Page 94 of Falling for my Brother's Best Friend

“Promise.”

He rolls his eyes and blows out a breath. Everything about his body language says he’s pissed right now. “Fine. I promise.”

“What if we keep this thing between us a secret for a while?”

He stands from the couch so fast, my hand flies off his thigh, almost smacking me in the eye. Okay, wrong thing to say.

“I should’ve realized it would come to this. I’m curious, what is it you’re so ashamed of about me? Because Smokin’ Guns is a successful business. I own my house outright. I’m a standup guy.”

“It’s none of that. I’m not ashamed. Why would you think that?” I shake my head because we’ll address that later. “I just can’t do it yet. I’m not ready to be in the public eye, and if you sit back down, I’ll explain the reason.”

He stays standing with his hands on the back of the couch, not looking at me.

“Please, Liam. Just… can we have a conversation about this?”

He releases another long breath through his nose, but he rounds the couch and sits back down. I slide closer and take his hand, but it’s as limp as a dead fish. We’re going to have to address his thoughts about not being good enough for me at some point, but I’m about to tell him something only Dori and I and our accountant are aware of.

“You know how North Forest Lumber closed its doors a bit ago?”

He nods.

“Well, Bailey Timber hired a lot of the workers at the plant and a few of their admins. They weren’t going to get severance and we figured—well, I figured we’d get the contracts that Clint had stolen off us, plus some of their other customers. But that hasn’t been as successful as I hoped. Another competitor has popped up in Anchorage and wooed some away. I put the company in a bad position. If we don’t secure at least five new contracts by the end of next month, I’m going to have to lay people off for the first time since I took over the business.”

His hand grips mine. I knew he’d feel for me. That’s Liam. He’s always empathetic to others, which is probably why so many people in town love him.

“I’m sorry you’re having to deal with that, Sav, but that’s business. And you and I are definitely not business. I understand that people will be upset, but you tried to help when they had nowhere else to go. They’ll get it.”

I shake my head. “I failed them. I failed the town. I took a risk when Grandma Dori told me not to. She said to let them go on unemployment and we’ll hire them once we got the contracts. But I was so sure that the only reason our clients left was because Clint Edison bad-mouthed us that I fought her on it. I wanted to have them hired and trained in our way of doing something before the contracts moved over.”

“I understand the pressure you’re under and I get that you feel bad for what’s going on with the company, but I’m not sure what that has to do with us right now.”

I press my lips together. “If I go out there and say I started this new relationship and Buzz Wheel reports their bullshit stories, next month when I have to announce lay-offs, people are going to say it’s because I was too busy dating you and I wasn’t paying enough attention to the company.”

He sinks back into the couch. Either he agrees or thinks I’m crazy, I can’t tell. But he has no idea what it’s like to be picked apart for every decision, to be under the microscope for every little thing. “Just because you run a company doesn’t mean you don’t get to have a life.”

I nod. “I know, and I agree. But give me some time. I have some more conference calls this week. We’re close to getting some commitments. But I promise you…” I slide one leg over his lap and straddle him, placing my hands on either side of his face. “This has nothing to do with me being embarrassed or thinking you’re not the type of man I’m supposed to be with.” I press a kiss to his lips but draw back when he doesn’t reciprocate. “Last night was amazing and I’m all in for this thing between us. Just give me some time. I’ll email Buzz Wheel myself.”

“What would you say?” He looks intrigued now.

“I’d say I saw Savannah Bailey and Liam Kelly making out in the gazebo and she was all over him. When they tore apart for a minute, her smile radiated, and I’d say she’s met her Prince Charming.”

He laughs and I smile at him, still not letting his face go. “Will you refer to my dick size?”

I laugh and swat his chest.

He uses my moment of weakness to flip me onto my back on the couch. “All in?”

“All in.”

“You have one month.”

“Deal. Seal it with a kiss?”

“Tempting, but I’ll pass.” He pretends to get off me, but I grab at his shoulders.

“Hey!”

“You know, I should hold out on you until we go public.”

“Well. You have to do what you have to do.” I slide out from under him, but I’m halfway off the couch, my head hanging over the edge, when he locks his hips to mine.

He pushes my T-shirt up over my head and his mouth descends on my breast, twirling my nipple with his tongue.

“Hey!” I kick my feet, but he doesn’t stop except to push the T-shirt completely off of me—which doesn’t take much since it’s so huge on me.

“Shit!” We both slide and end up on the floor. But that’s okay, rug burn never put anyone in the hospital.

We spend the entire day in bed in our own secret paradise, ignoring Denver’s desperate messages asking if he can come home.

Best. Day. Ever.

---