His eyes never left his phone. “Yes, you do.” He placed his phone back on the table. “Now, talk.”
I pushed my fingers through my hair. I did that more in the last few days since I’d seen her than in my entire goddamn life.
“Talk about what?” I feigned ignorance. I had never told another soul about what happened with Odette. Winston knew some bits. Royce had some bits. But nobody had the whole story.
“Talk to me about the only woman who is able to give you a hard-on,” he said, his expression serious.
A familiar laugh came from behind me. “You can only get a hard-on for one woman, brother? Man, that’s a bummer.”
“What in the fuck are you doing here?”
Royce’s eyes widened in feigned distress. “Geez, what a fucking welcome.”
I sipped my bourbon and shook my head. My younger brother had a knack for showing up at the worst time and saying the worst things. My best friend apparently agreed. I watched Kristoff put his hands on his temples. His personality gave him a headache too, evidently. Royce was chaotic. Kristoff was the exact opposite.
“You do know this lunch is by invitation only,” Kristoff grumbled.
Unfazed, my brother threw himself into the empty chair and leaned back, signaling a waitress over. “I’ll have what my big brother’s drinking.”
She offered him a beaming smile and scurried away, hoping to impress him. There was no chance in hell of that. There was only one woman he had eyes for.
“So tell us, brother, how can we help you get this woman?” The waitress came back with his drink, and he took it with a grin. “Thanks, lovely.” She blushed crimson, then scurried away. I almost wanted her to stay so my brother wouldn’t continue talking. No such luck. He returned his attention to me. “I cannot handle the idea of you going around limp-dicked.”
Kristoff choked on his drink, stifling his laugh. Yep, my baby brother managed to give my friend headachesandmake him laugh. The oddest fucking combination.
“Did you read that word in the dictionary?”
Royce grinned. “Some medical dictionaries. Basic anatomy, brother. Nothing to be ashamed of.”
God, give me patience so I don’t murder this guy!
“Why are you here, Royce?” I demanded to know. I loved him, but it required a whole different level of patience to deal with him, and I wasn’t prepared.
“I need a favor from you,” he answered. When I raised my eyebrow, he continued, “There’s a deal in the works for Willow. I need you to kill it.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ve really got to give up on that one.”
He snickered. “Like you gave up on your woman.”
Touché, little brother.Not that I’d ever admit it to him. Although it seemed to be common knowledge at this point.
“Okay, let’s ignore him,” Kristoff interrupted, looking at me now. “This woman. Where did you meet her?”
Royce, that little prick, answered before I could even open my mouth. “In France. She treated a sunburn on his back.”
“And how do you know that?” I grumbled at my brother, although I knew. My siblings were like gossiping grandmothers.
Kristoff held my gaze. He knew I rarely let anyone touch my back, and there weren’t many women out there—for sure not in our social circles—that wanted to touch that scaly skin.
“She’s a good nurse… doctor.”
“Is she a nurse or a doctor?” Kristoff looked from me to Royce back to me.
My brother just shrugged. “I can’t keep up.”
“She’s a doctor.” I rubbed my face. “The best-looking doctor I have ever seen. I have to do something about it.”
“Have her treat you? As a doctor,” Royce suggested. “For limp dick and sunburn.”