Page 3 of Loving My Brother's Best Friend

Her blush is the cutest thing, and my cock twitches.Down, boy.

"Maybe."

"Good."

We're nearing the sushi place, and I pause, tugging her gently so she turns and faces me. "Listen," I say. "I don't want this to be weird. We haven't seen each other in a decade, and you're Ryan's sister, and?—"

"Ethan, stop. It's not weird."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. We're both adults. Plus, I've known you forever. You're not a stranger. Even though you're terrible at communicating, I still consider you my friend. So it's time for friends to play catch up. Come on."

With a final smile, Natalie leads me into the restaurant.

I'm not the most social guy, but something about her is magnetic, and I follow her like a moth to a flame.

Hell, I'd follow her anywhere.

2

NATALIE

The sushi is good, the plum wine is great, but the company trumps it all.

I can't believe Ethan is here with me. Speed dating felt like a total loser-fest until he sat down across from me, and I was thrown back into the past so hard that it made my head spin. I've been in love with Ethan from the moment I laid eyes on him, playing football with my brother in the empty lot behind our school, and I'm shocked that a decade has done nothing to make that feeling fade.

I took a single look at him, mature and devastatingly handsome, and knew that my time had come. He had topped out at 6 '4 when he was nineteen, but the years have put muscle on his frame—a lot of it. His dark hair is brushed back from his face with dark stubble to match, and his eyes are the color of an oncoming rainstorm. He still has the scar across one eyebrow where he fell skateboarding as a kid, and the memory makes my chest tight.

We aren't kids anymore. There's nothing between us holding us back unless you count Ryan, which I don't. Now all I have to do is find out if he's interested in me like I am, and this sushi date is a damn good sign.

As we sit down, he smiles, that dimple on the left side of his mouth pulling at my attention. His smile has always done something to my heart, but now, seeing it at an age where we might have something between us, it does more to me. We order an assortment of rolls, and I get a glass of plum wine before we really dig into our conversation.

"When did you move back to Boston?"

"Last year. I didn't plan on moving back, but a job opportunity popped up that I couldn't resist. How have you been since the last time I saw you? Ryan told me you've got an independent bookshop. How'd that come about?"

I nod. "A lot of work, but it was worth it. It took a couple of years of me just working at other shops, getting the experience and the connections I needed. Now, though, it's running as smoothly as it possibly can, and I feel really good about it.”

The conversation flows as smoothly as silk, and after we play catch-up, the flirting begins. I don't know who starts it, but it doesn't take long until my pulse is racing and my skin feels hot all over. He's intense and charming, his eyes bright and focused solely on me. The scar on his eyebrow just adds to his attractiveness, giving him that slight rugged edge I've always appreciated in guys.

By the time he's paying and we're heading out of the restaurant, I want to just ask him back to my apartment. I know it's not smart, not this soon. But I feel a little bit reckless tonight. After all, it's been ages since I've felt this way about a man, and Ethan isn't just a man. He's a friend, too, one that I feel completely comfortable with.

My brain is still trying to work through all the pros and cons as he walks me toward my apartment when I hear it.

"Natalie, baby!"

The familiar voice has my blood running cold.

Oh no, no, no, no.

I'm not ready for this tonight. Hell, I'll never be ready for it, but it looks like I don't have a choice.

I turn toward the street and see Jason's car pulled to the side, his driver's side window open, the familiar bastard grinning at me like I've missed an important appointment.

I have to fight not to curl my lip at him, trying to ignore the fact that my pulse is suddenly pounding in my throat and the back of my neck.

"Jason, hi,” I say, trying to be as polite as possible and hoping this will be short.

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