British Black Sheep - Lauren Smith Page 0,56

should I be the one to give it to her?”

Morgan stared at him, unimpressed. “Because you’re shagging her, of course.”

Alec said nothing. He wasn’t sure what to say. Had Simon broken his word? Was Morgan just guessing?

“And you like her.”

“I’m not shagging her,” Alec said flatly.

“Oh? Then where were you last night? I walked into your bedroom this morning and it was empty.”

“I stayed up late reading in the library.”

Morgan expression was nonplussed. “Try again. I checked there next. Not a sight or sound of you to be found anywhere, except for one room…”

“Morgan, whatever game you think you’re playing, stop now. Brie will be in a lot of trouble with her publisher if they find out she’s in a relationship with her client’s son,” Alec warned.

“Ah, so you admit it’s a relationship?” Morgan grinned, as if that was what the proof he’d been waiting for.

“Christ, it’s like talking to a brick wall.” Alec walked around his brother and stepped into the hall. “Where did you even get this thing?” He nodded down at the spaniel as Morgan caught up with him.

“One of the farmers at the fair had a litter. She has papers and everything. She’s a fine dog.”

“She’s cute,” Alec grudgingly admitted. “She’s what, barely eight weeks old?” He stroked a finger down the puppy’s nose and a little pink tongue slipped out to lick his finger.

“Nine, actually. Runt of the litter, but I figured that just adds to the charm. Now, you need to get a big bow, a good red or green one, and then give the puppy to Brie for Christmas tonight. Maybe tuck it in a hatbox or something.”

“Like Lady and the Tramp? Morgan, my life is not a Disney movie.”

“It could be if you wanted it to,” Morgan muttered. “Just do it and you’ll be a lucky man.”

“It wouldn’t be appropriate, Morgan.”

“Oh, for God’s sake. It’s a puppy, not an engagement ring.”

Alec paused at the top of the stairs and lifted the puppy up to look at it. The puppy tried to lick his nose. Alec sighed.

“You’d better go raid the extra pet supplies in the stables. You’ll need a fresh bed, and a carrier.”

“I’ve already seen to all of that,” Morgan said. “And puppy food as well. It’s all in the downstairs closet for when you’re ready to give her to Brie.”

Alec stopped one of their footmen, a man named Murphy, and entrusted him to care for the pup until later that night. The brothers then joined everyone in the main salon to enjoy some roasted chestnuts.

He saw Brie across the room with Bridget and his mother, but something felt wrong. Brie didn’t look his way once. He moved through the crowd, dodging Brendan and the group of children he was playing with. He didn’t wish to interrupt the conversation of the fair Brie was so fully engrossed in, so he waited instead for them to finish.

“Oh Alec! Did you let Brie sleep this afternoon?” His mother said when she noticed him hovering nearby. “She looks exhausted.” Julia frowned at him then turned to Brie. “Tonight, we’ll turn in early. Let the children finish the chestnuts and then Byron will perform his reading of T’was the Night Before Christmas.”

Alec studied Brie’s face and noted the wariness in her expression. When his mother and Bridget moved away, he sidled closer.

“Are you all right? You were gone when I woke.”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Brie focused on her notebook as she jotted down some things.

“What’s the matter? I get the sense you’re avoiding me,” he said so as not to be overheard.

“Alec, we’ve been kidding ourselves. I know we’re both adults and we’re just having fun, but we need to stop before…” She trailed off.

“Before what?”

“Before one of us makes a mistake. I can’t afford to do that, okay? Let’s just call it quits now.”

Logically her words make perfect sense, but for some reason it filled him with a deep pain, one that made it harder to breathe, like he’d run too fast outside in the cold, and his lungs were almost frozen. Brie started to walk away, but he caught her wrist, tugging her back toward him.

“Brie, please, I’m sorry if I said anything that made you uncomfortable. Please don’t take this from me, give me a few more days with you.”

Alec hadn’t begged for anything in a long time. The last time he could remember doing it was when his grandfather had been rushed away in an ambulance. He’d prayed and begged for Walter