Page 12 of Finally a Bride: Best Friend's Brother

“Not sure I can fit through the door.”

“You can… just slide in sideways. Mal and I have been up here a couple times when we were drunk.”

She has something in her other hand, but I can’t see what.

Probably that insulin raising sandwich monstrosity.

I shiver remembering how sweet it was. But would her tongue be sweet?

I do as she instructs, and I slide into the floor, the boards hold but creak.

She reaches in and hands me a square wrapped with paper towels. I open it as she settles across from me in the seven-by-seven area, with about a circle the size of a tire in the middle. Close, but not too close.

I wish you were closer, Ella.

I pull back the layers. Ham. Cheese. Light mayo. “How did you know?”

“Your mom, but I would have guessed about the same.”

She pulls a drink out of her back pocket and holds it out. “But this is from memory…”

Fanta orange.

“I haven’t had one of these in forever.”

“They don’t have them in Germany?”

“Oh, they do, but I just haven’t had one.”

“Treating your body like a temple and all that?” she asks with a smirk.

“You think that my body is a temple?”

“Not what I said.”

“But…”

“Okay you’ve matured. I’ll give you that.”

I take a bite. “So have you…”

“Is my body a temple, McCabe.”

I still. “You know that you’re gorgeous.”

She shakes her head like she can’t believe what she just heard. “Gorgeous?”

I take another bite and swallow it hard. My hunger grows for this woman and I try to satiate it with the sandwich. It’s futile.

I wipe my lips. “Stunning. I saw you when I walked into the event center and immediately I wanted to walk to you and know who you are.”

“Do you know who I am, McCabe?”

“I don’t… but I’d like to. But you go first. Shoot.” I take the last bite of sandwich.

She moves and sits next to me, our arms rubbing. “You have a girlfriend back in Germany?”

I chuckle. “That’s the first thing you want to know?”

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