Page 30 of Bad Boys After Dark - Brett
His gaze darkened as he leaned in for a kiss, and her traitorous eyes closed. Just one more…His lips were soft and insistent, and when his arms came around her, she felt herself melting against him, the hurt of his words washing away. A greedy sound slipped from her lungs, and she had the strange thought that Brett’s mouth was the frosting on that dark chocolate cake she loved. She knew she shouldn’t overindulge, but he was too good to turn away. She needed to get a grip, to put distance between them. But when they kissed, it felt so right.
I’m a fool.
She stumbled back, breaking their connection, but his hand swept around her, pulling her closer, and he said, “Kiss me,” in a voice full of lust, a mix of too many other emotions to pick apart, and so much heat she couldn’t stop herself from fulfilling his request.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON Brett pushed away from his desk and paced his office, unable to concentrate on the security details he was supposed to be reviewing for an upcoming concert. He didn’t usually work on Sundays, but it was a last-ditch effort to get his mind off Sophie. He gazed out the window, looking down at the city and instantly searching for her. As if I could spot you from twenty-five floors up. He rubbed a knot at the base of his neck, wondering what was going on with him. He’d rowed around the lake for as long as he could, trying to escape the agitation grating on his last nerve ever since Sophie had turned down his offer to spend the day with him and had gone to meet her friend. He’d be damn sure to figure out who the friend was tomorrow when he was working in her office.
He heard footsteps approaching and walked into the hall, spotting Carson and his daughter, Adeline. Carson had classic features, tall, dark, and flawless, and was the most reserved of Brett’s brothers, prone to thinking before acting, while Brett was rough around every edge, hardly ever clean shaven, and had nicks and scars from years of acting on impulse and starting trouble.
“Uncle Bretty!” Adeline’s smile lit up her blue eyes as she ran toward him. Her long dark hair was pinned up in two ponytails secured with bright pink bows, her favorite color.
“Hey, monkey.” He swept her into his arms and kissed her cheek, nodding toward Carson, who beamed with pride every time he was near his daughter. Adeline liked to swing from Brett’s biceps, hence the endearment monkey. She was a pixie of a girl and so full of life she reminded Brett of the sister they’d lost, which made their interactions bittersweet. Leukemia had set in and stolen Lorelei from them so quickly, it was a constant battle for Brett to accept that bad things could happen to children and he couldn’t protect them like he could protect his clients.
He touched her leopard-print dress and said, “Did you escape from the zoo?”
She giggled, and her cuteness was so infectious, Brett laughed, too.
“No, silly! Animals don’t wear boots.” Her French accent made every word she said sound impossibly adorable. She stretched out her little legs. Her white tights ended in bright pink boots, which she’d gotten a few weeks ago for her sixth birthday.
“I think I should call the zookeeper just in case a leopard-skinned monkey escaped.”
She shook her head. “No! I feel orange today. Do I look orange?” Adeline put colors together the way Tawny did fragrances. When asked how something tasted or how she felt, she always answered with colors rather than taste or feelings. Before Brett could respond, she said, “But you look green and also kind of yellow. Why do you look so funny, Uncle Bretty? You were red at Mommy’s perfume party.”
Green? Really? Was he that transparent?
Carson arched a brow. “You do look a little green. Something going on? Why are you back at the office? Trouble with the concert detail?”
Brett had forgotten he’d told his brothers he was heading into the office at the end of their run that morning when they’d invited him to Dylan’s for breakfast. In reality, he’d run straight to Sophie’s apartment.
“No trouble.” At least not with the business. “I thought I’d put a few extra hours in since we’ll be at Mick’s office tomorrow.”
“You’re going to see Uncle Micky tomorrow?” Adeline wiggled out of Brett’s arms and turned pleading eyes to Carson. “Can I go, Daddy? I want to see Uncle Micky and Aunt Amanda.”
