AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rocco turned a hand palm up. “Dude, you’ve seen me out with women. What kind of guy do you think I am?”
“Sorry, man.” Dylan waved a hand dismissively. “I just had trouble putting the two of you together.”
“How do you guys know each other?” Tiffany asked.
“From NightCaps.” Dylan handed Tiffany her purse. “You left this in the cab. Is everything okay?”
NightCaps? The bar?“I, um, our father’s not well.” The pit of her stomach sank. Between seeing Dylan and the shock of him knowing her brother, her father had fallen to the back of her mind. She hated herself for that, and it was proof that she was not wired to function well when things were out of her control. Suddenly the weight of where they were, and what it meant, hit her. She turned away so Dylan wouldn’t see the tears burning in her eyes, and a moment later, he folded her into his arms.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
She bristled at the intimate embrace. He ran a hand gently down her back, holding her against all his hard muscles, safe and—Holy shit. It was happening again. She pushed from his arms. The embrace had lasted only a few seconds, but like his kisses, it shattered her guard. Where was kryptonite when she needed it?
He shifted his eyes to Rocco, who was now looking at her with an even bigger question in his eyes.
The last thing she wanted to do was answer questions about that embrace.That stupid, heartwarming, thoughtful embrace.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Dylan offered. “Do you want me to call someone for you? To stick around in case you need someone to lean on?”
She folded her arms over her stomach, hating the fluttery feelings his kindness stirred. She was used to having to fight for everything: returned phone calls, meetings, coffee at the damn café.Air. Sidewalk space. Whatdidn’tshe have to fight for in New York City?
“Thanks,” she finally managed. “But I’m fine, really.”
“We’re good, man. Thanks for…” Rocco raised a brow at Tiffany.
“Bringing my purse,” she said stiffly. “Thank you.”
Dylan leaned down, and his masculine scent made her stomach quiver anew. He kissed her cheek and whispered, “Looking forward to that rain check,Summers, but I’m also a hell of a good listener. If you need an ear, I’m in apartment 801. You can even bring your phone.”
With a flirtatious smile and a cocky wink aimed at her, then a friendly nod toward her brother, he turned to leave. Of course, now she was staring at his hot-as-sin ass as he walked away.
She groaned and spun on her heel, realizing then that nearly every woman within fifty feet wasalsoenjoying the view.
Rocco draped an arm over her shoulder. “So, baby sister. You and my man Bad?”
“No.” She felt a strange pang of disappointment and fought the urge to turn and take one last peek at Dylan, becausedamn, she’d never been kissed like that before, andLord have mercy, the man’s fingers were beyond talented. But it was the compassion in his voice, the tenderness of that single embrace, that had her mind wondering,What if…?
“Must have been an illusion,” Rocco said as they approached the nurses’ station.
“What?” She stole a glance at the exit, disappointed that Dylan was already gone.
“I could have sworn the ice queen melted a little when you were in his arms.”
She socked him in the arm, fighting a smile at the well-earned nickname he’d given her in high school.
“Dylan’s a nice guy,” Rocco said lightly. “You should give him a chance. Enjoy yourself a little.”
I already enjoyed myself way more than a little.
“Who has time for that?”Certainly not me. Rocco’s comment didn’t really surprise her. She’d never been a girl whose brothers needed to protect her. They taught her to play sports, be tough, and even throw solid punches. He knew she could handle herself.
“You’re already one of the best sports agents around. How much more can you want?” He gave her the look he’d been giving her his whole life, the look that said,You’re already keeping up with the big boys; give it a rest.
As she had her whole life, she ignored that look, because she knew, as did her professional rugby-playing brother, that when you let your guard down, when you sat back and enjoyed what you had, that was when you got blindsided.
“As much as I can get,” she answered, more to herself than to him.
Turning her attention to the reason she was there, she squared her shoulders and put on her game face. The face that had pulled her through the past twenty-two years since her mother had abandoned them to be with another man, through too many male-dominated sports-related conferences to remember, and through countless other life-altering events where there was no room for weakness. That perfectly practiced mask greeted the elderly nurse behind the desk.
