a beer for myself when I get back with the pizza.
“Are you in the wedding party?” she calls from the sofa.
“No, Jack had too many guys and they had to match up with the bride’s side. My brothers and I drew straws for who’d be a groomsman.” I go back to the living room, hand her the water, and set the coffee table for dinner.
“Oh, good.”
I lift my gaze to hers. “Why is that good?”
“Because then you’d have a bridesmaid partner you’d have to sit with, and I’d just be sitting by myself. I was maid-of-honor at Sara’s wedding and I had to stick with Oscar for a lot of it.” That’s my cousin, a prince. Most women would’ve loved to be with Oscar. He was such a player before he met his wife. As bad as I was. Am. I should pick up a woman soon.
“I’m gonna get the pizza.” I’m about to head out when she stops me with another question.
“Will we be spending the night in New Jersey after the wedding?”
I halt. It’s about a two-hour drive. Does she want to spend the night with me? There is a breakfast the next morning at my new sister-in-law’s parents’ house. It’s optional, though. I rented a car so I could come and go as I please, depending how I felt after the wedding.
I slowly turn back, my pulse thrumming in anticipation. “We could go either way, spend the night or come back. Which do you prefer?”
She bites her lip and looks away. “Whatever works for your family. I was just wondering.”
Which is the most confusing answer I’ve ever heard.
“They’d probably like to see me at the breakfast the next day, so we’ll spend the night.” I wait, gauging her reaction.
“Great,” she says tightly.
Guess I know where I stand. She looks uncomfortable with the idea. Whatever. I really don’t care. She can go back to her long-distance arrangement with Michael, and I’ll just…I’ll just deal.
I yank open the front door and stalk out. Pizza and a movie. That’s it.
I get the pizza, tip the guy, and head back upstairs, determined to get back on solid ground. Enough of this stupid hoping for something more. There’s plenty of women out there who’d love to be with a guy like me.
I burst through the door, startling her. “We’re not spending the night.”
“Okay,” she says, her voice going up at the end like a question. Her brows draw down as she studies me. “What is with you tonight?”
“Nothing. I just think it’s better if we don’t drag out the weekend any more than we absolutely have to. Weddings are exhausting.” I stalk to the coffee table and deposit the pizza box.
“Bren, do you not want me to go to Jack’s wedding? Would you rather go alone? I totally get that.”
“I asked you; you said yes.” I lift the lid of the box. “Eat up.”
She salutes me. “Yes, sir!”
A laugh escapes and I join her, taking a slice for myself. “Smart-ass.”
She smiles. “Can’t help it.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
“Does watching your brothers get married make you want that too?” she asks before taking a big bite of pizza.
I open my mouth to say no, but what comes out is, “Someday.” Huh. Maybe I am evolving. My older brothers are happier than I’ve ever seen them before. It could be rubbing off on me.
She nods and takes a swig of water. “Yeah, when I see Sara with baby Henry, I think someday I’d like to be a mom.”
“Not a wife?”
She lifts a shoulder. “Guess the guy goes with the territory.” She pulls a funny face, twisting her lips. “Such a hassle with all their testosterone and demands.”
“Ha! What about all the hormones women are riding? Up and down with the moods. God help ya if you catch them at the wrong time of the month.”
“Sexist.”
“So are you.”
She sighs. “Sometimes I wish I were a lesbian. So much simpler.”
“Even better would be if you met a lesbian fellow doctor.”
She takes a bite of pizza, speaking around it. “Too bad I like dick so much.”
“Yeah,” I croak. Thank God I didn’t get my beer yet, or I’d be spewing it now. As it is, my cock twitched to life at her crude language. She might look angelic, but she’s not shy. She once told me she had no inhibitions in bed. That is the stuff of my lusty dreams.
I close my eyes for a second, telling my cock to stand down. Icy wind, moldy onions, dates set up