the thoughts swirling in my mind. Since the day in my office and the night at Bizzy’s house, something inside me changed. I can’t stop thinking about her. She consumes my thoughts. I go back ten years, remembering every occasion we’ve shared and how much she means to me. It boggles my mind that I’ve never realized it before now. I’ve always loved her in some way, but those feelings exploded into a new raw need the second her lips touched mine. Suddenly, I was seeing the sweet, little Bizzy as more.
My vision cleared in that moment. This woman is perfect in every way, and I want her to be mine.
It may have been a mistake, but I didn’t think twice. Inviting her with me to St. Petersburg was a natural reaction. Then I remember the look of panic on her face. It wasn’t exactly comforting, and I started to doubt my decision.
I swallow the amber liquid and remember how she shivered at my touch. I knew it was overstepping our usual lines of friendship the way I gripped her shoulders. It was an act of intimacy, more than we’d ever shared before. I was two seconds away from spinning her to me so I could see if she was as affected as I was. Luckily, her tremble was the encouragement I needed.
I’m thinking about things, wondering if ‘we’ can ever be a possibility. These are the same things that should scare any sane bachelor into hysterics.
Her in my house…
Her in my life…
Her in my bed…
My hands knotted in her hair as I kiss her until she’s moaning my name…
My body pressed against hers, feeling her shiver at my touch… again…
“FUCK!” I hiss into the night and drain the glass. I need to get my shit together. This is dangerous. Bizzy is family. She deserves a man who will provide her a lifetime of happiness. A man who will worship her for her beauty and spirit.
Can I be that man?
My phone rings, and I close my eyes as her sweet smile fills my screen. Karma is testing me tonight.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Shaw.” She’s quiet, too quiet.
“Bizzy, you okay?”
“Yes, I, um, I’m actually in the parking garage. I see your car, but didn’t want to interrupt in case you had company or you were busy… or you wanted to be alone,” she rambles.
“I’m never too busy for you. Get your ass up here.” I drop the phone and go to my front door, opening it to watch for her. When the elevator opens and she steps out, my pulse starts to race. She’s in her scrubs, and I realize she must be working tonight. Even in the ridiculous bright material with some sort of dancing bears, she still steals my breath.
“Hey.” She hesitates and leans in for a quick hug, backing away too quickly.
I put my hand to her back and lead her into the living room. She plunks down on the sofa and tosses her keys and phone to the side.
“Sorry to barge in on you.”
“You’re always welcome here. That’s why you have a key,” I remind her.
“It’s Friday night. I didn’t want to interrupt you.”
“You’re never an interruption. You know this. But I sense something’s going on. You okay?”
“No!” She throws her hands in the air and sinks back. “Gail called me today. She gave me our schedule for next weekend.”
“Okay.” I try to hide my amusement because I knew to expect this.
“I think she has me set up as your date for the whole weekend.”
“She should, being as I told her to include you in everything.”
“I thought I was tagging along.”
“You are never a tag along. I want to give you a mini-vacation.”
“But this is your business.”
“You have to eat, too. Surely, a few dinners won’t cramp your style.”
She narrows her eyes and gives me a dirty look. “You’re being smug. I know I have to eat, but I’ll be a nervous wreck with your clients.”
“You’re best friends with a top quarterback in the NFL. You’ve been around professional athletes for years, most of them eating out of your hands within a few minutes of knowing you. What’s the problem?”
“I’m not sure this is a good idea. I feel like a fifth wheel, honestly.”
Shit, she’s going to try to back out.
“Sweetheart, forget the dinners. You want to stay in and get room service, do it. I won’t be offended. Come with me. Get away for a few days. I’ve got a two-bedroom suite. You don’t even have to hang out