Page 92 of Get Undressed With Me

“Have you tried giving them a reason to?”

Robbie threw him a glare. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’re self-sabotaging. You had a good thing with Brittany and you fucked it up.”

“Hey, I broke up with her before she found out.”

“How is that better?”

Gus was getting angry again. Robbie was a smart guy, which meant he was being purposefully obtuse when it came to how he treated women. And Gus couldn’t stand it. He had a hand in raising this man, and there was no way Robbie was going to turn out to be one of those assholes who treated women like garbage. Not anymore.

“You did this, Robbie. If you were serious about Brittany, she would’ve been able to tell. But you weren’t. She was an afterthought to you, and it was so obvious to everyone around you two that it was hard to watch. You fucked around, and you’re mad that you fucked around and you’re trying to blame it on other people. And now you’re here bitching because she’s moving on.”

“With my brother.”

“She was going to move on regardless. I’m just the lucky asshole she chose.”

Gus took a deep breath, trying to calm down the rant that he hadn’t realized had been building for years.

“You need to apologize. To her.”

Robbie groaned. “Apologies are always so lame. The internet rails you for them.”

“I’m not saying post an apology, numbnuts. I’m saying call her up, and apologize, preferably in person. You fucked up. It doesn’t have to be a public spectacle, it just has to be sincere.”

Robbie didn’t say anything, just laid in the bed with his arm over his eyes, and for all Gus knew he had finally passed out. In the past, he would set Robbie up with painkillers, water, and have breakfast the next morning. But suddenly, the absolute last thing Gus wanted to do was take care of his brother.

He wanted Brittany. Wanted to make sure she was okay after the scene Robbie had caused, make sure she wasn’t having second thoughts about them. He knew she was sensitive to causing tension between him and Robbie, and he loved her for that, but Robbie wasn’t going to change anytime soon, and Gus was done waiting for him to get on board.

It was time to get Brittany and make sure she knew she was important.

Gus let himself out of Robbie’s hotel room, a million thoughts flying through his head. He got in his SUV and drovethe short distance to his condo. When he arrived, Gus was jittery with nerves and anticipation. The party had been a big deal, an even bigger deal than either he or Brittany originally thought. And Robbie had ruined it, in a huge scene involving Brittany and Gus. Gus wasn’t sure where that put him and Brittany.

With a deep breath, he let himself into his condo… and froze. Snacks were out in full force, potato chips mixing with popcorn and soda in a rivalry for the decades. There was a lump of blankets in the middle of the floor in his living room that was surrounded by a laptop, a tablet, and printed-out paper scattered a little haphazardly.

“Brittany?” he called out, cautious. At the sound of his voice, the lump stirred, revealing that it had been Brittany cocooning herself underneath what appeared to be every single blanket he owned. Her head popped out from the mound, the look on her face excited.

“Gus! Guess what?”

He glanced at the kitchen.

“You made a pot of coffee late at night and are now too caffeinated to go to sleep?”

“Yes, but only technically.”

She struggled through the blankets to stand as Gus made his way toward her, talking the whole time.

“I got home from the party and was going to work on my designs for Champagne, but instead I started drawing underwear, and look.”

She got to him with her tablet, two blankets draped over her like shawls. When she approached him, she lifted her arms, and on instinct Gus grabbed her, scooping her up so her legs wrapped around his middle, his hands holding her under her ass. Her arms wound around his neck, and he felt her soft hair against his cheek as she buried her face in his neck.

“Hi,” she said into his skin, and for the first time in hours, Gus felt himself relax.

“Hi.”

“You okay?”

“Robbie’s rough, but he’ll sleep it off in his hotel room and hopefully wake up a better man who knows how to apologize.”

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