Page 31 of The Best Friend's Billionaire Brother
She’d never seen this side of him. The one that was vulnerable and unsure. She’d always seen him as the smiling easygoing guy. Maybe she needed to treat him the same way she wanted to be treated. Not as a boulder but rather as river rocks being continually polished by the water flow.
She slipped her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry you’ve been hurting.”
His arms circled around her as he returned the hug, burying his face in her neck. “It’s okay.” He paused a few breaths before leaning back and said, “Honestly, I think I’ve wanted out for a while. I just haven’t been willing to admit it.”
“Why?”
“I want more out of life than being on the road or riding a bull.” He held her gaze. “I’m starting to think I might have something better to do. Something I want more.”
His lips were so close. How many times had she dreamed of him kissing her? She’d pictured moments like this where he was holding her. He’d bend down and press his lips to hers. But it was a foolish fantasy that had nothing to do with reality.
She started to pull away, but he held her. “Gabby…”
The words trailed off as he brought his lips down to hers. Warm, soft, and better than any dream or fantasy she’d ever had. He pulled back, his breath mingling with hers, and their gazes locked. It seemed as though a war was waging in him.
Just when she thought that was the only kiss she’d ever have with him, he lowered his lips to hers again. The icy air had chilled her only seconds before, but now she was on fire. It touched every inch of her skin down to her nerves.
Light kisses turned ardent and hard as the fire in her stomach raged. Her lips parted with the last brush of his lips, and he deepened the kiss as he tightened his hold on her, pressing her body into his. It was everything she’d ever wanted and more. It was her Wyatt, kissing her like he belonged to her. And, oh, how she’d wished with every fiber in her being that he’d belong to her one day.
Suddenly, he pulled back and pushed away, staring at her wide-eyed. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I was caught up in the moment. It’s not right to do this to Bandit.”
Bandit? “Wyatt…”
He held up a hand. “No. You’re dating him, and I’m not that kind of guy. It was a mistake to kiss you.” He gulped. “We’re friends. We’ve always been friends—family—and that’s a good place to stay.”
Her breath caught with the last sentence as tears stung her eyes. Friends. There was that word again, even after sharing a kiss like that? She was the only one to feel the connection? How right it felt? She turned from him and quickly wiped her eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. We’ve been friends a long time. No sense in messing that up.”
“Exactly.” He shifted the truck into drive. “We should get back to the house. It’s only going to get colder out here.”
Oh, she was cold. All the way to her core. So frosty it would take a direct dip in the sun to warm her. They were friends, and whatever silly fantasy she had was gone. Carrie Anne was wrong. Wyatt would never want Gabby as more.
Now, she was left to stitch up her heart again. If she could just function until Carrie Anne’s wedding, maybe he’d leave for the rodeo and stay gone long enough for her to get over him. If she couldn’t…she wasn’t sure what she’d do.
Chapter 12
He’d kissed her.Kissedher. Wyatt couldn’t believe he’d made such a horrible mistake. He’d never been the kind of man to go after another man’s girl. It was against every code he lived by. And he’d done it to Bandit, of all people.
The drive from the orchard to the ranch house had been quiet, tense, and awkward. As soon as the pickup had pulled to a stop, Gabby had bolted from the cab and run into the house. Instead of following her inside, Wyatt had gone to the barn to figure out why he’d kissed her. He’d never thought of her that way, but, by golly, he’d sure enjoyed it.
Everything had been fine until he’d hugged her. Whatever perfume she’d worn was a ring in a bull’s nose. He’d buried his face in her neck, inhaled, andLove Potion No. 9had hit out of nowhere. He’d leaned back, and those dark eyes of hers were staring at him, those lips looking so soft, begging to be kissed. They’d held out a “help wanted” sign, and he’d gladly accepted the job.
What was he thinking? He’d tried to stop himself. Lord knows he’d tried. He’d thought kissing her the first time would be stale and bland because it was Gabby. Not that she wasn’t wonderful, but she was his little sister’s best friend, not the kissing kind. But that one kiss had blurred his vision, fritzed his brain, and the next thing he knew, he was giving eight seconds a run for, and he wasn’t even on a bull.
How was he ever going to apologize to Bandit? Even the accident, as bad as it was, didn’t have him this miserable.
The barn door opened, and he looked up from the upturned bucket he sat on.
Hunter closed the door and rubbed his hands together. As he approached Wyatt, he shivered and stuffed them in his coat pockets. “Man, it’s cold out there. Snow’s starting to come down.”
“Why are you out in it, then?” Wyatt asked.
Hunter stopped a few feet away and leaned his shoulder against the wall. “Gabby ran inside, tears gushing, with Carrie Anne running after her, and I just so happened to see you slink in here. What did you do?”
Groaning, Wyatt hung his head. Did he really want to tell Hunter what had happened? That he was a lousy human being and deserved to have his lights knocked out?
Hunter let out a whistle. “It’s got to be bad with the way your acting.”
“I…I kissed her.” He groaned. “And then told her it was a mistake.”
