Page 35 of Christmas with Brother's Best Friends
Josh tilts his head at me, his eyes not leaving mine. “I know who I want, but I don’t think I deserve her.”
My heart rate spikes as my eyes widen. “Why would you think you don’t deserve her?”
Josh shrugs as he lifts his hand to brush his fingertips along my burning cheek. “She’s too special. Too beautiful. Too smart.”
I stop breathing as his forehead grazes mine. He smells so good. Feels so good. I’m about to lose my mind. “You’re underestimating yourself.”
Josh turns his head a little, his nose brushing mine. “I hope so.”
My eyes flutter shut as I feel his lips graze the corner of my mouth, my body coming alive. Ineedhim.
But before I can fully kiss him, the song ends, the silence jarring me. I draw away and catch my breath, my eyes flying to his.
Josh blinks like he just came out of a daze. He parts his mouth to speak, but a man behind me calls out his name. His face looks pained as he glances at me, an apology in his eyes. “Damn it. I need to talk to him real quick.”
I nod and walk away, not wanting the moment to get even more weird. I can’t believe we almost kissed! What am I doing?
“Oh, wait. There she is. Emma!”
I freeze at the sound of Max’s voice, my eyes slowly moving across the crowd until I spot Max talking to a middle-aged man and woman. I suck in a deep breath and walk toward them, plastering a polite smile on my face. Even though I feel like my world has tilted.
First Max and now Josh? What am I doing?
“Hello,” I say with a fake cheeriness, approaching the small group.
“This is Emma Blake. She’s been working her graphic design magic on our update,” Max introduces me. “This is John Lambert and Ava Clarke. They own a popular clothing brand that’s in a lot of stores around the city.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say as I shake both of their hands.
“Max has said some good things about you,” John tells me. “He said you have more vision and passion than anyone else he has ever worked with.”
My eyes widen with awe as I look at Max. “Well, he’s the most dedicated, hardworking person I’ve ever worked with. Working with a great team brings out the best in you.”
“Agreed,” Ava says. “It makes all the difference.”
“Emma runs her own show,” Max tells them as his hand grazes the small of my back. “She’s good independently and with a team. Unfortunately, we’ll be parting ways business-wise at the end of this month, but if you know of anyone who needs help in the graphic design department, drop her name.”
“Do you have an online portfolio I can access? I might know a guy who needs some design work done,” John asks me.
After I give John and Ava my contact information, I flash Max a genuinely grateful look. He didn’t have to go out of his way to help me like that. “I need to go to the restroom, but it was really nice meeting you guys.”
“Lovely to meet you too,” Ava replies, both of them shaking my hand again.
I squeeze Max’s arm. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Max smiles and nods, his fingertips grazing mine as I walk away.
I force myself out of the ballroom and down the hallway where the restrooms are located, my heart hammering in my chest. The more I’m around the guys, the less control that I have over my actions.
And my feelings. Don’t get me started about those.
Why can’t I like anyone else on the planet? Why does it have to be my brothers’ closest friends?
An exhausted sigh drifts from me as I walk into the restroom and go to the sink, checking my reflection and giving myself a few minutes to gather myself. Well, maybe more than a few minutes. I’m having a good time with them, but I can’t havetoo goodof a time. That’s when mistakes might be made.
I adjust the short sleeves of my dress and check the back of it, preparing to dive back into the fray and get through the rest of the gala.
An alarm suddenly blares throughout the building, making me jump in surprise. My eyes dart up to the fire alarm in the bathroom as it flashes and wails, my heart shooting up into my throat.
