Page 4 of Risk

“Moo?”

“Yeah, as the great Joey Tribbiani said, ‘Moo. Like a cow’s opinion. It just doesn’t matter.’”

Do I want Kaden? One hundred percent yes. But I know I can’t have him. One, for all the above reasons. And two, in all this time I’ve known him, he’s never shown any interest in me, aside from friendship. He just sees me as Zeus’s little sister.

“You know, there is this other issue…the fact that he doesn’t like me in that way.” When her mouth opens, I hold a hand up, silencing her. “Because if he did, then he would have done something about it by now.”

She tilts her head, giving me a knowing look. “You mean, like you have?”

Oh. Well…shit. Yeah, she does have a point there.

For a woman working toward her PhD in psychology, I sure can be dumb sometimes.

I can see everyone else’s issues and resolutions, but I can never see my own. I don’t know what that says about me, to be honest.

Willfully blind, probably. Because it’s always easier to sort out other people’s problems than my own.

“Maybe he’s not told you how he feels for all the same reasons that you haven’t told him how you feel.”

Ari unlocks the stall door, and I follow her out to the sinks. While she washes her hands, I wash mine because public bathrooms—yuck.

“Just talk to him.” She hands me a paper towel to dry my hands.

“I don’t know…he’s Zeus’s friend.” I ball the paper towel up and toss it into the trash.

“I’m not asking you to go out and straddle him.” She laughs, and I give her a playful shove. “I’m saying, have a conversation with the man. Put your smart brain to use and pay attention to how he acts toward you when you’re talking. I know you deal with brains and emotions, but body language tells you everything.”

I did take a course on body language, so I know the basic signs to look for, but I don’t bother telling her that.

“Fine.” I sigh. “I’ll talk to him, but I’ve talked to him plenty of times before.”

“But this time is different.”

“How so?”

“Because you’ve finally admitted out loud that you like him. Makes it real.” She grins and takes me by the hand, tugging me out of the restroom and back to the room where the wedding reception is happening.

My brother’s eyes are on her the moment she walks into the room, and the smile that lights up his face makes my insides turn to mush—also, I feel a pang of envy.

Because I guess…maybe I want someone to look at me like that. Like I’m the only thing they see in a room full of people. That I’m the only person who matters.

“I’m gonna go dance with my husband,” Ari says, and the giddiness in her voice makes me smile. “Go talk to him,” she urges in a whisper, giving me a nudge before walking over to Ares.

I glance to my left and see Kaden at the bar, talking to Zeus.

Kaden looks so handsome. I mean, he always looks hot, but when he wears a suit, he really fucking wears it. His suit is clearly tailored, as it fits him to perfection.

But I can’t go talk to him now, not with my brother there. Or I mean, I guess I could. It’s not like I was going to go over there and hit on him. I was just going to go and have a conversation.

And he is standing at the bar, and I do need a drink.

Okay, so I’m just going to go to the bar, get a drink, and talk to my brother and his hot friend.

Oh God.

I begin walking toward them, and I swear my ass starts to sweat. This is stupid. Nothing has changed. He has no clue that I’ve been crushing on him for years. I mean, not like I’ve sat around and pined for him. There have been other guys in my life. I was at college, away from home, when I first met him, and it’s not like I see him all the time, but I do look forward to the times when I do see him. No one seems to hit me with the chest thumps and tingles between the legs like Kaden Scott does.

And after tonight, it could be a while before I see him again. That thought spurs me on to go have a conversation with him. I’ve not had a chance to talk to him all day, so this is nothing unusual.

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