where he was concerned had been well and truly removed.
He pushed off the wall and held out his hand. “Come on. I’ll buy you a coffee.”
She laughed at his joke. He always ribbed her brother about his expensive coffee-shop-worthy machine.
Taking his hand she let him lead her downstairs.
The house was cool but not cold, the warm late-summer breeze blowing through the open windows filling the rooms with salt-scented air.
It wasn’t until she’d moved back home a few weeks ago that she’d realized how much she missed this house, missed the welcoming embrace she felt cradled in whenever she was here. There were so many memories inside these walls.
Good and bad.
He tugged her through to the kitchen and urged her onto a stool. “The usual?” he asked.
“Yes.” She watched him move about efficiently. He might rib her brother about his extravagant machine, but he’d obviously mastered the appliance. “For a machine you’re always poking fun at, you seem well-acquainted with it.”
“Hey, I’m not stupid. No point cutting my nose off to spite my face.” He grinned at her. “I might not see the point in spending thousands of dollars on a kitchen gadget, but that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy it if someone else does.”
“Good thing Wade isn’t above indulging himself then.”
