Page 34 of Ruined Promises

What the fuck was I thinking? Lexi has a boyfriend. She was partially in my lap. I almost kissed her. And I can’t even deny that I wanted it. She looked like she wanted it, too. Her body reacted to my touch, just like I had imagined. Thank God her roommate had shown up, and then the ball drop.Cal.The reminder that there was someone else was like jumping into an ice bath, my dick shriveling up.

Did Lexi not have any remorse for what happened?

I couldn’t get out of her apartment quickly enough, and then I had to go and do it again, kissing her cheek. If she had turned slightly, our lips would have met, and I would have been a dead man. Now it’s time to go back home alone. I have only myself to blame. If I had just stayed at work earlier, I wouldn’t have a raging hard-on, but my own punishment will not be jerking off in the shower.

I arrive home to find my brother still at home. That’s shocking. Most nights, the only communication seems to be a text alerting me he won’t be coming home. Asher is twenty-five years old, and I’m not his keeper, but I appreciate him letting me know so I’m not worried he’s lying in a ditch somewhere. He’s the only family I have left.

I tease my brother when I see him standing in the kitchen, one leg propped against a lower cabinet as he takes a sip from a water bottle. “Holy shit, I was beginning to think you forgot where we lived.”

Capping the bottle, he mocks me before waving his middle finger in the air. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. I’m about to head out. Going to meet a friend for dinner and then go out.”

“What friend?”

“A friend.” He pushes off the counter and strolls to the trash can, dropping the empty bottle in there. “Jeez,Dad.”He rolls his eyes at me.

“I told you not to call me that. I was just curious. I haven’t seen my brother in forever. Sorry for showing any type of concern.”

“I’m fine. I’m not doing drugs, I don’t drive drunk, and I always wrap up my dick before sticking it in.” I inwardly cringe, not needing that last tidbit. “Where have you been? I wasn’t expecting you home this early.”

“I had some work outside of the office today, and I didn’t make it back to the office, so I came home.” That’s the honest truth. I was outside of the office and I did come straight home, he just doesn’t need to know the details in between.

Asher is scrutinizing my every move. He leans over the counter with his chin propped up on his fist and narrows his eyes. “Something is up with you.”

I ignore his comment and grab a tumbler from the cabinet before snatching the bottle of whiskey from the counter. I wouldn’t normally drink before dinner, but after today, I think it’s a necessity.

“So, how are things with the club hottie?” my brother asks from behind my back, and I sputter, spilling a few drops of the amber liquid.

I clean up the mess before assuming the same position I found my brother in earlier. “Things are fine. It doesn’t matter anyway; she’s dating someone else.” I take a long sip.

“Oh, well, her loss.” I nod and hope he doesn’t keep talking about it. “So, then she has nothing to do with why your date with Vanessa went to shit?”

I scrub my hands down my face, groaning. “Nope,” I lie. “I’m sure she’s a lovely woman. I just wasn’t feeling it.”

Asher’s phone dings, and while his attention is on it, he clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Well, that’s too bad. Her pussy feels magical.”

Wait—what?I slam my hands on the counter. “You fucking set me up with one of your sloppy seconds? Are you fucking kidding me, Asher?”

He shrugs, not seeing anything wrong with his actions. “What? As you said, you weren’t feeling it, so what does that matter?”

I shake my head, at a loss for words.

“Well, my Uber is here. I’m out. Don’t wait up.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, let me guess, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Asher shoves his phone in his pocket and slaps my shoulder as he passes me.

I exhale, relaxing once my brother is gone. My brain is in overload after the day I’ve had. Playing hooky, spending the day with Lexi in her apartment, almost kissing her, and then to learn that my brother set me up with one of his previous hookups.No wonder she talked about Asher a lot during dinner. Maybe if I had been paying more attention, I would have picked up on that. Well, I guess I can be thankful for Lexi on my brain for saving me from possibly hooking up with one of my brother’s flavors of the week.

I top my drink off before grabbing the ingredients from the fridge for a beef stir-fry. As I sit alone at the island, eating my dinner, I imagine what it would be like to have someone here with me to share a meal with. Of course, a certain brunette comes to mind first.Fuck that; you had your chance. She’s no longer mine to dream about.

Business over pleasure, and now she is getting pleasure somewhere else. I must let her be happy, and today, that moment between us was just in the heat of the moment. I saw her smile the other day when he was around her. I refuse to come between them. It’s at that moment that I decide no matter how much it sucks, and my dick might not agree with me, it’s time to move on. I need to focus on work. I bought this company to succeed, not to be distracted, and frankly, that is all Lexi is—a distraction.

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