Page 37 of Embrace
“You look it.”
She looked me up and down. “And you look good, too, and snazzy. Did you have a date tonight?”
“I went to a party.”
Her eyebrows flitted up and stayed there. “Oh, was it fun?”
I could feel myself inside Penina while we were in the back of the limousine, and I thought of her soft, warm body, then I licked my bottom lip, remembering the taste of her tongue. “Up until a point.”
“Was your night ruined by Julia?”
I pressed my lips together, nodding.
We stared at each other, grinning. The fact that she was right there in front of me felt incredible. God, I missed the hell out of her.
“Well, come, have a seat. Let’s start with some butterscotch bourbon.”
“Ha,” I scoffed. “I see you haven’t changed in that department.” She couldn’t just drink straight-up liquor without there being an added flavor. I appreciated remembering that minor detail about my sister. It made me feel close to her again.
“A lot has changed about me, but not being able to drink bourbon straight hasn’t.”
We laughed as we settled on the bench. She poured two glasses of liquor, handed me one, then kept one for herself.
“So, Ash, why did you run away?” she asked.
I drew in a deep breath through my nose. “You’re not wasting any time, are you?”
She shook her head. “I have no time to waste. You’re going to have to get back to the city pretty soon and handle Julia.”
I leaned away from her, frowning. “What are you saying?”
Bryn patted me on the thigh then circled two fingers in front of me. “Your energy is neurotic, and you’re trembling. I’m guessing your state of mind has a lot to do with Julia because she knows how to get to you.” She tilted her head to study my perplexed expression. “You know you’re very much like Carter. And that’s why she knows how to push your buttons,andthat’s why you want to run away from her.”
I sniffed and took a drink of bourbon as she kept her narrowed eyes on me. There was no use in defending myself against her likening me to Carter. I was nothing like that guy as far as I was concerned, but she certainly had the right to her belief.
“You really look good, too, though,” she said finally. “Tired and weird with the dark hair but still very handsome and healthy.”
I ran a hand through my hair as I took another swig of my drink then set it on the table. “So you’re not going to help me with Julia?”
She smiled graciously as she shook her head. “No. You’re going to have to deal with her yourself. I’m not getting involved.” She patted me on the back. “But you can handle the likes of Julia. You’re smarter than she is, and you have more integrity. You can battle her and win.”
That generous smile was on her face again.
“Why are you looking at me that way?” she asked.
I rubbed my mouth to scrub away the frown. “What happened to you? Why have you changed so much?”
She tilted her head curiously. “Disappointed?”
“No. Not at all.”
Bryn held her glass to her lips. “It’s a long story.” She took a drink then squeezed her eyes shut, as she always did when she drank liquor.
“Well, I’ve got nothing but time.”
“No, you don’t.” She winked. “And it’s a story that, instead of repeating, bears forgetting.”
“I doubt that,” I said, smiling at her.
