Page 73 of Resting Beach Face
Skylar blushed, which had been the goal. Brooks’s eyes narrowed on me as he wrapped an arm around Skylar’s shoulders. He was reliably a possessive boyfriend, even if Skylar held all the cards in that relationship. Brooks was hopelessly smitten and would do anything Skylar asked at the drop of a hat—and they both loved it.
“I know what you’re doing,” Brooks said. “It won’t work. I was asking about you and Declan.”
Damn. I’d been so close to sidetracking him.
“Declan’s great,” I said. “I’m finally getting him to warm up to me.”
Brooks’s eyebrows shot up, and I pointed a finger at him. “Not likethat.”
Well, a little like that, if you counted him whispering in my ear while I jerked off in front of him. But that might never happen again.
I’d meant the talking, the small smiles, the casual brushes of his hand against my back, or the way he leaned into me when I slung my arm over his shoulders. And when we were alone on the sofa, with no one watching? He curled into me like a love-starved cat.
Declan wanted love. I was convinced of that. He just didn’t know how to accept it. But that was all too private to share with Brooks.
“We’ve become friends,” I said instead.
“Just friends?” Fisher asked, sounding skeptical. “You’ve been obsessed with him for two years.”
“Obsessed is a strong word,” I muttered.
“But accurate,” Poppy said.
Well, hell, if Poppy was saying it, it must be true. She wasn’t a shit-stirrer like the rest of us.
“Fine, maybe I have been. But he’s selling the B&B and leaving town. I can’t exactly ask him for more.” I shrugged. “But if he falls madly in love with me and stays, I won’t be sad about it.”
Skylar looked concerned. “Do you really think that’s likely? He sounded pretty determined to leave when I talked to him.”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I can’t just turn off my feelings for him, so…”
“This isn’t healthy,” Brooks said. “If a guy doesn’t want to be caught, you stop chasing him.”
“That’s what you all told me too,” Fisher pointed out. “But Hudsondidwant me. He just needed a little incentive to figure that out. Maybe it’s the same with Declan.”
I lifted the bottle, taking a long cool drink of the beer Sawyer had brought to the table.
“Declan is different from most guys,” I said. “I’m not chasing him. He doesn’t like that. I’m just…letting him come to me on his terms.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Brooks asked.
“It’ll suck,” I said bluntly. “But this is my only chance. I convinced him to let me help him renovate the B&B. At the end of it, he’ll either decide to stay or…”
“He’ll go,” Skylar said softly.
“Yeah.” I swallowed. “Either way, I’ll have my answer.”
“You might be setting yourself up to crash and burn,” Sawyer said. “You know that, right?”
“I do.” I sent him a grin. “But when have you known me to do anything halfway?”
Brooks chuckled ruefully. “Just try not to obliterate yourself in the process, okay? We’re here to pick up the pieces, but there’s only so much we can do.”
Skylar reached out and squeezed my arm. “You’re worth loving, Cash. I hope he sees that. If he doesn’t, it will be because of him, not you.”
My throat grew tight, and I took another gulp of beer to loosen it up. “Thanks, guys.” I gave them a suspicious look. “Wasthis a friendervention?”
Ash came over to the table with a platter full of barbecue chicken that instantly made my mouth water. “Did you guys friendervent without me? Not cool.”
