Page 32 of Endlessly Yours
He shook his head. “No, you guys are running late. You said you wanted me to pick you up by 8:00, so we could have the rest of the night. Is that okay?”
I looked down at my phone, surprised. “Oh, it’s late,” I blurted.
“Just a little,” Elijah said simply before he leaned down and brushed his lips against Maddie’s.
My heart swelled, and a little jealousy slid in.
I shouldn’t be jealous. It wasn’t as if I’d ever been in a serious relationship like that. Had ever been wanted the way that Maddie clearly was.
And when everyone else’s significant others began to trickle in, taking their women home. The loneliness that settled in felt far starker than usual.
Prepared to walk myself to my little gray cabin, I pulled out my phone, knowing that the girls had texted good night earlier while I had done the same, but no other emergency texts had come in.
Nobody needed me, and I was alone. But that’s what I was good at. Right?
“Rory,” a deep voice said behind me, and I whirled, nearly tilting over. Brooks reached out and gripped my elbows, keeping me steady.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.
Wyatt had already carried Ava out, except she didn’t drink often and had nuzzled into his neck. Everyone else was trickling out, having said their goodbyes, and now I was here, alone with Brooks. Or at least practically.
“I wanted to make sure you got to the cabin okay. You’re staying in the little cottage, right?”
I nodded, letting out a breath. “Yes. But I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Rory, we both know that’s not true.”
My heart kicked, and I had no idea what he meant by that. “I’m fine. You should go do what you were planning on doing. I’ll make it back on my own.”
“I’m not letting you walk around with alcohol in your system alone.”
“I’m safe here. You know that, right?”
“Maybe, but I’m still not doing it.”
I met his gaze, annoyed because I had no idea what the hell he was thinking. But that was the problem with Brooks Wilder. I never knew what he was thinking.
Instead, I grabbed my bag and walked with him out into the heated night. Even though I only wore a T-shirt and cut-off shorts, it was still warm enough that I couldn’t feel a nighttime chill. Which probably was an issue that I needed to worry about, or maybe it was the heat from being beside Brooks.
It was a short walk to the cabin. A small gray one that I knew had special significance in the Wilder family. Though I didn’t know every story that came with it.
I unlocked the door, ready to turn and say goodbye to Brooks, but there he was, standing behind me. He had put his shirt back on, as well as a pair of jeans, but the ball cap that he usually wore was gone. He just stared at me, confusion in his gaze.
“Thank you. Though you didn’t need to do that.”
“But I did.” He reached out then and ran his thumb along my jawline.
I swallowed hard, heat and hate sliding through me.
But the hate wasn’t for him.
No, that was the problem. It was never for him.
“Sleep with me,” I blurted, and I wasn’t even aware I was going to say the words until they were out.
“You’re drunk, Rory.”
I shook my head, feeling far more sober than I had before.
