Love Triangle Six Books of Torn Desire - Willow Winters Page 0,214

in surprise. “Falling for?”

I nod and brush it aside even though my cheeks burn in embarrassment. I can’t believe I let that slip out, no matter how true it is. “You don’t even know that he’ll try anything with me.”

He grunts out a laugh. “I know my brother. He’ll try, for sure.”

“How do you know?”

“You’re exactly his type.”

“And what type is that?”

“Sexy, brunette, smart. Legs for days. An ass that won’t quit.” He reaches over to grab one of my breasts. “And these. God, these.” He closes his eyes and I giggle. “He’ll want you, Reese, and I’m terrified he’ll go after you. I’m terrified you’ll want him, too, that you’ll leave me for him.” He’s pleading with me, and it tears a little piece of my heart. I wish he would let me in and tell me what’s happened between them in the past, but I don’t want to press more information out of him when clearly this is difficult for him. All I can do is assure him where my allegiance lies.

“I won’t,” I say, my voice fiercely adamant.

“Promise?” he asks.

I take his hand and loop my pinky finger around his. “Promise.” He takes me to the bedroom then and we seal our promise with much more than just our pinkies.

* * *

“Becker said there’s some big surprise tonight,” Jill says as we get ready for the big party. I’m working on my make-up while she curls her hair. We’re both still in our bathrobes and sipping occasionally from glasses of wine.

“I’m a little nervous,” I admit.

“Why?”

I shrug. “Brian was weird about me meeting his brother. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you last night, but we ran into his sister right before the event, and he kept shooting her weird looks.”

“What kind of looks?”

I brush some blush on my cheeks. “Like shut up kind of looks. Like he was silently telling her not to say anything.”

Jill’s brows draw together. “I wonder why.”

“We might find out tonight. Don’t you think it’s strange that neither of us has been to their house even though we’ve been seeing them for over a month?”

Jill shrugs. “Beck told me it’s crowded and loud all the time. He said it’s nice to come here and just relax.”

“Did you know they were all staying with Brian’s brother?”

She shakes her head. “Nope. He told me he was staying with Fox and Jason, but he didn’t mention the brother.”

“So weird. I wonder why it’s all so hush-hush.”

“Boys are just weird sometimes, you know?”

I nod and roll my eyes. “Ain’t that the truth?”

I’ve got a nice buzz going from the wine when Brian and Becker pick us up. Brian seems a little distracted and out of sorts as I sit up front with him while Becker and Jill talk quietly in the backseat.

Brian signals off the highway then maneuvers the car onto the Strip, which strikes me as very odd. I had no idea they lived in the heart of the action.

Traffic is slow, and all the red lights and honking horns do nothing good for the anxiety I feel as the car carries us closer to our final destination—wherever that may be. I get the sudden feeling in the pit of my stomach that this is a bad idea. If Brian wants to keep me away from his brother, he has his reasons, and I should respect those reasons.

He turns into the Mandarin Oriental. Anxiety presses heavily on me as my mouth goes dry.

I’m not ready to be here again. The Cosmopolitan was a little close for comfort a few weeks ago, and the Aria last night reminded me of that night again, but to be back here again with a different man…it’s too much.

I had no idea Brian was living at the Mandarin, but now that we’re pulling into the valet station, it makes a whole lot of sense. That morning I left Mark’s place and ran right into Brian and he helped me pick up all the shit that fell out of my purse…of course this is where he’s living. I was stupid not to make that connection before.

I take a deep breath and hold it in for a five count. I need Jill beside me because she’s the only one who might possibly understand what this means—being back here. It’s been well over a month, but that night still haunts me, and as I look around me at things I’ve seen before, flashes of Mark and our night together ghost through