Page 63 of Vengeful Seduction
A little while later David was in the shower and I was making us breakfast. I had the day off work, and spending it with my husband seemed like the absolute best use of my time. With my hands on my hips, I glanced around at the pancakes, bacon, and eggs I had going all at once.
Maybe I’d gone a little overboard, but I liked cooking. I liked cooking for my husband even more.
A light knock came at the door and my good mood instantly retreated a little bit. It didn’t completely go away, but I was definitely wary.
There was only one person I could imagine coming to our house this early and he wasn’t a person I was sure I wanted to speak to right at that moment.
Still, I went to the door and slowly opened it. What was the worst that could happen, really? Brent had never forced anything on me. His only crime was being perhaps a bit too interested in me, and hopefully, I’d nipped that right in the bud.
“Kaye, good.” Brent gave me one of his charming smiles, but there seemed to be a hint of anxiety in his eyes. “I’m glad you’re alone. I wanted to talk to you.”
I looked at him thoughtfully, then nodded. He didn’t seem to be looking at me inappropriately, and if we could have this all out, it would be better.
Brent was a part of David’s life, and I honestly didn’t want to get in the way of their friendship. I had seen how hard it was for David to really connect with people, and Brent was one of the few he actually called his friend.
“Please come in,” I finally decided, hoping I didn’t regret the decision. I stepped aside to let him enter and walked back to the kitchen. “Can I get you some coffee?”
He agreed, and soon enough we sat at the table, facing each other. Brent looked more serious than I was used to seeing him, and I sipped at my coffee and waited. He had, after all, come to see me. He could tell me what this was all about.
“I wanted to apologize,” he admitted, and my eyebrows rose. I hadn’t expected anything of the sort. It was a real apology, as opposed to his ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ that he’d tossed my way casually before. This one seemed much sincerer.
When I opened my mouth to speak, he raised his hand, and I subsided. There was some sort of dominant energy about this man—something that pretty much demanded I do as he said. David had it, too, and I found it fascinating. But not intimidating. I could hold my own and had proven that.
I also admired that in the men. At least when it wasn’t being used to try to force me to do things I didn’t want to do.
“Just let me get this out. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.” He looked at me earnestly across the table, and for some reason, I found I believed him. He seemed awfully sincere. “If I made you feel that way, I am deeply sorry. I’ll be more careful.”
I let out a soft sigh of relief. Maybe things would be okay after all. I had liked Brent before, and pushing away a potential new friend hadn’t been easy. I just wasn’t willing to give him the wrong impression. I wanted him to know, without a doubt, that I was in love with my husband and I would never be with another man in any way, shape, or form.
“It’s okay,” I assured him and gave him a smile. I didn’t reach over and touch his hand, though, like I normally would have done. It had taken very little to encourage him before, and I was still just a little bit wary. As I had every right to be.
Not many men were so forward with their friend’s wife.
“I hope we can still be friends,” Brent commented, and I nodded, smiling more widely. It was exactly what I wanted too. I wanted my friends to be David’s friends, and vice versa.
Which made me think—could I carry this whole friend-making thing to a new level? I had an idea and it might just be the most brilliant idea of all time, especially because I knew my friends could hold their own and wouldn’t be too intimidated by Brent, even as handsome as he was.
“Me too. Actually, speaking of friends …I have a couple of single ones,” I admitted. “Maybe you could meet them.”
As a matchmaking attempt went, it was pretty transparent. I was absolutely sure he knew just what I was doing, and he shot me this devastating, wicked little grin and nodded.
“I’d like that,” he admitted. “If you think they can handle me.”
He even shot me a little wink, but it made me laugh. It was just so over the top, there was no way it could be seen as an attempt to seduce me. He probably couldn’t help flirting, at least a little.
I wasn’t going to encourage him, but I did find it sort of funny.
“I could have a party. I haven’t entertained here,” I realized. “I’m sure David wouldn’t mind. I’ll check with him. We could invite his friends and my friends and have some fun.”
He’d extended me an olive branch, and this was my way of accepting it and letting him know it was okay. I didn’t hold any grudges. We could still be friends, as long as there were no more incidents.
“I’d like that,” he murmured and he smiled at me. I smiled back and my heart felt lighter within me. Things were back to how they should be.
I had never liked the idea of being at odds with my husband’s best friend, and if things kept going as they were, I wouldn’t have to.
David came in soon after and he nodded at Brent in greeting. There was a strange look on his face, like he wasn’t entirely happy to see the man, but it was probably just my imagination.
Surely David knew he had no reason to be jealous, after the incredible night we’d just had in each other’s arms.
