Page 8 of His Best Man's Baby

She glanced up in to Jax’s face, then at the number on the door and realized too late she’d stopped at the wrong door. “Um, my bad.”

She spun to walk away, but he moved in front of her and stooped to gather her snacks. When he had them in hand, he placed fingers at her lower back to guide her farther into his room. The door shut, the automatic lock clicking into place.

Chapter Three

“Here.” Jax pressed a glass into her hand, filled with ice and an amber liquid. “Drink it.”

Tae sniffed the beverage and wrinkled her nose. “I only drink vodka.”

In answer he placed a finger on the bottom of the glass and tilted it toward her lips. Tae took a small sip, and the alcohol burned its way down her throat. Even though the taste was horrible, the effect was immediate. She felt light-headed but a little more relaxed. Another sip warmed her belly, and she walked over to take a seat at the table. Jax’s room matched hers, but where she’d folded her things into the dresser, from the looks of it, he’d left his in his suitcase. At least he’d hung a garment bag in the open closet, which she assumed carried his clothes for the wedding. The jacket and shirt he’d worn earlier that evening had been slung over a chair, and he stood bare-chested and barefoot.

“Aren’t you going to put some clothes on?” she questioned him, casting her gaze away from him.

“You’re the one who invaded my room.”

“I believe you abducted me.”

He grinned, and she matched it with one of her own. “That’s better. No more tears but tell me. Why were you crying?”

“I wasn’t,” she lied, and then she sighed. Another sip of the drink, and he nabbed it from her hands. She frowned. “I wasn’t done with that.”

“I see it going to your head.”

She waved a hand. “I’m fine.” The slightest slur to her words made her wonder if he was right. “If you must know, I was falsely accused of trying to break up Daniel and Alise.”

Jax’s brows rose toward his hairline. “By who, Alise?”

She giggled. “That would have been drama, wouldn’t it? No, by Daniel.”

“Tae.” Jax’s voice held a warning.

She clenched her hands into fists. “Don’t ‘Tae’ me. I did not try to break them up! I would never do anything to hurt Daniel.”

“But you admit you still love him.”

She fell silent and looked away.

Jax strode over to the minifridge and rummaged inside. In a few minutes he’d made her another drink, this time just orange juice. Tae accepted it with her thanks. Jax made something for himself, downed it in a couple swallows, and poured another. He took the seat opposite her, and Tae put her glass up to her mouth. Over the edge, she took in his wide chest, noting the smooth and taut skin with no hair. She liked a hairless chest rather than the carpets some men sported.

“I’m your friend too,” Jax said. “Talk to me.”

“We’ve never had a confession type of relationship.”

“No reason we can’t start now.”

She kicked her sandals off and drew her feet up. Jax looked down at her toes, and she was thankful she’d gotten a pedicure before coming. “I do have unresolved feelings for him. That’s not a crime.” Damn, she sounded defensive, but Jax waited for her to continue. “He asked what I thought of her. I told him I didn’t see the love.”

“Fuck, tell me you didn’t say that, Tae.”

She couldn’t help the whimper. “I did. I’m such an idiot. I promise you, it wasn’t my intention to break them up. When I turned down Daniel’s proposal, I thought I was doing the right thing.”

A curious expression came on his countenance, one she couldn’t identify. He set his glass down and toyed with it. “So you feel you made a mistake?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You’re not denying it.”

“He’s getting married, Jax. Whatever I feel doesn’t matter. Anyway, I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. You’re his best friend.”

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