Page 66 of Marrying His Brother

She grins at me. “Friends?”

I lean forward and do what I’ve been aching to do. I kiss her softly, reveling in her soft lips and the heat in her mouth. God, she tastes good.

“How about we skip that lunch, go back into the house and turn off our phones,” I tease.

“Yeah, right,” Emily says. “Your mother will kill me.”

I take her hand and keep it in mine the whole way to my parent’s house. Every so often, I steal glances at Emily, catching the way her lips curve into a soft smile or how she absentmindedly brushes her hair back.

Every little thing about her fascinates me. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before.

When we finally pull up to my parents' house, I park the car and turn to her. “I know I messed up with the apartment, but I want to make it right. I want to be better at this, at us. So, no more secrets, no more decisions without talking to each other first.”

Emily’s eyes search mine, and there’s a flicker of an emotion I can’t identify, then she nods.

I lift her hand to my lips and kiss her knuckles, not caring who might see us from the windows. “Deal?”

She smiles. “Deal.”

As usual, Sunday lunch is set up in the backyard. The sun filters through the leaves, casting dappled light over the long table covered in crisp white linen.

The staff move around efficiently, setting down platters of food and ensuring everything is perfect. Mom is arranging the final touches, while Dad leans back in his chair, sipping a drink, looking relaxed.

My eyes narrow when I spot another figure lounging at the table, casually sipping from a glass.Daniel.What the hell is he doing here?

I tense up, my hold on Emily's hand tightening. She glances up at me, sensing the shift in my mood, but I force a smile to reassure her. I don’t want her to know just how much seeing Daniel throws me off.

We walk up to the table, and my mom turns around, her face lighting up when she sees us. “Andrew, Emily. So glad you made it.”

“Hi, Barbara,” Emily says warmly, letting go of my hand to give my mom a hug.

“Hi, sweetheart,” my mom says to her.

Daniel looks up from his drink, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Hey, big brother,” he says, leaning back in his chair as if he owns the place. “Long time no see.”

“Daniel,” I say, my tone clipped. “Didn’t know you’d be here.”

He shrugs, a lazy smile on his face. “Decided to surprise everyone. Mom seemed happy enough.”

I glance at my mom, and she’s avoiding my gaze, busying herself with arranging the napkins. I exchange a handshake with my father.

I grit my teeth, but before I can say anything, Emily steps forward and offers Daniel a friendly smile. “Hi, Daniel.”

“Emily,” he says, his eyes flicking to our joined hands. “You look radiant.” The way he says it, with that slight smirk, sends a wave of irritation through me.

I pull Emily closer, slipping an arm around her waist. “She's always radiant,” I say, my voice hardening slightly. “Shall we sit?”

We settle down at the table, and I keep Emily close. Daniel’s presence hangs over the meal like a dark cloud, and I can feel his eyes on us, observing, assessing.

It sets me on edge, but I do my best to ignore him, focusing on Emily and the warmth of her presence beside me.

“So, Emily,” Daniel says after a while, his voice casual. “How’s married life treating you? Andrew being the perfect husband?”

Emily tenses and I know she’s trying to navigate this without making things worse. “He’s been wonderful,” she says smoothly, squeezing my hand under the table. “I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Well, that’s nice to hear,” Daniel says, and there’s a mocking glint in his eyes. “I always wondered if Andrew had it in him to be domesticated.”

A flash of anger runs through me, but Emily’s hand in mine keeps me grounded.

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