Page 40 of Entwined with My Best Friend's Brother

I look up to catch her eyes, "You don't have to repay me, Jen. Just give me a chance to take you out on a date?"

Jen stares back at me, wondering, "Are you sure you want to go out with someone like me?"

I smile back, "I'd love to go out with someone like you. You are smart, capable, kind, cute, and sexy."

Jen looks down, holding back her sweet smile but failing, "I didn't know you are so charming."

I can't help grinning as I suggestively comment, "Don't worry. There is still a lot you don't know about me. We can take our time getting to know each other."

Jen rolls her eyes, making me laugh when Gwen lets out a sound as if everything disgusts her, "You guys are making me sick. I will be on my way out."

When Jen points out, "You say that as if nothing's going on between you and that guard. What is his name? Gray?"

At that, I stare at Gwen, "Gray? What's going on between you two? Did that bastard make a move on my sister? Oh, let me see him the next time. He won't even be able to get to the hospital."

Gwen rolls her eyes, leaving as Jen laughs while I mutter curses at the bastard when Cale nuzzles against me.

I may have moved too much, so I still meet Jen's loving gaze as she says, "He seems to like you a lot."

I throw back the same question she asked me, "And how do you feel about me?"

Jen smiles, but her eyes seem anxious, "I like you, but… I'm scared."

I can hear her insecurity, so I stand up, cautiously carrying Cale over, "Maybe Cale can bunk with you."

Jen smiles, scooting over as she lifts a side of the sheet so I can lay Cale down and sit on the edge; as I lean towards her, my eyes meeting her gaze, "Don't worry. Things happen for a reason. Sometimes things suck, but you may find everything you're looking for at other times. And I think I have found everything I've been looking for."

I raise her hand to kiss the back of her hands.

Jen's cheeks redden, "Geez, enough with the lines. If Gwen were here, she would puke."

I grin, "Well, too bad we can't see her puke, huh?"

We sit silently, basking in each other's presence, when Jen asks, "Did you mean it?"

I blink, confused, "Mean what?"

Jen's hand grasps my bandaged hands as she turns, "That if you didn't bring Cale, you would follow me to the other world."

I smile, "What do you think?"

She glares back at me, "I think you're being stupid. I have learned throughout my life that even if the whole world falls, you need to live and look for something that makes you want to live. That's what it means to be human."

I rub her hand, "Then why were you about to give up when you thought you had lost Cale forever?"

She turns on me, "It's not that I had given up. I just felt at a loss. I don't have a family, no more husband, and not even my child. I felt hopeless."

I tighten my hand holding hers, "But now you have me."

She smiles, "Now I have you."

Remembering something, I smile smugly, "So I remember allowing you to wear my sweatshirt, but when were you going to tell me that you were even wearing my underwear under all that?"

Jen stares back at me, shocked, "How did you know? And more importantly, weren't those clothes provided by the hotel? So, how are they yours?"

I can't help laughing at her shocked expression, "I usually stay at the hotel when I have a lot of work to do, so it's packed with my clothes. And if we talk about how I found out you were wearing them? I helped you change your clothes."

Jen groans, "How could you, Ryan? That's so embarrassing."

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